BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Dec. 10, 2025)—–The Southeastern Conference unveiled its football postseason individual awards Wednesday as voted on by the league’s 16 head coaches.
Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell was selected as SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Year honors; Tennessee’s Braylon Staley was tabbed SEC Freshman of the Year; Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss was voted SEC Newcomer of the Year; Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor and Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn III were named winners of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy; and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea was voted SEC Coach of the Year. It was previously announced that Vanderbilt’s Nick Rinaldi was selected as the SEC Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Pavia has amassed 4,018 yards of total offense with 36 touchdowns this season. He is the SEC leader in pass efficiency (181.5), touchdown passes (27) and completion percentage (71.2). Pavia was named a Heisman finalist earlier this week.
Howell registered 14.0 tackles for loss in the regular season, including an SEC-leading 11.5 sacks. He also ranks second nationally among defensive ends with six back break-ups. Howell is a finalist for the Lombardi Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award.
Sandell was successful on 23-of-24 field goal attempts in the regular season, and has made each of his last 23 attempts, a school and single-season SEC record. He has made all seven of his attempts of 50-plus yards.
Staley started all 12 games in the regular season and enters the postseason ranked sixth in the SEC in receiving yards (806) and receiving yards per game (67.2). He had a season-high 109 receiving yards vs. Arkansas, then registered a season-best 10 catches the following week at Alabama.
Chambless threw for 3,016 yards and 18 touchdowns this season and helped lead the Rebels to the College Football Playoff. He has rushed for 470 yards and six touchdowns and averaged 300.0 yards of total offense in SEC games.
Proctor has helped clear the way for an Alabama offense that averages 389.4 yards per game. He was recently named a finalist for the Lombardi Award and a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy. Proctor is a three-year starter on the Alabama offensive line.
Zuhn helped pave the way for a Texas A&M offense that averages 454.4 yards per game and ranks among the nation’s best in total offense, scoring, rushing, passing, pass efficiency and time of possession. Zuhn has started 49 games in his career.
Rinaldi earned his undergraduate degree in economics with a 3.972 grade point average and is currently seeking a master’s degree in finance. He was named CSC Academic All-District in each of the last two seasons. Rinaldi made the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll in each of his first three seasons with the program.
Lea led Vanderbilt to its first back-to-back postseason bowl appearances since 2011-13. The Commodores went 10-2 in the regular season, including a 6-2 mark in SEC play. Vanderbilt has wins over four nationally ranked programs, including three against top-15 opponents at the time of the contest.
The SEC All-Freshman Team will be announced Thursday.
2025 SEC Football Individual Awards presented by Allstate
Offensive Player of the Year
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Defensive Player of the Year
Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Special Teams Player of the Year
Tate Sandell, Oklahoma
Freshman of the Year
Braylon Staley, Tennessee
Newcomer of the Year
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
Jacobs Blocking Trophy
Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Nick Rinaldi, Vanderbilt
Coach of the Year
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
–Press Release–
