Hayden Lowe could become exactly what Tennessee needed Chaz Coleman to be

It's not going to be easy, but Tennessee is in a great spot to make magic happen with former Miami EDGE Hayden Lowe. The 6-5, 255-pounder was in Knoxville for an official visit last weekend, telling FanSided the game-day experience was something he had never experienced before.

Josh Heupel and Rodner Garner are hoping to hold off Alabama and others to bring in Lowe, who would fill a needed void for next season and beyond. That void opened because things didn't work out with transfer Chaz Coleman, who reportedly brought home a $2-3 million NIL deal from the Vols, only to never suit up for Tennessee.

The expectations were through the roof for Coleman, but his stay in Knoxville didn't go as planned. Should Lowe end up committing to Tennessee, however, he'd step in immediately and be the exact kind of playmaker fans were hoping Coleman would be. Despite Lowe having a rough go in Coral Gables, which led to him and Miami parting ways, it doesn't take away from the fact that he was born to bring down quarterbacks - his potential is sky-high for the future.

Tennessee potentially landing Hayden Lowe would change the outlook on defense for several years

While Lowe may be at Long Beach City College right now, don't forget for a second that it wasn't that long ago that he was one of the most coveted prospects in the country. Coming out of the 2025 class, the California product was ranked five stars and the No. 2 EDGE per the 247Sports Composite.

Lowe had a boatload of offers, including Miami, Tennessee, USC, UCLA, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, and many other powerhouses. The Vols swung and missed on Lowe the first time around, but getting him on campus for the Auburn game worked out perfectly. Lowe loved his time visiting Tennessee, which is something he'll keep thinking about ahead of making a final decision in the next 2-3 weeks.

“Oh yeah, 100 percent,” Lowe told us when asked if he envisioned himself playing for the Vols down the road. “It was a great experience. I know some of the players, too. I can tell from just being around the guys, they’re all about ball. That’s very valuable, and we can feed off of each other.”

For now, Cal, UCLA, Missouri, and Alabama seem to be the Vols' main competition in this recruiting battle, but things could change at the drop of a hat. Still, Knowles is one of the best defensive coordinators out there, which is why so many people were so fired up that Coleman decided to reunite with him at Tennessee.

Again, that move could not have gone worse, but the Vols need a game-changing pass-rusher to eventually replace the production that Coleman was set to bring to the table. That very well could end up being Lowe, who would no doubt be a monster get for Heupel if he can get things over the line later this month.

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