An SEC transfer could be a major factor in a positive season for the Vols.
The transfer portal giveth, and the transfer portal taketh away. That's been particularly the case over the last couple of years for the Tennessee Vols, particularly with their secondary.
Tennessee featured one of the best cornerbacks in the nation in 2024 in Jermod McCoy, who transferred in from Oregon State. McCoy was a true No. 1 cornerback, earning second-team All-American honors and helping the Vols reach the playoff. One year later, former Vols safety Jakobe Thomas, also a part of that great 2024 defense, left for Miami and helped the Hurricanes reach the national championship game.
Could Tennessee be on the upswing with another talented transfer portal defensive back? The Vols certainly have a prime candidate in Auburn transfer Kayin Lee.
Lee spoke with the media on Tuesday after practice. It's not often you're wowed at the size of a defensive back, but Lee is muscular of the ilk of Vols RB DeSean Bishop. Lee drew the following comment from a reporter when his media time began : "you always been this rocked up?"
"I feel like it came from genetics, most definitely, but since I've gotten here, I've put on seventeen pounds," Lee said about whether Derek Owings has helped him build his physique. "I feel like DO (Derek Owings) gets credit for most of that too, though."
Tennessee lists Lee at 5-11, 195 pounds with their updated post-summer measurements, so you can do the math on the gains he's made since transferring from Auburn after last season. The Owings effect indeed.
With Ty Redmond expected to man one of the starting corner spots, Lee has put himself in position to potentially start opposite him . If that happens, and if he can put together a strong season, he could find himself hearing his name called by the end of the second day of the 2027 NFL Draft.
I asked A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst Ryan Roberts for his take on Lee.
"Former Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee was one of the more underrated pickups via the transfer portal, and has a chance to be tremendous for Tennessee this season," Roberts wrote. "The first thing that pops off the screen about Lee is his overall explosiveness and movement skills. The kid can fly and match any wide receiver down the field. He is a shorter cornerback (not great length too) so there will be some limitations in the run game but that isn't from a lack of effort . Lee, however, is built incredibly well and isn't afraid to test opposing wide receivers at the line of scrimmage or down the field. He's a tenacious defender who has a chance to go in the top 100 of the 2027 NFL Draft if he becomes more consistent."
There are certainly a lot of moving parts on the Vols' defense this season in Year One of the Jim Knowles era. Understanding the system and communicating well are going to be crucial parts of all players hitting the ground running and avoiding mistakes.
But if Tennessee can make that transition smoothly, then they've got the pieces on the back end to potentially have a stronger season than we saw from the Vols' secondary just a season ago. And that could mean big things for Lee and other members of Tennessee's defense with NFL aspirations for 2027 and beyond.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: 'You always been this rocked up?' -Tennessee might have their next great defensive portal transfer on their hands in 2026
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