DALLAS – For the second consecutive year, Tennessee senior linebacker Arion Carter has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award.
Selected by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee, the semifinalists have demonstrated exceptional leadership, courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
Tennessee has had a Witten Award semifinalist in each of the past five seasons: Hendon Hooker in 2022, Joe Milton III in 2023, Bru McCoy in 2024 and Carter in 2025 and 2026.
The Volunteers’ unquestioned defensive leader, Carter has served as a team captain in every game this season and represented Tennessee on the SEC Football Leadership Council. One of the SEC’s most productive defenders, he led the conference in tackles per game in 2025 and earned All-SEC second-team honors. Carter returned for his senior season and is averaging a team-best 7.17 tackles per game, ranking 13th in the SEC.
Carter has overcome multiple injuries throughout his career and demonstrated remarkable character by supporting his girlfriend through her breast cancer treatment. He has pledged donations toward cancer research based on his on-field performance, partnering with his mother’s nonprofit, Girls in Real Life Situations (GIRLS), to turn adversity into an opportunity to give back.
Beyond football, Carter regularly visits patients at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital, supports Make-A-Wish and participated in Tennessee’s VOLeaders Academy, including a service trip to Brazil. Academically, he earned his bachelor’s degree in public health in August 2026 and is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient.
The full list of Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award semifinalists includes Michael Allen (Baylor), Arion Carter (Tennessee), Matt Craycraft (Duke), Camron Cooper (UTSA), Steven Demboski (Delaware), Mark Fletcher Jr. (Miami), Bray Hubbard (Alabama), Mason Heintschel (Pittsburgh), Hero Kanu (Texas), Lawson Luckie (Georgia), Jordan Marshall (Michigan), Maddux Madsen (Boise State), Leonard Moore (Notre Dame), Colton Phares (Appalachian State), Willie Rodriguez (Kentucky), Duce Robinson (Florida State), Isaiah Shirley (North Carolina State), Jordan Shipp (North Carolina), David Stone (Oklahoma) and Davis Warren (Stanford).
