Tennessee football: Vols top 30 players since 1998 national championship

Joining Rico McCoy, Jonathan Hefney is a guy who gets to be on this list because of his career level of production. He is one of the most reliable players in Tennessee football history and became a very valuable weapon for the Vols.

In 2004, Hefney committed as a four-star defensive back. Phillip Fulmer and the coaching staff immediately made him a starter at safety and on punt returns, and he never looked back playing either position. He started every game his college career, except for the 2004 season-opener against the UNLV Rebels.

For his career, Hefney averaged over eight yards a return and went over 11 yards a return and 12 yards a return respectively his sophomore and junior years. For his career, he had over 300 total tackles as a safety. That went along with 11 tackles for a loss.

On top of that, he had 10 interceptions, most notably eight in 2005 and 2006, including the one that turned the game around in the Vols’ epic 21-0 comeback win over the LSU Tigers in 2005. Simply put, the guy was a playmaker in every way and the anchor of the secondary throughout his time on Rocky Top.

One of the most notable years for Hefney was his senior year. With high expectations, he seemed to have a drop in production. But Hefney had to deal with the loss of fellow defensive backs Antwan Steward and Demetrice Morley, leaving him to cover for a crop of brand new starters. But he still did enough to carry the team. He helped develop a young star in Eric Berry while his team won the SEC East.

Hefney’s play through four years earned him back to back All-SEC selections in 2006 and 2007. There are very few leaders and team players who come through the program like Hefney. As a result, he definitely belongs on this list for his career value.