The 2021 preseason media days All-SEC Teams have been announced, and Tennessee senior offensive lineman Cade Mays has been selected to the First-Team roster.
This is Mays’ first career First-Team All-SEC preseason selection.
Earlier in 2021, Mays was named a preseason All-SEC Second Team member from Athlon sports.
In 2018 at Georgia, Mays was named an FWAA Freshman All-American. He was also named to the SEC Coaches All-Freshman Team that year.
Mays is the only Tennessee player to be named to the First-Team All-SEC roster. However, teammate Alontae Taylor was named to the preseason media days Third-Team All-SEC squad. And, punter Paxton Brooks was named to the Second-Team roster.
Cade Mays transferred to Tennessee prior to the 2020 season. The Knoxville, TN native originally committed to Georgia and spent his first two collegiate years there.
Mays started the seven games he played for Tennessee in 2020. However, Mays did not play against South Carolina (9/26), Vanderbilt (12/12), and Texas A&M (12/19).
During the 2020 season, Mays had six starts at the right guard position. His other start came at the right tackle position.
Mays, Tennessee’s lone First-Team All-SEC selection, is a Tennessee legacy, as well. His brother, Cooper, is currently a teammate of Cade’s at Tennessee. And their father, Kevin Mays, was an All-SEC guard and even was the captain of the 1994 Tennessee football team.
Mays will be a crucial part of the offensive line for Tennessee in 2021. The former five-star recruit from Knoxville Catholic High School will be looked at as one of the anchors of the Tennessee offensive line.
The other First-Team All-SEC linemen selected were Evan Neal (Alabama), Darian Kinnard (Kentucky), Kenyon Green (Texas A&M), and Nick Brahms (Auburn).
Texas A&M led the SEC with three First-Team selections: RB Isaiah Spiller, TE Jalen Wydermyer, and OL Green.
Tennessee and preseason First-Team All-SEC Cade Mays will begin their 2021 season against Bowling Green. That game will take place on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
