Cooper Mays

UPDATES

Week 0: DNP

HISTORY — from college profile

Local standout who serves as Tennessee’s starting center and continues a family legacy of Vols … Lined up alongside his brother, Cade, on the offensive line for two seasons, while his father, Kevin, was an All-SEC guard in the 90s … In his second straight season as the starting center … Played in 30 games with 22 starts, all at center … Has seen action on 1,475 career offensive snaps, allowing only four sacks.

2022 (jr): Logged a career-best 825 snaps this season ... Started every game at center for the Big Orange in his junior campaign ... Finished the regular season with a strong night at Vanderbilt (11/26), playing 46 snaps and anchoring the offensive line which did not concede one sack to the Commodores ... Did not allow any pressures or sacks at South Carolina (11/19) and played 84 penalty-free snaps as the Vols racked up 507 yards of total offense ... Made his 20th collegiate start at center against Missouri (11/12) and had 75 spotless snaps up front, allowing no pressures in a historic offensive performance that saw UT break the program-record for single-game total offense with 724 yards ... His performance against the Tigers in the 2022 home finale was good for SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week acclaim come Monday morning ... Stout on the line at #3 Georgia (11/5), allowing no pressures from the center position in 80 snaps ... Allowed just one pressure in 68 snaps as the starting center in the victory over #19 Kentucky (10/29) and played his 500th offensive snap of the season in the win ... Appeared in his 25th collegiate ballgame in win over UT Martin (10/22), playing an even 50 snaps where he did not surrender a pressure and helped the Vols rack up a season-high 696 yards of total offense ... Played all 76 offensive snaps in a start at center against #3 Alabama (10/15), helping in pass protection for a historic afternoon in the pass-game as the Vols downed the Tide ... Made his 15th career start and played 82 snaps allowing no pressures and committing no penalties in the road win against #25 LSU (10/8) ... Logged 72 snaps as the starting center in win over #20 Florida (9/24), blocking for 576 yards of total offense in the contest and 227 on the ground ... Started at center for the third time this season, seeing 54 snaps against Akron (9/17) and helping lead the offense to 416 total yards in the first half ... Played in his 20th collegiate game and started at center in win at #17 Pitt (9/10), playing all 79 snaps ... Started at center and played 59 offensive snaps without allowing any pressures, hurries, hits or sacks in season opener vs. Ball State (9/1), helping the Vols rack up 59 points and 569 yards of total offense.

2021 (soph): Played and started at center in eight games … Did not play against Pitt, Tennessee Tech, Missouri, South Carolina and Ole Miss due to injury … Got healthy and started the final six games of the year … Saw action on 480 offensive snaps during the year … Did not allow a sack in the final five games … Played a career-high 111 snaps in start vs. Purdue in Music City Bowl (12/30) … Played all 60 snaps in a start at center against Vanderbilt (11/27) and did not allow a sack as UT racked up 441 yards of total offense, including 285 rushing yards ... Made his sixth start of the season at center against South Alabama (11/20), helping the Vols pile up 561 total yards of offense ... Did not allow a sack and played all 89 plays at center against No. 1 Georgia (11/13) ... Played all 49 offensive snaps in win at No. 18 Kentucky at center, helping UT rack up 461 yards of total offense ... Returned to start at No. 4 Alabama (10/23), playing 57 penalty-free snaps at center ... Started at No. 11 Florida (9/25) and played 50 snaps at center before leaving with an injury ... Started in season-opener against Bowling Green (9/2) at center before exiting in first half with injury … Elected to the SEC Honor Roll following the season. 

2020 (fr): Played in all 10 games and made two starts at center as a true freshman ... Saw extensive action on the PAT and field goal line units and was an extra blocker in Tennessee's "jumbo" package ... Saw action on 170 total snaps … Earned second straight start at center vs. Vanderbilt (12/12) and helped the Vols pile up a season-high 540 yards of total offense (328 passing, 212 rushing) against the Commodores ... Played a season-high 72 snaps vs. Vandy … Made first career start in loss against No. 6 Florida (12/5), getting the nod at center ... Made debut in season-opening win at South Carolina (9/26) on special teams units.

High school: A four-star offensive line standout from Knoxville Catholic (Knoxville, TN) … Coached by Steve Matthews … Ranked the No. 6 center in the nation by 247Sports.com and the No. 8 overall prospect in the state of Tennessee … Rivals rated him No. 4 at his position and No. 11 overall in the state of Tennessee … Key member of Knoxville Catholic’s offensive line that paved the way for 2,360 rushing yards in 2019 … Named to 2019 TSWA Division II-AAA All-State Team ... Named to 2018 TSWA Class 5A All-State Team … Helped lead Catholic to a Division I Class 5A Final Four appearance in 2018 … Participated in Nike’s “The Opening.”

PERSONAL

Full name is Cooper Morgan Mays … Born March 11, 2001 … Son of Kevin and Melinda Mays … Played alongside his brother, Cade, for two seasons from 2020-21, before Cade was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round (pick 199) of the 2022 NFL Draft … The two reunited on the same team after Cade transferred from Georgia … Father, Kevin, lettered for the Vols from 1991-94 and was a team captain and All-SEC guard in 1994 … Has another younger brother, Camp … Started playing football in third grade … Majoring in communication studies ... 2021 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll ... Recipient of the Bryan Blalock Athletic Scholarship Endowment … An avid outdoorsman … Dream vacation says is to Santorini, Greece … Twitter handle is @CooperMays and Instagram handle is @coop.mays.