BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two of the University of Tennessee’s three participants at Southeastern Conference media days have been named to preseason national watch lists.
Junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano has been named to the Maxwell Award watch list, while senior linebacker Darrell Taylor was named to the Chuck Bednarik preseason watch list.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Guarantano is the first Volunteer quarterback to be given consideration for the award given to America’s College Player of the Year since Josh Dobbs in 2016 and the first Vol since John Kelly was added to the watch list midway through the 2017 season.
Vols former quarterback Peyton Manning won the award in 1997.
Guarantano started all 12 games in 2018, throwing for 1,907 yards and 12 touchdowns with only three interceptions in 2018, including a school-record 166 consecutive passes without an interception. He was named SEC Player of the Week after a 328-yard, two-touchdown effort in Tennessee’s 30-24 road upset of No. 21 Auburn, and completed 57 percent of his passes at nine yards per attempt when under pressure according to ESPN.