University of Tennessee Athletics
Sutton, Berry, Barnett Named CBS Preseason All-Americans
August 16, 2016 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee's Cameron Sutton, Evan Berry and Derek Barnett were named to the CBS Sports 2016 Preseason All-American Teams, which was voted on by a panel of college football experts from CBSSports.com and 247Sports.com.
CBS Sports announced the teams on Tuesday.
Sutton (punt returner) and Berry (kickoff returner) garnered first-team honors. Barnett was selected as a second-team defensive end.
There were five unanimous selections and players representing 16 programs among the 27 first-team selections. Alabama (five) and Florida State (three) led the way with Clemson, Florida, LSU, Ohio State and Tennessee (two each) among other teams with multiple first-team selections.
Among conferences, the SEC was on top with 12 first-team picks as the Big Ten (six), ACC (five) and Pac-12 (four) fell in line behind it. The Big 12 had one player among the 55 selected, second-team quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The second also team includes three players from outside the Power Five conferences along with a tie for the third linebacker spot.
Sutton is on the watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Jim Thorpe Award and the Paul Hornung Award. He has started all 38 games of his career, including 13 games in 2015 in which he posted 28 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, one interception, two pass break-ups and two forced fumbles. He is tied for fourth in Tennessee history with 32 career passes defended. The Jonesboro, Georgia, native has also become a feared punt returner after leading the nation with 18.7 yards per return last season, earning AutoNation FWAA second-team All-American and Sporting News first-team All-American honors. Over the last two years Sutton has returned three punts for touchdowns. Sutton has garnered preseason All-American accolades from Sporting News, Lindy's and Phil Steele, the last of which has tabbed Sutton for honors as both a cornerback and a punt returner. Lindy's ranks him as the No. 4 cornerback in the country. He was also named the Preseason Media Days All-SEC first team as a defensive back.
Berry was the 2015 SEC Special Teams Player of the Year and earned All-American honors after leading the nation with a 38.3 kickoff return average. He was one of just four players in the country with three kickoff return touchdowns in 2015. Berry enters 2016 as UT's leader in career kickoff return average (34.8). Phil Steele and Athlon named Berry to its preseason All-American teams. Lindy's also ranks him at No. 8 in the nation among all-purpose players. He was named to the Preseason Media Days All-SEC second team as a return specialist.
Barnett, who earned All-SEC first-team honors at the 2016 SEC Media Days, is also on the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Ted Hendricks Award. A 2015 All-SEC second team selection after ranking third in the conference in sacks (10.0) last season, Barnett enters his junior season tied for eighth in career sacks at Tennessee with 20. He currently trails the legendary Reggie White, UT's all-time sacks leader, by only 12. Barnett's 20 sacks are also the most by any Vol through his first two seasons of action. The Nashville native was third on the team in total tackles last season with 69. Barnett has been named a preseason 2016 All-American by Athlon, Phil Steele, Lindy's and Sporting News and Lindy's ranks him as the No. 3 defensive end in the nation in its preseason publication.
