Tennessee football: Vols top 10 players of the 2010s decade

Sticking with the defense, Evan Berry was not an everyday SEC player for Tennessee football despite technically being considered a safety. Still, as a playmaker, there was simply no way for us to leave him off this list. The brother of Eric Berry carved out his own legacy on Rocky Top with what he was able to do.

Berry may be the greatest kickoff returner in UT history. The guy was a Freshman All-American in 2014 without scoring a touchdown in doing so. In 2015, however, he became a breakout player, specifically on special teams. He returned three kickoffs for touchdowns against the Western Carolina Catamounts, Arkansas Razorbacks and Kentucky Wildcats.

In 2016, Berry’s season was cut short. But it didn’t happen before his kickoff return to set up the Hail Mary against the Georgia Bulldogs and another kickoff return for a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks, the fourth of his career. So he still earned All-American honors despite missing nearly half the year.

When you factor in his pick-six in the Outback Bowl against the Northwestern Wildcats, Berry managed to finish his career with five touchdowns as a safety and a return specialist. And he was a two-time All-American. Even if it was just on special teams, you can’t leave a guy with that resume off this list. He may never have been a regular safety, but he was still a star.