Cooper Mays

Cooper Mays
Mays in 2019
Tennessee Volunteers – No. 63
PositionCenter
ClassSenior
Personal information
Born: (2001-03-11) March 11, 2001 (age 23)
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight310 lb (141 kg)
Career history
College
High schoolKnoxville Catholic (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Career highlights and awards

Cooper Morgan Mays (born March 11, 2001) is an American football center who plays for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Early years

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Mays was born on March 11, 2001. He was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, but grew up on a farm in Kingston, Tennessee.[1] Mays attended Knoxville Catholic High School,[2] where he played football. After being named an all-state player by the TSWA during his junior and senior years, Mays was rated as a four-star recruit and a consensus top-ten center in his class.[3] Mays committed to play college football for the University of Tennessee[4] over Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Georgia.[5]

College career

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In his freshman year, Mays played in ten games for Tennessee and started two.[6] Mays started eight games the following year despite an injury that caused him to miss six games during the year. In his junior year, Mays started all thirteen games of the season and helped the Tennessee offensive line be named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award and the Tennessee offense be ranked number one in the nation.[7][8] Before the 2023 season, Mays was named on the preseason watchlist for the Rimington Trophy.[9] On August 9, Mays underwent surgery for a hernia.[10] The procedure caused him to miss the first four games of the season; nevertheless, Mays started the final nine games and again was a part of the Tennessee offensive line that was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award.[11][12][13] Additionally, Mays was named a member of the second-team All-SEC team.[14] Mays elected to use the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA for the shortened 2020 season and return to Tennessee for a fifth year.[15][16] Before the 2024 season started, Mays was named on the watchlist for the first and second All-SEC teams,[17] the first and second All-American teams,[18] along with the Outland Trophy[19] and the Rimington Trophy.[20] Following the regular season, Mays was named to the first-team All-SEC team[21] and became the first finalist for the Rimington Trophy in Tennessee football history.[22] Additionally, Mays was named a first-team All-American.[23]

Personal life

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Mays' brother, Cade Mays, played football at Tennessee with Cooper before becoming an offensive lineman in the NFL.[24][25][26] Mays' father, Kevin, also played football at Tennessee, playing from 1991 to 1994 and serving as captain of the team.[27][28] Mays graduated with a degree in sports management in 2024.[29]

References

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  1. ^ Truax, Barkley (August 16, 2024). "Cooper Mays explains how his farm upbringing impacts him on the field". On3. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  2. ^ "Cooper Mays: Tennessee football offensive lineman from Knoxville Catholic through the years". Knoxville News Sentinel. June 21, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  3. ^ Hanley, Gene (June 22, 2019). "Offensive lineman Cooper Mays commits to Vols". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  4. ^ "Tennessee legacy, in-state lineman Cooper Mays commits the Vols". Saturday Down South. June 21, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  5. ^ Callahan, Ryan (May 4, 2019). "OL Mays 'comfortable' with Vols, still weighing options". 247 Sports. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  6. ^ "Cooper Mays". Sports Illustrated. February 20, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  7. ^ Sparks, Adam (November 15, 2022). "Tennessee listed among best offensive lines in college football". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  8. ^ Wilson, Mike (September 14, 2023). "Cooper Mays could play at Florida. What it means for Tennessee football's offense". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  9. ^ Hopkins, Will (August 7, 2023). "Cooper Mays Named To Rimington Trophy Watch List". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  10. ^ Brown, Patrick (August 7, 2024). "Center of attention: Vols working through 'ordeal' in finding Cooper Mays insurance". 247 Sports. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  11. ^ Sparks, Adam (October 4, 2023). "How Cooper Mays returned from injury for Tennessee football and dealt with speculation". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  12. ^ Paschall, David (August 5, 2024). "Vols boasting 'super veteran group' on offensive front". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  13. ^ Woods, Eric (October 4, 2023). "'Sometimes it hurts to play the game': Cooper Mays plays through pain, makes immediate impact for Tennessee football". The Daily Beacon. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  14. ^ Schumpert, Ryan (December 5, 2023). "Trio Of Tennessee Football Players Land On AP All-SEC Teams". Rocky Top Insider. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  15. ^ Jordan, Avery (December 15, 2023). "Center Cooper Mays returning for one more year of Vol football". WVLT. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  16. ^ Butler, Ric (December 20, 2023). "Tennessee Veteran Cooper Mays Details Decision to Return to Vols in 2024". Rocky Top Insider. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  17. ^ Russo, Rick (July 19, 2024). "All-SEC Vols Mays and Pearce earn first team preseason honors". WVLT. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  18. ^ Crowell, Evan (August 14, 2024). "Cooper Mays Gets ESPN Preseason All-American Status". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  19. ^ "Mays & Pearce Jr. Tabbed to Outland & Nagurski Watch Lists". Morgan County News. August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  20. ^ "Cooper Mays Lands on Rimington Trophy Watch List". UT Sports. August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  21. ^ Sparks, Adam (December 10, 2024). "Dylan Sampson leads six Tennessee football players on 2024 All-SEC coaches team". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  22. ^ Sparks, Adam (December 9, 2024). "Center Cooper Mays becomes first Rimington Trophy finalist in Tennessee football history". The Tennessean. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  23. ^ Lay, Ken (December 14, 2024). "Cooper Mays, Dylan Sampson receive multiple All-America honors". Vols Wire. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  24. ^ Hunte, Sydney (November 26, 2020). "Tennessee's Cade, Cooper Mays discuss bond as brothers, teammates on Volunteers football team". Saturday Down South. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  25. ^ "Cade Mays and Cooper Mays: Brothers on Tennessee Vols 2020 football team in photos". Knoxville News Sentinel. May 27, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  26. ^ "Tennessee offers 2020 OL Cooper Mays, brother of UT five-star commit Cade Mays". USA Today High School Sports. August 30, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  27. ^ Kreager, Tom (June 21, 2019). "Tennessee Vols football recruiting: Catholic's Cooper Mays to follow in dad's footsteps at UT". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  28. ^ Birchfield, Jeff (June 24, 2024). "Mays carrying on family tradition as Vols lineman". TimesNews.net. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  29. ^ "Cooper Mays". UT Sports. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
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