Tennessee will send a trio of impact players to represent the school alongside Josh Heupel at SEC Media Days next week in Atlanta, GA.
As revealed by Tennessee on Tuesday afternoon, the Vols will be sending junior linebacker Arion Carter, senior tight end Miles Kitselman, and redshirt senior defensive lineman Bryson Eason to the event.
Tennessee’s day in the spotlight will be Tuesday, July 15th. UT head coach Josh Heupel will field questions from the media on the main stage while the three players do smaller breakout sessions throughout the day.
This will be the first conference media day for the three players and the fourth for Josh Heupel overall. It’s also just the second time that Tennessee’s representatives have leaned defense-heavy, following up on last year’s event with two defensive players and one offensive player.
Here’s a look at who Tennessee has sent in each of Heupel’s previous years:
- 2024: Cooper Mays, Omari Thomas, Keenan Pili
- 2023: Omari Thomas, Joe Milton III, Jacob Warren
- 2022: Hendon Hooker, Trevon Flowers, Cedric Tillman
- 2021: Alontae Taylor, Velus Jones Jr.
Almost time to talk 🏈 in Atlanta
Arion, Bryson, and Miles (+ Coach Heup) will represent us at #SECMD25#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/X1b5I3esXC
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) July 8, 2025
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Tennessee will be one of four programs in the Tuesday rotation at media days. Other teams that are set to speak to the media that day include Auburn (Hugh Freeze), Georgia (Kirby Smart), and Texas (Steve Sarkisian).
Bryson Eason has been a staple on the Vols’ line over the last three years and has been in Knoxville for the last five. He’s played all 13 games in each of the last three seasons and finished his senior campaign with a career-high seven tackles for loss and tied a career-high with 1.5 sacks. Over the last three years, Eason has racked up 69 total tackles, with 24 coming last season. He’s also an in-season media staple, so it’s no surprise to see the Memphis native on the list Tuesday.
Tennessee received a huge continuity boost when tight end Miles Kitselman announced that he would be returning to the Vols in 2025. Kitselman transferred to Tennessee from Alabama before the 2024 season and quickly became a standout player in the Vols’ offensive scheme. While playing in all 13 games, Kitselman finished with 301 yards and four touchdowns on 22 receptions, which was good for 13.7 yards per catch. He only had 1.7 receptions per game, but the veteran tight end will be a welcome presence for whichever quarterback wins the Vols’ battle later this fall. He’s also the highest-rated player on Tennessee’s offense in the new EA Sports College Football 26 video game, with a 90 overall rating.
Arion Carter, a rising junior in the Vols’ program, had a breakout sophomore season last year for the Vols. Carter returned to the field in 2024 after a shoulder injury shortened his freshman season, but he certainly came out swinging. He led the team in tackles with 68, with 29 coming as solo takedowns. Carter also posted 6.5 tackles for loss and hauled in a critical interception in Tennessee’s overtime win at home over Florida. With a full 13-game season now under his belt, Carter will be looked at as one of the most important players right in the middle of the Tennessee defense this fall.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for full coverage of the SEC Media Days event next Tuesday in The Peach State.
