University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Produce School-Record Three FWAA Freshman All-Americans
January 14, 2026 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football produced a nation-best tying three Football Writers Association of America 2025 Freshman All-Americans – wide receiver Braylon Staley, offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. and linebacker Edwin Spillman – as the organization unveiled its 25th team Wednesday.
The Volunteers were one of five programs with multiple players on the freshman team and tied Georgia for the most. The three selections are the most in program history since the honor's inception in 2001.
Staley added to an already accomplished list of accolades in the fall. The 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year ranked second among freshmen nationally in catches (68) and receiving yards (837), and he was fourth in receiving touchdowns (6). Staley set a UT freshman record in single-season receptions, which represented the most by any player in the Josh Heupel era. The 68 also tied for sixth overall in UT single-season annals and were the second-most by any SEC player in 2025.
Sanders Jr., the former five-star recruit, is the first Vol freshman offensive lineman to be named to the FWAA squad since NFL standout Trey Smith in 2019. After being sidelined due to injury for the first four games, he started six games at right tackle and saw action on 480 snaps. He did not allow a sack in eight of the nine games he played.
Spillman was the SEC's top freshman tackler, gathering a team-high 81, which ranked tied for 10th overall in the conference. He had 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups, one interception and three quarterback hurries. The Nashville native started six games on the year in the absence of an injured Arion Carter.
2025 FWAA Freshman All-America Team
Offense
QB Drew Mestemaker, North Texas
QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State
RB Caleb Hawkins, North Texas
RB Bo Jackson, Ohio State
WR Andrew Marsh, Michigan
WR Braylon Staley, Tennessee
WR Malachi Toney, Miami
TE DJ Vonnahme, Iowa
OL Michael Carroll, Alabama
OL Dontrell Glover, Georgia
OL John Mills, Washington
OL Jacob Ponton, Texas Tech
OL Nathan Roy, Minnesota
OL David Sanders Jr., Tennessee
Defense
DL Mandrell Desir, Florida State
DL Elijah Griffin, Georgia
DL Jahkeem Stewart, USC
DL Sidney Stewart, Maryland
LB Antoine Deslauriers, Syracuse
LB Luke Ferrelli, California
LB Mason Posa, Wisconsin
LB Edwin Spillman, Tennessee
DB Brandon Finney, Oregon
DB Bryce Fitzgerald, Miami
DB Tae Johnson, Notre Dame
DB Jessiah McGrew, FIU
DB DJ Pickett, LSU
DB Ellis Robinson, Georgia
Specialists
K Connor Calvert, Wake Forest
P Billy Gowers, Hawaii
AP Cameron Pettaway, Bowling Green
The Volunteers were one of five programs with multiple players on the freshman team and tied Georgia for the most. The three selections are the most in program history since the honor's inception in 2001.
Staley added to an already accomplished list of accolades in the fall. The 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year ranked second among freshmen nationally in catches (68) and receiving yards (837), and he was fourth in receiving touchdowns (6). Staley set a UT freshman record in single-season receptions, which represented the most by any player in the Josh Heupel era. The 68 also tied for sixth overall in UT single-season annals and were the second-most by any SEC player in 2025.
Sanders Jr., the former five-star recruit, is the first Vol freshman offensive lineman to be named to the FWAA squad since NFL standout Trey Smith in 2019. After being sidelined due to injury for the first four games, he started six games at right tackle and saw action on 480 snaps. He did not allow a sack in eight of the nine games he played.
Spillman was the SEC's top freshman tackler, gathering a team-high 81, which ranked tied for 10th overall in the conference. He had 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups, one interception and three quarterback hurries. The Nashville native started six games on the year in the absence of an injured Arion Carter.
2025 FWAA Freshman All-America Team
Offense
QB Drew Mestemaker, North Texas
QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State
RB Caleb Hawkins, North Texas
RB Bo Jackson, Ohio State
WR Andrew Marsh, Michigan
WR Braylon Staley, Tennessee
WR Malachi Toney, Miami
TE DJ Vonnahme, Iowa
OL Michael Carroll, Alabama
OL Dontrell Glover, Georgia
OL John Mills, Washington
OL Jacob Ponton, Texas Tech
OL Nathan Roy, Minnesota
OL David Sanders Jr., Tennessee
Defense
DL Mandrell Desir, Florida State
DL Elijah Griffin, Georgia
DL Jahkeem Stewart, USC
DL Sidney Stewart, Maryland
LB Antoine Deslauriers, Syracuse
LB Luke Ferrelli, California
LB Mason Posa, Wisconsin
LB Edwin Spillman, Tennessee
DB Brandon Finney, Oregon
DB Bryce Fitzgerald, Miami
DB Tae Johnson, Notre Dame
DB Jessiah McGrew, FIU
DB DJ Pickett, LSU
DB Ellis Robinson, Georgia
Specialists
K Connor Calvert, Wake Forest
P Billy Gowers, Hawaii
AP Cameron Pettaway, Bowling Green
Players Mentioned
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