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Carter, Arion
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Jersey Number 7
Arion Carter
- Position:
- LB
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-1 / 235
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Smyrna, Tenn.
- High School:
- Smyrna
Bio
First name is pronounced air-EE-on
2025 Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
2025 Preseason All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media)
2025 SEC Football Leadership Council
2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
CAREER HONORS
2025 Butkus Award Preseason Watch List2025 Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
2025 Preseason All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media)
2025 SEC Football Leadership Council
2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
CAREER
Talented, physical in-state linebacker who had a breakout sophomore season and is one of the team’s defensive leaders in 2025 … Tennessee’s leading tackler in 2024 with 68 total tackles to go along with 6.5 TFLs and six PBUs … Totaled 98 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, one sack, seven PBUs, one forced fumble and one interception in his career … Arrived on Rocky Top as one of the heralded recruits of the Class of 2022 … Played in 23 career games and made 15 starts … Voted to the 2025 SEC Football Leadership Council by his peers and is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient and member of the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy.2025 – JUNIOR
Tied for the team lead with four tackles and also had one TFL and forced fumble in blowout victory over ETSU (9/6) ... Started and led the Vols with nine tackles in season-opening victory vs. Syracuse (8/30), recording his first-career sack in the game, as well.2024 – SOPHOMORE
Delivered a breakout season in his first starting role at Will linebacker … Started all 13 games at WLB, leading a defense that ranked in the top 10 nationally in six categories en route to the College Football Playoff … Totaled a team high 68 tackles, including 29 solo, to go along with 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception and six pass breakups ... Collected three tackles and one PBU in CFP First Round game at national champion Ohio State (12/21) … Led the team with seven tackles, including 0.5 TFL, and added a pass breakup in regular season finale at Vanderbilt (11/30) … Made four tackles in win over UTEP (11/23) and posted four tackles at No. 12 Georgia (11/16) ... Had a team-high seven tackles, including 1.5 TFLs and a pass breakup in win over Mississippi State (11/9) ... Led the team with a career-high 10 tackles and added a QB hurry in win vs. Kentucky (11/2) ... Totaled six tackles and a QB hurry in win vs. No. 7 Alabama (10/19) ... Finished with four tackles, half a TFL and had a key interception in the third quarter vs. Florida (10/12) that he returned 15 yards to set up a field goal that tied the game ... The INT against the Gators was the first of his career ... Posted a career-high eight tackles and tied career bests with 1.5 TFLs and one pass breakup at Arkansas (10/5) ... Led a dominant defensive effort in win at No. 15 Oklahoma (9/21) with a team-leading and career-high six tackles, including a TFL and a pass breakup ... Flashed in win over No. 24 NC State (9/7), making three tackles while setting or tying career highs in TFLs (1.5), QB hurries (1) and pass breakups (1) ... Made his first-career start in season-opening win vs. Chattanooga (8/31) and finished with three tackles while playing 22 defensive snaps.2023 – FRESHMAN
Saw action in eight games as a reserve linebacker and on special teams coverage … Missed the final five games of the year after shoulder surgery … Collected 17 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup … Sustained the injury in road win at Kentucky, in which he had two tackles (10/28) … Recorded three tackles and his first-career tackle for loss in win over South Carolina (9/30) ... Played 26 defensive stats and finished with two tackles and a pass breakup in win over UTSA (9/23) ... Finished with three tackles while playing 19 defensive snaps in SEC debut at Florida (9/16) ... Saw more extensive action in home opener vs. Austin Peay (9/9), playing 31 defensive snaps and logging one tackle in the win ... Played 18 snaps and amassed four tackles in his collegiate debut during Vols’ season-opening win over Virginia (9/2).HIGH SCHOOL & PERSONAL
Dynamic, elite in-state linebacker with the physicality to play between the tackles and the range to patrol sideline-to-sideline … Arrived on Rocky Top in December 2022 and participated in Orange Bowl practices before beginning classes in January 2023 ... A consensus four-star prospect rated as high as No. 2 in the state of Tennessee by On3.com and Rivals.com … Tabbed a top-10 linebacker in the country by Rivals (No. 8) and ESPN (No. 5) … 247Sports.com ranked him the No. 3 overall prospect in the state … Participated in the 2023 All-American Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio in January 2023 … Starred for Smyrna High School on both sides of the ball and was named Class 6A Mr. Football after a phenomenal 2022 campaign … Selected as the Region 6-6A Defensive MVP his senior year … Posted 92 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, five passes defended, three forced fumbles and one interception in 2022 … Also led Smyrna with 1,184 rushing yards on 185 carries and scored 19 touchdowns … Played running back throughout his junior year and amassed 946 yards on 144 attempts with 16 touchdowns … For his career, racked up 3,302 all-purpose yards in 30 games played at the varsity level … As a sophomore, logged 35 tackles, one TFL, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and two blocked kicks … Also lettered in basketball and track & field, qualifying for the state meet in the 300-meter hurdles … Committed to the Vols in December 2022 … Chose Tennessee over 40 other Division I offers, including 10 SEC programs … Coached by Mike Judy … Full name is Arion Carter … Mother is Sheteka Alexander … Majoring in public health ... Twitter handle is @ArionCarter … Instagram handle is @arioncarter._FB | Andre Turrentine Media Availability (9.8.25)
Monday, September 08
FB | Star Thomas Media Availability (9.8.25)
Monday, September 08
FB | Dominic Bailey Media Availability (9.8.25)
Monday, September 08
FB | Josh Heupel Press Conference (9.8.25)
Monday, September 08
