Tennessee’s Braylon Staley Wins SEC Freshman of the Year

The redshirt freshman becomes the third Tennessee player to claim the honor, following Peyton Manning then Jamal Lewis.

Overview

League head coaches selected Staley for the 2025 award as part of the SEC’s postseason honors announced Dec. 10.
Staley led the Volunteers with 64 receptions for 806 yards and six touchdowns, finishing second among FBS freshmen in catches and receiving yards.
His 64 receptions are tied for the 10th-most in a single season in Tennessee history with an opportunity to add to that in the Music City Bowl.
Tennessee faces Illinois on Dec. 30 in Nashville, giving Staley a final chance to build on a breakout campaign that included multiple 100-yard games.
He previously earned two SEC Freshman of the Week honors and was a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, as the SEC also recognized winners such as Diego Pavia and Cashius Howell.