Tennessee football: Five key Vols to watch for at Alabama
player. 839. Defensive back. Junior. 4. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Jaylen McCollough
6’0″ 205 pounds
Honestly, the entire secondary will be key if Tennessee football is going to compete with Alabama. Alontae Taylor is the best coverage corner, Theo Jackson is the best physical playmaker out there, and Trevon Flowers proved he can be a big-play guy in the secondary just last week. All of those guys need to be at their best.
However, one method to beating Alabama is forcing turnovers. They don’t turn the ball over often, but when they do, it makes things interesting. Bryce Young has thrown three interceptions on the season. One of them came in their loss to the Texas A&M Aggies.
Jaylen McCollough has turned into an interception machine for the Vols. He had one against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and then helped UT extend its lead against the Missouri Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks with early picks both times. Add in his three pass deflections and two and a half tackles for a loss, and he has a real chance to make some plays.
Now, Taylor was close to being the defensive back we named with his five pass deflections, interception and forced fumble on the year. Jackson’s six pass deflections and six and a half tackles for a loss can’t be ignored either. McCollough’s three picks, though, made the difference. He has the chance to make the play that makes this game closer than expected.