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It wasn’t easy (okay, one player was) narrowing down the top five defensive backs in Tennessee football history, an All-American-rich program with two consensus national titles, but we’re confident in our list:
5. Terry McDaniel (1984-87): A situational player his first two seasons on campus after redshirting in 1983, McDaniel developed into one of the SEC’s top defensive backs with the help of position coach Ron Zook (the future Florida coach) as a junior, finishing with 68 tackles and three picks. McDaniel’s All-American season in 1987 remains his calling card in Knoxville after he made several chase-down tackles to save touchdowns as one of the Vols’ fastest players. He starred on the track team as well with an SEC title to his credit in 1985.
4. Dale Carter (1990-91): This two-way player is the only athlete in program history to earn All-American honors at two different positions. Carter was one of the nation’s top return specialists in 1990, before transitioning into a standout corner the following season. He accumulated 78 tackles in 25 career games with nine interceptions. As a return man, Carter led the nation in kick return average during his first season in Knoxville at 29.8 yards per return.
3. Deon Grant (1997-99): Born to play safety, Grant’s best season came one year after Tennessee’s national title run in 1998 when he earned All-American status as the nation’s leader in interceptions (9). The junior ballhawk tallied 69 tackles with eight pass breakups and posted three multi-interception contests that fall. Grant skipped his senior season and was drafted in the second round by the Carolina Panthers. He played 11 NFL seasons at safety and never missed a game.
2. Bobby Majors (1968-71): This multi-position playmaker was dynamic in the return game and is still the Vols’ all-time leader in punt return yardage. The two-time All-SEC standout set the single-season school record with 10 interceptions as a junior in 1970, the same year the Vols accumulated a nation-leading 36 picks. Over his final three seasons in Knoxville, Majors tallied four punt return touchdowns and was named All-American in 1971.
1. Eric Berry (2007-09): No college football historian or longtime fan of the Power T will argue with Berry in the top spot, Tennessee’s best player in the last decade and in the conversation for top honors on his side of the ball in school history (Reggie White, Al Wilson). Berry is one of the most decorated defensive backs ever to play in the SEC, a two-time consensus All-American with several individual awards. A feared hitter with a mean streak from his post in centerfield, Berry established himself early as a star in the secondary. Berry returned two interceptions for touchdowns in 2008 and was the runaway choice for league defensive player of the year.
