By Missy Grimes
December 13, 2024
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A pair of Tennessee football offensive standouts earned All-America status from multiple outlets this week as organizations began rolling out their postseason honors for the 2024 season. Senior center Cooper Mays and junior running back Dylan Sampson were both tabbed Second Team All-America by The Athletic, while Mays earned second team recognition from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Sampson collected second team honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Mays becomes the fourth center in Tennessee history to be named an All-American and the first since Bob Johnson was a unanimous selection in 1967. Sampson is the 11th Tennessee running back to garner first or second team All-America honors and the first since Travis Stephens was recognized in 2001.
During the Josh Heupel era (2021-present), Tennessee has produced six All-Americans – its most in a four-year span since 2006-09.
Cooper Mays (C) – All-America Second Team (AFCA, The Athletic)
In his fourth-straight season as the starting center, Mays anchored UT’s offensive line that helped the Vols finish with a top 10 rushing offense and total offense in the country. The Kingston, Tennessee, native, played a team-high 816 offensive snaps according to PFF and did not allow a sack or quarterback hit throughout the entire 2024 campaign. He carries a streak of 26 consecutive games without allowing a sack into next week’s CFP first-round contest against the Ohio State Buckeyes, which dates back to the 2022 season.
Mays led an offensive line unit that paved the way for the top rushing attack in the SEC for the second year in row. Tennessee’s 232.0 rushing yards per game ranked first in the conference and ninth in the FBS, while its 462.9 yards of total offense per game were second in the league and eighth nationally. For their efforts, UT’s offensive line was recognized as Joe Moore Award semifinalists for the third-straight season, joining Oregon as the only schools in the country to accomplish that feat.
Dylan Sampson (RB) – All-America Second Team (The Athletic, Walter Camp)
Sampson, who was also tabbed the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year by both the league’s coaches and the AP on Wednesday, has had a record-setting season for the Big Orange while helping lead Tennessee to its first ever College Football Playoff appearance.
Sampson finished the regular season as the SEC’s leader in carries (256), rushing yards (1,485), rushing yards per game (123.8) and rushing touchdowns (22), setting UT single-season records for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns along the way. In total, Sampson leads the SEC in 11 different categories and is tied for first among Power Four players (third nationally) in rushing scores, with his 22 touchdowns on the ground ranking tied for the fifth most in SEC single-season history.
The junior workhorse became the second player in Tennessee history with 10 100-yard rushing games in a single season, joining Jay Graham, who had 11 in 1995. He also leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally in all-purpose yards with 1,620 entering the Vols’ CFP first round contest at No. 6 Ohio State on Dec. 21.
Sampson has been a point scoring machine in 2024, leading the conference and ranking fifth in the FBS with a program-record 132 points scored. His 11 straight games with a touchdown earlier this season was also a single-season school record.
2024 Tennessee Postseason Award Honors as of Dec. 13
DC Tim Banks
Broyles Award Finalist
DB Will Brooks
Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist
DB Boo Carter
Freshman All-SEC
TE Ethan Davis
Freshman All-SEC
QB Nico Iamaleava
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Semifinalist
Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Finalist
OL Cooper Mays
Rimington Trophy Finalist
All-America Second Team (AFCA, The Athletic)
All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
All-SEC Second Team (AP)
WR Bru McCoy
Witten Award Semifinalist
Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist
SEC Community Service Team
DB Jermod McCoy
Thorpe Award Semifinalist
All-SEC First Team (AP)
All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
DE James Pearce Jr.
Bednarik Award Semifinalist
Lombardi Award Semifinalist
Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalist
All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
All-SEC Second Team (AP)
LB Keenan Pili
NFF Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
DL Jordan Ross
Freshman All-SEC
RB Dylan Sampson
SEC Offensive Player of the Year (AP, Coaches)
USA Today SEC Player of the Year
All-America Second Team (The Athletic, Walter Camp)
Maxwell Award Semifinalist
Doak Walker Award Semifinalist
All-SEC First Team (AP, Coaches)
LB Jalen Smith
Freshman All-SEC
OL Javontez Spraggins
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
KOS Josh Turbyville
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
Offensive Line
Joe Moore Award Semifinalist
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