KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced Tuesday that five Tennessee football student-athletes were named to the 2025 NCAA Division I Football Academic All-District Team. Ben Bolton, Colton Hood, Nathan Robinson, Jackson Ross and Josh Turbyville were honored for their combined excellence on the field and in the classroom.
Tennessee’s five Academic All-District selections tied a program record originally set in 2023.
Bolton earned his second career Academic All-District honor after also being recognized in 2023. The redshirt junior linebacker from Memphis appeared in 12 games during the 2025 season, recording a career-best 18 tackles and two quarterback hurries. A two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, Bolton is working toward his bachelor’s degree in management from the Haslam College of Business.
Hood made an immediate impact in his lone season with the Vols, starting all 12 regular season games at cornerback before declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. The Thorpe Award semifinalist from McDonough, Georgia, totaled 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, one interception returned for a touchdown and eight pass breakups. He earned All-SEC honors from both the media and league head coaches and is pursuing his undergraduate degree in journalism and electronic media.
Robinson carved out a role in the defensive tackle rotation during his third season at Tennessee. The redshirt sophomore finished the year with 14 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one pass breakup. His most notable moment came in the season opener against Syracuse, when his strip sack set up a Tennessee scoop-and-score. A two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, the Greenbrier, Tennessee, native is majoring in kinesiology.
Ross claimed his second career Academic All-District honor after also being recognized in 2023. The Ray Guy Award semifinalist played in all 13 games during the 2025 campaign, his third season as Tennessee’s starting punter. He totaled 39 punts for 1,716 yards (44.0 avg.), with 20 pinned inside the 20-yard line. Ross is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sport management with a minor in business administration.
Turbyville rounds out Tennessee’s Academic All-District honorees as a first-time recipient. The Vols’ primary kickoff specialist for the past three seasons, he earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2025 after compiling 83 kickoffs for 5,294 yards, including 71 touchbacks. The Knoxville Catholic product is majoring in marketing.
