Tennessee defensive back Cameron Sutton (23) celebrates a stop during the Vols' home football game against the Missouri Tigers at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Tennessee won their final home game of the season 63-37.KNOXVILLE - Cameron Sutton's senior season at Tennessee did not go as planned for him or his team.
The preseason All-SEC cornerback broke a bone in his ankle in the third game of the season against Ohio and missed six games, and even his return for the final three games couldn't keep the Volunteers from tumbling off a cliff defensively.
Sutton could have gone to the NFL after last season, but there was no second-guessing from him Friday, when he walked in his graduation ceremony with his communications degree in hand.
"I don't regret any decision I've made or anything that's happened," said Sutton, one of five football Vols to graduate Friday. "Everything happens for a reason. It's just how you bounce back and handle yourself after those situations. I feel like I'm doing that pretty well and I'm continuing to move forward."
Before the end of his junior season a year ago, Sutton acknowledged his academics would factor into his decision to turn pro. He had just two semesters left to complete his degree, something his parents wanted him to do. He has aspirations of possibly going to pharmacy school once his NFL career concludes.
Early last season some analysts pegged Sutton as a first-round pick, and he received a mid-round grade when he requested an evaluation from the NFL's draft advisory board, but he chose to return to complete his degree and help Tennessee chase an SEC championship.
"It's very important, not just for myself, but for everyone that's invested into me - my family, my friends - everyone who's invested me," he said. "I have family members who have graduated from college, but a lot who hadn't. I'm just doing it for our overall family. It's something that can't be taken away from you.
"It was a big decision and a big part of it. I was just so close from graduating. I only had two more semesters left. Just finishing up these last two semesters strong and on the note that I wanted to, which is obviously graduating today, I'm definitely very proud of myself and what I've worked for."
Offensive lineman Dylan Wiesman's degree is in kinesiology, and he's evaluating whether his future includes a postgraduate physician's assistant program or pharmacy school.
Only two other Vols share his major, and Wiesman laughed when he faced one of the hardest academic workloads on the team and recalled his most difficult class, a physiology course.
"I want to make this the hardest class you've ever taken," Wiesman's professor told the class, "because if you're a doctor or a nurse and you're taking care of me, I want you to know what you're doing."
Wiesman took nine hours of classes this semester. All three of his courses included an additional lab, one of which conflicted with football practice one day a week. Often he would watch football video on his phone, iPad or laptop in class, usually if he finished his work before everyone else.
The members of Tennessee's 2013 signing class, the first under head coach Butch Jones, have talked at length about helping rebuild a downtrodden program including and beyond wins and losses.
"We wanted to come around and turn the program around," Wiesman said. "To do that you have to change the culture of the people in the locker room. Once you get people in the locker room who don't cut corners on anything - they take care of their schoolwork; they do every rep in the weight room; they act right out in the community - that was something big.
"When we got here, the offensive line GPA was not very good, but now it's one of the strongest on the team and all the GPAs on the team have risen. It's a great turnaround, and that's due mainly to the coaches and us as players reinstalling that throughout the locker room."
Losing Sutton was a big blow to Tennessee's defense, and his replacements struggled. Sutton admitted he had his moments when he felt down about his status, but he pushed through and remained a fixture around the team as he worked his way back to the field. Coaches and teammates raved about how he was always there to help his teammates.
Sutton will play his final college game in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, but he hopes he's remembered for more than his talent or any plays he made on Saturdays.
"They're going to hopefully remember the play being out there," he said, "but I really want them to remember me as the person I am and the man that I've become over my time here, just how I carried myself and how I interacted and built relationships with a lot of people since I've been here that hopefully will continue to go on.
"I enjoyed my time here and it's sad that it has to come to an end."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.