Big Orange Report July 9, 2026

 

Meet the Vols 2026

Secondary

Position Coaches-- Anthony Poindexter, Derek Jones

All Star Candidates-- Ty Redmond, T.J. Metcalf, Edwin Farooq

Ty Redmond-- Sophomore (6-2, 200, 4.45) from Alpharetta, Georgia- Pressed into duty as a true freshman last season, Redmond served notice that he is going to be a very special player at cornerback for Tennessee. He was recognized with honors that included third team All-SEC, first team All SEC Freshmen and two first team slots on Freshman All American teams. He opened the season with four tackles and two pass breakups vs. Syracuse and his performances became more consistent as the schedule moved into October and November. He led the Vols with three interceptions on the year and was also No. 1 in the conference by posting 12 pass breakups and 15 passes defended. He grabbed his first pick against Georgia and also pilfered passes against New Mexico State and Vanderbilt. Redmond has plus size, speed and the ability to change direction. He is also not afraid to mix it up stopping the opponent's run game. He was an early enrollee that was coming off a state title run with the powerhouse prep program at Milton High School.

Edrees Farooq-- Junior (6-0, 195, 4.55) from Columbia, Maryland-- Something happened when the new staff arrived in Knoxville and Farooq suddenly erupted into one of the most improved players on the team during spring drills. He had a solid performance a year ago after earning a starting job at one of the safety positions. He was fourth on the squad with 76 total tackles, grabbed his first two career interceptions and forced four fumbles which led the SEC and was tied for fifth nationally. Farooq had a pick six vs. Kentucky and his best game was against Oklahoma when he booked 10 tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.  He participated in all 13 contests as a freshman in '24 and finished with 13 stops as a mainstay on special teams and in a reserve role in the secondary. He played in the Under Armour All American game after high school and had over 30 D1 offers before picking UT.

Kavin Lee-- Senior (5-11, 190, 4.5) from Ellenwood, Georgia (Transfer from Auburn)-- A veteran cornerback that participated in 36 games (25 starts) and was on the field for 1560 defensive snaps over the past three seasons. Lee recorded 81 tackles and had three interceptions at Auburn. His SEC experience is a plus and he did not give up a touchdown last year while playing pass defense for 328 coverage snaps. He possesses top end speed and good size for the cornerback position he hopes to earn opposite Redmond. He was ranked the No. 9 overall prospect in talent rich Georgia coming out of high school.

T.J. Metcalf-- Senior (6-1, 210, 4.55) from Birmingham, Alabama (Transfer from Michigan)-- Metcalf earned honorable mention All Big Ten recognition in '25 after finishing third in total tackles for the Wolverines. He only allowed one touchdown throw in pass defense and his best performance was against Ohio State when he posted 10 tackles. Another experienced defender that is familiar with the SEC, he played his first two seasons of college ball at Arkansas before moving to Michigan. He started 11 games for the Razorbacks in 2024 and totaled 57 tackles and three interceptions. His best games were against Auburn when he pilfered two passes and vs. Oklahoma State when he had a career high 12 tackles. He was a two-way player in high school and was rated a four-star prospect that had over 30 division one offers.

Dejuan Lane-- Junior (6-2, 210, 4.5) from Jessup, Maryland (Transfer from Penn State)-- Lane is expected to be a serious contender for a starting job after following his secondary coach for two seasons, Anthony Poindexter, to Knoxville. Of course Vol defensive coordinator Jim Knowles held the same title at Penn State last fall. Lane played in 13 games last season with three starts for the Nittany Lions. He had 30 tackles with his best performance coming in the bowl game vs. Clemson when he had six stops. Knowing that both coaches wanted him to follow them to Tennessee speaks highly of Lane's ability to defend on the backend of a defense.

Tre Poteat-- Sophomore (6-0, 195, 4.5) from Fitchburg, Wisconsin-- An early enrollee in 2025, Poteat was a fixture on special teams competing in all 13 contests. He also had some cameo appearances at cornerback as the season progressed. He finished the year with 12 tackles and two passes defended. Under the new staff during spring drills this year, he progressed to the point where, at the very least, he is going to be a key reserve at cornerback and ready to step into a bigger role if needed. Coming out of high school Poteat was named the top senior defensive back in the state of Wisconsin and he had offers from Michigan, Florida, Penn State and 15 other D1 programs.

Position Summary

Last season the Vol secondary was inconsistent at times and was, frankly, a liability in some games. The new defensive staff and the addition of transfers has given hope that the backend of the defense will be much improved this time around. Defensive coordinator Knowles has a reputation for designing schemes exclusive to the next opponent and he also is very adapt at in-game adjustments. This group has a chance to become an asset instead of a question mark this year.

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