KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee VFL Joey Kent, who led the Vols in receiving for three straight seasons and shattered nearly every receiving record in program history, has been named to the prestigious 2023 SEC Football Legends Class, the league office announced on Thursday.
The 2023 SEC Football Legends class will be honored at the 2023 SEC Football “Weekend of Champions” Dec. 1-2 in Atlanta highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Celebration on Friday, Dec. 1 at the College Football Hall of Fame. The group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Football Championship Game, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Kent was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection from 1995-96 and a second-team All-America recipient by The Sporting News and Football News in 1996.
A four-year letterwinner for the Vols from 1993-96, Kent finished as Tennessee’s career record holder in receptions (183), receiving yards (2,814), receiving touchdowns (25), 100-yard games (15) and average yards per catch (18.8). All five of those school records still stand today. At the conclusion of his career, he ranked second in SEC history in career receiving yardage, a mark that ranks 17th today.
After redshirting in 1992, Kent was a freshman All-SEC selection in 1993 before leading the Vols in receiving as a redshirt sophomore in 1994. That season, he caught 36 passes for 470 yards, highlighted by a six-catch, 116-yard performance to lead UT to a Gator Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.
In 1995, Kent became the first Vol to ever crack the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a season with 1,055 as he guided UT to an 11-1 record and a No. 3 final AP poll ranking. He was tops in the SEC and set a UT single-season record with 69 catches to go along with nine touchdowns. He reeled off three straight 100-yard receiving games en route to first-team All-SEC honors. It was Kent who set the tone in the Vols’ rivalry victory over Alabama, hauling in a quick slant from Peyton Manning for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of the game.
Kent followed up his epic junior campaign with another 1,000-yard season as a senior, catching 68 passes for 1,080 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named first-team All-SEC by the AP and league coaches, while earning second-team All-America honors and becoming a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Kent racked up seven 100-yard games and finished his career with a brilliant performance vs. Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl. He made five catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard score, as the Vols completed another 10-win season and finished ninth in the final AP poll.
The Huntsville, Alabama, native was invited to the Senior Bowl and then selected with the No. 46 overall pick in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He was a member of the Titans’ Super Bowl XXXIV squad and played four NFL seasons, including his final year with the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings.
Tennessee All-Time SEC Football Legends
1994 – Bob Johnson
1995 – Doug Atkins
1996 – Condredge Holloway
1997 – John Michels
1998 – Richmond Flowers
1999 – Steve Kiner
2000 – Steve DeLong
2001 – Stanley Morgan
2002 – Johnny Majors
2003 – Reggie White
2004 – Frank Emanuel
2005 – Larry Seivers
2006 – Chip Kell
2007 – Willie Gault
2008 – Doug Dickey
2009 – Heath Shuler
2010 – Al Wilson
2011 – Bobby Majors
2012 – Peerless Price
2013 – Inky Johnson
2014 – Todd Kelly
2015 – Chuck Smith
2016 – Deon Grant
2017 – Chad Clifton
2018 – Phillip Fulmer
2019 – Darwin Walker
2020 – no Legends class (COVID-19 season)
2021 – no Legends class
2022 – Peyton Manning
2023 – Joey Kent