Cade Mays

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Enters his first season with the Lions in 2026 after spending time with the Carolina Panthers (2022-23, 2024-25) and New York Giants (2024).
• In his first four seasons in the NFL, he has appeared in 57 games with 27 starts with 20 coming at center, four at left guard, two at fullback and one at right guard.
• In 2025, he helped the Panthers win their first NFC South division title since 2015.
• Selected by the Panthers in the sixth round (199th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Tennessee.

COLLEGE

• Appeared in 42 games (35 starts) at Tennessee (2020-21) and Georgia (2018-19) with 18 coming at right guard, 13 right tackle, two left guard and two left tackle.
• 2021 (Tennessee): Started in all 10 games he played in at right tackle, recording 493 offensive snaps on the season and allowed only one sack (per PFF).
• 2020 (Tennessee): Started in seven games played in, six at right guard and one at right tackle. Saw action on 478 offensive snaps.
• 2019 (Georgia): Appeared in 14 games (11 starts), six at right guard, two at right tackle, two at left guard and one at left tackle, playing 642 offensive snaps.
• 2018 (Georgia): Appeared in 11 games (seven starts), six at right guard and one at left tackle. Played in 75 percent of Georgia's offensive plays during SEC games.

PERSONAL

• Graduated from Tennessee with a bachelor's degree in communication studies
• Attended Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic High School, where he was a five-star recruit
• Listed as one of six finalists for the U.S Army All-America Bowl's 2018 Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award
• Named to the USA Today 2017 All-USA First-Team offense and Tennessee All-USA First-Team
• Recognized as Tennessee's Mr. Football for Class 5A by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) his senior and junior years
• Selected as the Class 4A Lineman of the Year and All-State Class 4A First Team offense in 2016