DALLAS — Tennessee football standouts Ty Redmond and Wendell Moe Jr. earned national preseason recognition Tuesday as the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced its preseason watch lists for the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy.
Redmond was one of 68 players and one of eight cornerbacks named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, which honors the nation’s top defensive player. Moe was among the 68 candidates selected to the Outland Trophy Watch List, presented annually to the country’s top interior lineman.
One of the nation’s premier young defensive backs, Redmond enters his sophomore campaign after earning Freshman All-America honors and Coaches All-SEC Third Team recognition in 2025. The lengthy cornerback started the final 12 games of his true freshman season and emerged as one of the SEC’s top playmakers in the secondary.
Redmond led the SEC with 15 passes defended and 12 pass breakups while tying for sixth in the conference with three interceptions. He finished the year with 43 tackles and currently leads all returning SEC defenders in passes defended and pass breakups. His 81.6 Pro Football Focus (PFF) coverage grade also ranks first among returning SEC cornerbacks.
Moe returns for his final collegiate season after making an immediate impact in his first year on Rocky Top last fall. The veteran offensive guard earned first-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press after starting 11 games and helping anchor one of the SEC’s top offensive lines.
A transfer from Arizona, Moe has started 38 games during his collegiate career while playing more than 2,400 offensive snaps. He has allowed just two sacks in 40 career appearances and was previously named to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America Second Team entering the 2026 season.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has recognized the nation’s top defensive player since 1993. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalists.
The Outland Trophy, established in 1946, is awarded annually to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman on offense or defense. The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 18, and those players will then be pared down to three finalists announced on Nov. 24. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team.
Tennessee Football — 2026 Preseason Honors
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Dodd Trophy Watch List
RB DeSean Bishop
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LS Bennett Brady
Mannelly Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
LB Amare Campbell
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LB Arion Carter
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
TE Ethan Davis
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Xavier Gilliam
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
OL Donovan Haslam
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Daevin Hobbs
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
DB Kayin Lee
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
WR Mike Matthews
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB TJ Metcalf
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
Outland Trophy Watch List
Walter Camp All-America Second Team
Athlon All-America Third Team
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB Qua Moss
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Jesse Perry
All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
DB Ty Redmond
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Athlon All-America Fourth Team
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
P Jackson Ross
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL David Sanders Jr.
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
LB Edwin Spillman
AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee
WR Braylon Staley
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
LB Jeremiah Telander
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Shamurad Umarov
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
