2 under-the-radar Tennessee Vols players receive praise from opposing SEC coaches

A couple of under-the-radar Tennessee Vols players received some praise from opposing SEC coaches this week. ESPN spoke with numerous anonymous coaches to get their thoughts on the best players in college football. Unsurprisingly, Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt were pointed out by rival coaches as a couple of the best […]

Zach Ragan Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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A couple of under-the-radar Tennessee Vols players received some praise from opposing SEC coaches this week.

ESPN spoke with numerous anonymous coaches to get their thoughts on the best players in college football.

Unsurprisingly, Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt were pointed out by rival coaches as a couple of the best players in college football.

Offensive lineman Cooper Mays and linebacker Jeremy Banks, however, were also specifically praised by the anonymous coaches.

Vols
Tennessee offensive lineman Cooper Mays (63) takes the field before the Tennessee football season opener game against Ball State in Knoxville, Tenn. on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022.Kns Utvbs0901

Mays was praised by an opposing defensive coordinator for his savviness.

"Super savvy," said the defensive coordinator of Mays. "He's as good of a center as there is in our league."

An SEC coach also praised linebacker Jeremy Banks for "playing at a different speed".

ESPN noted that Banks also "drew praise from several offensive coordinators".

Players like Hooker and Hyatt received most of the attention this season (which was deserved, they had incredible seasons), but there were more players than just those two that were responsible for the Vols' success in 2022.

It takes a whole roster of players like Mays and Banks to get to 10 wins. So it's no surprise that they were pointed out by opposing coaches as some of the best players in college football.

Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK