KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Four Tennessee football standouts were recognized on The Athletic’s 2025 Freshman All-America Teams released on Friday. Ty Redmond and Braylon Staley were named first team selections, while Jesse Perry and Edwin Spillman received second team honors from the publication.
Tennessee’s four players on The Athletic Freshman All-America teams were the most of any team in the country, and UT was one of eight schools with multiple honorees. Georgia and Notre Dame each had three selections, while five other schools had two.
A true freshman thrust into the starting lineup, Redmond held down a starting corner spot all season. The only player in the conference named to the All-SEC and All-Freshman Team, he totaled 39 tackles with one TFL, three interceptions and 10 pass breakups. His 13 passes defended are tied for first in the SEC, while his 10 PBUs lead all Power Four freshmen this season. Additionally, his three interceptions tied for fourth in the conference, and his 80.0 PFF coverage grade ranked fourth among SEC cornerbacks.
The 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year according to the league’s head coaches and the Associated Press, Staley emerged as a consistent and productive target during his redshirt freshman season. The receiver from Aiken, South Carolina, enters the postseason ranked sixth in the conference in receiving yards (806) and receiving yards per games (67.2). Those marks both rank second nationally among all FBS freshmen, while his six receiving touchdowns led all SEC rookies and ranked fourth among FBS freshmen this season.
An impact player at guard and tackle this season, Perry started 11 of 12 games during the 2025 campaign – seven at right tackle and four at right guard. The versatile lineman from Murfreesboro totaled 695 offensive snaps and allowed only two sacks according to PFF, and his 77.3 pass block grade was the highest of any player on Tennessee’s roster (minimum 50 offensive snaps played). Perry contributed to Tennessee’s fifth consecutive Joe Moore Award semifinalist recognition, paving the way and protecting for the SEC No. 1 scoring offense.
Spillman established himself as one of the top young defensive players in the SEC, leading all freshmen – true or redshirt – with 80 tackles in 2025. The redshirt freshman from Nashville played in all 12 games, including five consecutive starts to end the season, and added 3.5 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks. He posted a career-best 15-tackle performance against Kentucky and recorded his first interception against Oklahoma.
2025 Tennessee Football Postseason Honors (as of Dec. 15)
RB DeSean Bishop
Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist
All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
WR Chris Brazzell II
Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist
All-America Third Team (AP)
All-SEC First Team (AP, Coaches)
LB Arion Carter
Witten Award Semifinalist
All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
OL Lance Heard
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
DB Colton Hood
Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist
All-SEC Second Team (AP)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
All-SEC First Team (AP)
OL Jesse Perry
The Athletic Freshman All-America Second Team
DB Ty Redmond
The Athletic Freshman All-America First Team
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Semifinalist
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
Freshman All-SEC Team (Coaches)
P Jackson Ross
Ray Guy Award Semifinalist
OL David Sanders Jr.
On3 True Freshman All-America Team
Freshman All-SEC Team (Coaches)
LB Edwin Spillman
The Athletic Freshman All-America Second Team
Freshman All-SEC Team (Coaches)
WR Braylon Staley
The Athletic Freshman All-America First Team
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Semifinalist
SEC Freshman of the Year (AP, Coaches)
Freshman All-SEC Team
KOS Josh Turbyville
All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
