(Photo via Andrew Ferguson / Tennessee Athletics)
Eight different Tennessee soccer players have been named to preseason All-SEC teams by renowned college football statistician Phil Steele.
Phil Steele College’s annual football magazine is out now, featuring pre-season Steele teams for all conferences and all American teams. In the SEC edition, eight Vols formed their various teams, and one Vol also earned Steele’s preseason All-American honors.
Senior offensive lineman Trey Smith was named a member of Steele’s preseason All-American team and earned All-SEC honors. Those two honors are just the latest in what has been a decorated offseason for the Vols’ star lineman. Smith has also earned preseason All-American honors from Athlon Sports, Sporting News and Walter Camp.
On Steele’s All-SEC teams, four offensive players, two defensive players, and two special team players earned all of the conference awards.
Smith is joined by offensive linemen Cade Mays, Brandon Kennedy, and Wanya Morris on the All-SEC preseason offensive teams. Mays has yet to downplay the Vols and is still waiting to know if he will be immediately eligible for the 2020 season after the transfer from Georgia. Kennedy was Tennessee’s full-time starter in the center last season, and Morris shone as a rookie as a starter at left tackle.
Defensively, linebacker Henry To’o To’o and cornerback Bryce Thompson made Steele’s All-SEC list. Thompson enters his junior season having shown great potential in his previous two years as Vol. 247Sports American Honors and The Athletic.
On special teams, leading kicker Brent Cimaglia and wide receiver / catcher Velus Jones Jr. were named to Steele’s All-SEC teams. Cimaglia returns as arguably the best kicker in the SEC from last season, and is set to make his mark in the UT record books. Jones is a transfer graduate of USC and was a productive kick returner for Trojans, earning All-Pac-12 honors as a returnee in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Right now, Tennessee’s 2020 season is slated to begin Sept. 5 in Knoxville when the Vols host Charlotte.
