Arron Sears has his awards. Now he has a decision to make.

Does he stay at Tennessee for his senior season or does he make himself available for the NFL draft?

The process has been set in motion. The decision is still to come.

"I've already sent in my papers to be evaluated for the NFL," Sears said after being named to the coaches' All-SEC first-team offense on Tuesday.

"You never want to leave on a bad note (a 5-6 season for UT), but it's mixed feelings."

Depending on the feedback he gets from the NFL, Sears could be back as an anchor next season on Tennessee's offensive line.

The versatile Vols' lineman was the only UT player to be named first team in both The Associated Press and SEC coaches' selections.

"It was just a great honor," he said. "People have been coming up to me all day congratulating me and saying good job."

The 6-foot-4, 338-pound junior from Russellville, Ala., was caught a little off guard by all the attention.

"It surprised me a little, but I felt like I had a really good season," he said. "I think my starting nine games at tackle and a couple of other games at guard probably helped me."

Sears also said he was shocked no UT defensive players made first team on the AP or coaches' poll.

"Our defensive line was incredible all season," he said. "I don't know how none of those guys made it.

"That was a strength of our team all season."

The media was actually kinder to the Vols than SEC coaches.

The AP team released on Monday featured four Vols on the second-team defense.

SEC coaches -- not allowed to vote for their players -- honored UT defensive end Parys Haralson and linebackers Kevin Simon and Omar Gaither with second-team selections.

Senior defensive end Jason Hall and junior defensive tackle Justin Harrell, second-team AP picks, didn't make the cut with the coaches.

As for Sears, he's going to spend his holidays wrestling with one of the hardest decisions of his life.

"It's really tough," he said. "I'm still ticked off about the season we had. It's hard not to be ticked off about something like that.

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens. Making first team All-SEC really doesn't have anything to do with the decision."

Two other Vols who are weighing the same NFL or UT options are Harrell and junior guard Rob Smith.