Tennessee football: 2021 All-SEC teams a testament to Vols getting their chance

It’s been a longstanding tradition on Rocky Top for Tennessee football coaches to grossly underuse their talented players, much to the chagrin of fans. There’s a reason so many Vols go undrafted and then turn into stars. They never got the chance to shine in college.

Well, in his first year as head coach, Josh Heupel allowed certain players who had waited their turn that very chance, and it finally showed. The 2021 All-SEC Coaches teams only had three Vols, but it’s evidence of players who deserved their shot.

Velus Jones Jr. made first team as an all-purpose offensive player and a return specialist. Cade Mays and Theo Jackson made second team as an offensive lineman and defensive back respectively. All three had breakout years for Tennessee football.

In 2020, Jones was supposed to be the new go-to slot guy. He transferred from the USC Trojans to be just that while doubling as a kick returner. However, he didn’t start to see targets until the end of the year, and Jeremy Pruitt didn’t focus much on special teams anyway.

This year, though, Jones got a much better chance to shine. Josh Heupel used him all year in the offense, and he made sure he got his touches in the return game. The result was Jones gaining 722 receiving yards and catching six touchdown pass while also averaging 28 yards a kickoff return and running one back for a touchdown.

Pruitt and Jim Chaney dramatically underused Jones, but he got his shot under Heupel, and he didn’t let it go to waste. In his final year of eligibility, it was a great story for Tennessee football. He deserves all the praise.

On the other side of the ball, Theo Jackson has been a loyal defensive back since 2017, when he arrived. Every year, the coaches moved him around to fill whatever void existed in the secondary due to injury, but they never gave him a chance to shine on his own.

Tim Banks locked him in at nickel. In the process, Jackson became a star. He finished tied for the team leader in tackles for a loss with nine, led in pass deflections with 10, and on Senior Day against the Vanderbilt Commodores, he had a pick-six. Like Jones, Jackson showed what he could do when given the chance to maximize his potential.

Now, Mays was always expected to be an All-SEC player. He’s one of the best offensive linemen in the league and has been over the past four years, dating back to when he played for the Georgia Bulldogs. However, after first playing for UT in 2020, he hadn’t yet proven himself without Trey Smith, and he had to be a lot more flexible this year given the questions up front.

In the process, Mays proved his versatility, which will likely help his NFL Draft stock. He can truly line up anywhere, and spending this season at right tackle proves that. Although his breakout year wasn’t the same as Jackson’s or Jones’, he still proved something new. All three of these players represented Tennessee football well, and credit to Heupel for giving them the chance to do that.