DALLAS – The PwC SMU Athletic Forum released the preseason candidates for the 2022 Doak Walker Award on Tuesday morning with junior running back Jabari Small representing the Tennessee Volunteers.

The prestigious Doak Walker Award was created in 1989 to recognize the nation’s premier running back for his accomplishments on the field, achievement in the classroom and citizenship in the community.

Small returns to the Volunteer backfield looking to build on an impressive 2021 campaign that saw him lead the team on the ground, rushing 141 times for 796 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, which tied for eighth in the SEC. His nine scores on the ground were the most by a Vol since John Kelly had nine in 2017 and he posted three 100-yard rushing games on the season, coming against Bowling Green, Vanderbilt and Purdue.

His late surge was capped with a big outing in the 2021 TransPerfect Music City Bowl where the Memphis, Tennessee, native scampered for a career-high 180 yards including a career-long rush of 60 yards and a 2-yard TD plunge. That performance tied Travis Henry (2001 Cotton Bowl) for the second-highest rushing output in a bowl game in program history.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

The award is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.

Travis Stephens is the only Vol in program history to be named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, doing so in 2001.

2022 Tennessee Football Preseason Honors

R-Sr. LB Jeremy Banks
Lott Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)

Jr. DL Tyler Baron
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)

Sr. P Paxton Brooks
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)

Sr. OL Jerome Carvin
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)

Sr. DB Trevon Flowers
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

R-Sr. QB Hendon Hooker
Davey O’Brien Award Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)

Jr. RB Jabari Small
Doak Walker Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

R-Sr. WR Cedric Tillman
Maxwell Award Watch List
Third-Team All-American (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC First Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)

Sr. OL Darnell Wright
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

Sr. DL/LB Byron Young
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Second Team (Phil Steele)