BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tennessee’s Evan Berry has been named First Team All-SEC and fellow sophomores Jalen Hurd and Derek Barnett have earned Second Team All-SEC honors, as announced by the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday.
Berry is first Vol to earn First Team All-SEC honors as a return specialist. In 2015, Berry has emerged as the nation’s top kick returner, leading the country in kick return average (38.3) and tying for second with three returns brought back for a touchdown. On Nov. 2, Berry became the first Volunteer kick returner to be named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week since Cordarrelle Patterson in 2012. His three kickoff returns for a touchdown tied the UT single-season record set by Willie Gault in 1980. Berry’s total of 804 overall return yards (both kickoff and punt return yards) ranks as the fourth-most in a season in Tennessee history. His 34.8 career kickoff return average is also a new Tennessee record.
Hurd has established himself as one of the nation’s top running backs in 2015. He is the first Tennessee running back to earn All-SEC honors since Montario Hardesty in 2009. Hurd’s 1,158 rushing yards on the season (fourth-most in the SEC) ranks as the 12th most by a Vol in a single season and marks the 18th 1,000-rushing yard season in UT history. His 11 rushing touchdowns rank fifth in the SEC and 253 carries on the year are tied for the fourth-most by a Vol in a season. Hurd currently ranks 15th in Tennessee history with 2,057 career rushing yards. Five of Hurd’s eight career 100-yard rushing games have come this season, including three in SEC play (102 at Florida, 151 at Missouri, 120 vs. Vanderbilt). He has also been a reliable receiver out of the backfield with 21 catches for 190 yards and two scores.
Barnett has built off of a strong 2014 Freshman All-American campaign with an impressive sophomore season to earn Second Team All-SEC honors for a second-straight year. He has compiled 61 tackles (38 solo), 9.0 sacks, one forced fumble, seven quarterback hurries, one safety and one pass breakup this year. His nine sacks rank fourth in the SEC and are the most by a Vol this year. Barnett also ranks third on the team in tackles and second in tackles for a loss (11.5). He has 19 career sacks in just two seasons to rank ninth in Tennessee history. Barnett enjoyed a five-game sack streak from Oct. 10 to Nov. 14. In October, he was named to the Ted Hendricks Award Midseason Watch List.
First Team All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE – Hunter Henry, Arkansas
OL – Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas
OL – Vadal Alexander, LSU
OL – Cam Robinson, Alabama
OL – John Theus, Georgia
C – Ryan Kelly, Alabama
WR – Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss
WR – Fred Ross, Mississippi State
WR – Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina
QB – Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
RB – Derrick Henry, Alabama
RB – Leonard Fournette, LSU
AP – Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina
DEFENSE
DL – Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
DL – Jonathan Allen, Alabama
DL – Jonathan Bullard, Florida
DL – A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama
LB – Kentrell Brothers, Missouri
LB – Reggie Ragland, Alabama
LB – Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
DB – Vernon Hargreaves, IIIFlorida
DB – Eddie Jackson, Alabama
DB – Jalen Tabor, Florida
DB – Trae Elston, Ole Miss
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Daniel Carlson, Auburn
P – Drew Kaser, Texas A&M
RS – Evan Berry, Tennessee
Second Team All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE – Evan Engram, Ole Miss
OL – Dominick Jackson, Alabama
OL – Shon Coleman, Auburn
OL – Dan Skipper, Arkansas
OL – Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M
C – Ethan Pocic, LSU
WR – Calvin Ridley, Alabama
WR – Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
WR – De’Runnya Wilson, Mississippi State
QB – Chad Kelly, Ole Miss
RB – Alex Collins, Arkansas
RB – Jalen Hurd, Tennessee
AP – Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
DEFENSE
DL – Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
DL – Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss
DL – Charles Harris, Missouri
DL – Derek Barnett, Tennessee
LB – Leonard Floyd, Georgia
LB – Antonio Morrison, Florida
LB – Skai Moore, South Carolina
DB – Mike Hilton, Ole Miss
DB – Dominick Sanders, Georgia
DB – Tre’Davious White, LSU
DB – Jamal Adams, LSU
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Taylor Bertolet ,Texas A&M
PK – Adam Griffith, Alabama
P – Johnny Townsend, Florida
RS – Christian Kirk, Texas A&M