Tennessee football’s top five seniors for 2021

6’6″ 325 pounds

We started this list with a transfer from another program, and we end this list with a transfer from another program. Cade Mays is finally ready to play the role he likely intended to play when he initially committed to Tennessee football back in 2017 before decommitting.

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The Butch Jones saga pushed Mays away, understandably, so he committed to the Georgia Bulldogs and was a two-year starter there. However, the son of UT offensive lineman Kevin Mays saw his younger brother, Cooper Mays, commit to the Vols, and he transferred back home last year. Delays on his eligibility combined with COVID, though, limited his development.

This year, though, the graduate of Knox County’s Knoxville Catholic High School should be in perfect condition to thrive for the Vols. With Trey Smith, Wanya Morris, Brandon Kennedy and Jahmir Johnson gone, Mays is expected to be the anchor of the unit.

Mays is by far the most versatile lineman on the team and the most talented. His journey toward being a senior on Rocky Top was not what was initially expected, but he’s here now, and expectations for him are through the roof. Very few players on this team have the national profile he has, and that number is smaller when you only count seniors.

Both Mays and Alontae Taylor are interesting stories for Tennessee football, as they each committed and then decommitted during the Jones disaster in 2017. However, Taylor recommitted to Jeremy Pruitt. Mays found his way home eventually. Now, they both enter their senior years ready to shine for Josh Heupel.