Tennessee football: Which SEC media picks will be proven right and wrong?
1. RIGHT: Cade Mays, Alontae Taylor and Paxton Brooks All-SEC
The SEC media voters will be proven to have missed on some potential All-SEC Tennessee football players, even if we don’t know who they are yet. They will also be proven right for leaving off certain players and entire position units.
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In terms of players making it, they were accurate with the three Vols they named. Senior offensive lineman Cade Mays made first team, senior punter Paxton Brooks made second team, and senior defensive back Alontae Taylor made third team. All of these guys are proven three-year starters in the SEC, so it makes sense that they would make the list.
Mays is UT’s top 2022 NFL Draft prospect at the moment, and he has now started three seasons for two different teams after transferring from the Georgia Bulldogs. He’ll likely be playing left guard this year, but he’s a Trey Smith type who can play any position.
Brooks stepped in for Joe Doyle midway through 2019 to be the full-time punter and has a powerful leg. He needs more consistent long snapping, but there’s no questioning what he can do. Taylor will likely be the Vols’ best defensive back, and although he struggled last year, it was largely due to playing through injuries.
All three of these players will earn All-SEC, even if Taylor won’t earn first team based on the prediction we made earlier. This is proof Tennessee football has some weapons, and the Vols have many more flying under the radar.