Two former Tennessee Volunteer players, safety Deon Grant and wide receiver Larry Seivers, will appear on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Tennessee currently has 24 members in the College Football Hall of Fame. Of those members, 20 played in the SEC, and four came before the Volunteers joined the conference.
Out of SEC schools, the Vols are tied with the Oklahoma Sooners for the most players in the College Football Hall of Fame with 24. In terms of SEC-exclusive players, Tennessee has the most (20), with the Alabama Crimson Tide being second (18).
SEC Programs’ List of College Football Hall of Famers:
- Tennessee: 20 SEC, 4 non-SEC (24 total)
- Oklahoma: 0 SEC, 24 non-SEC (24 total)
- Texas: 0 SEC, 23 non-SEC (23 total)
- Alabama: 18 SEC, 4 non-SEC (22 total)
- Georgia: 14 SEC, 2 non-SEC (16 total)
- LSU: 10 SEC, 1 non-SEC (11 total)
- Texas A&M: 0 SEC, 11 non-SEC (11 total)
- Ole Miss: 10 SEC, 0 non-SEC (10 total)
- Florida: 9 SEC, 1 non-SEC (10 total)
- Auburn: 8 SEC, 1 non-SEC (9 total)
- Arkansas: 1 SEC, 8 non-SEC (9 total)
- Missouri: 0 SEC, 7 non-SEC (7 total)
- Kentucky: 6 SEC, 0 non-SEC (6 total)
- Vanderbilt: 1 SEC, 4 non-SEC (5 total)
- Mississippi State: 2 SEC, 0 non-SEC (2 total)
- South Carolina: 0 SEC, 2 non-SEC (2 total)
Deon Grant (1997-1999)
Grant is known as one of the most decorated defensive backs in Tennessee football history. In 1999, the Vols’ safety was named a first-team All-American and a first-team All-SEC selection.Â
During that same year, he recorded nine interceptions, which was tied for first in the country in 1999. His nine interceptions in a season were also the second-most in school history.
Known for dynamic playmaking abilities, Grant arguably made his most memorable play against the Florida Gators in 1998. During the game, Grant snagged a game-saving interception in the fourth quarter that led to an overtime victory for the Vols.
If Grant hadn’t intercepted the pass, then the Vols likely would’ve never made it to the 1998 BCS National Championship.
Throughout his three-year career with the Vols, Grant recorded 14 interceptions for 246 yards and a touchdown. He also had 14 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and 141 tackles during his time with Tennessee.
In 2000, he was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Over the course of his 11-year career in the NFL, he recorded 778 tackles, 110 pass deflections, and 30 interceptions. He was also a member of the 2011 New York Giants Super Bowl team.
Larry Seivers (1972-1976)
Seivers is recognized as one of the best wide receivers to have played at the University of Tennessee. He was the second Volunteer receiver to be named an All-American in the school’s history and was a back-to-back first-team All-American in 1975 and 1976.
In 1975, he became the first Vols player to record 800 receiving yards in a season, finishing with 840 yards, 41 receptions, and four touchdowns. Throughout his time with the Vols, Seivers finished with a total of 1,924 receiving yards, 117 yards, and eight touchdowns.
One thing that made Seivers special was his ability to make contested catches. In a game against the Auburn Tigers in 1975, Seivers caught an end zone touchdown over several Auburn defenders.
Seivers was also very clutch. In 1974, he had two separate two-point catches to tie the Vanderbilt Commodores and to defeat the Clemson Tigers.
After playing at Tennessee, Seivers was drafted in the fourth round by the Seattle Seahawks in 1977. Although he didn’t have much of an NFL career, Seivers was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
