The biggest question mark for the Tennessee defense in 2026 is who will step up in the secondary? The one Josh Heupel, Jim Knowles, and the fans are counting on most is sophomore cornerback Ty Redmond. As a true freshman in 2025, Redmond posted a great stat line that led him to 39 tackles, one TFL, 10 pass breakups, and three interceptions. His emergence on the big stage was noticed, as he was honored with an All-SEC Third team selection (coaches) and an All-SEC Freshman team selection.
Redmond's teammates have taken notice as well. At the NFL Combine, Tennessee star cornerback Jermod McCoy gave Redmond some serious praise. McCoy said:
"Yeah, I think Ty (Redmond) is going to be an All-American next year for sure, after the year he had. He learned a lot from me and Colton (Hood), so I mean next year is for sure his year."
Jermod McCoy predicts #Vols CB Ty Redmond will be an All-American next season!👀🍊 pic.twitter.com/utJDsaibHZ
— Tri-Star Network (@TriStar_Network) February 26, 2026
Jermod McCoy see's Ty Redmond becoming an All-American in 2026
This is encouraging, especially coming from a former teammate who’s an elite cornerback and sees that Redmond has the skills to compete at the highest level. Beyond that, Tennessee struggled in pass defense last year, so having Redmond step up will be crucial for the team’s success. Having Knowles around alone should raise the floor of the defense next fall, but if Tennesse can pair that with an elite cornerback? Oh man. The Vols could do big things.
To go a step further, Tennessee brought in a healthy amount of starting-caliber safeties, and they boast one of the best linebacker rooms in the SEC, with Arion Carter coming back. Plus, they kept freshman star Edwin Spillman around. The defense in 2026 is shaping up to be a plus unit next fall. The defensive line still has some questions, but it should be an improved unit.
In the meantime, all we can hope for is that the defense stays healthy over the off-season and Knowles has a productive spring installing his new defense. What's clear is Knowles will have an elite cornerback on his roster, but can he do enough around Rhotan Edmond to make Tennessee's defense a shutdown unit in 2026? That remains uncertain, but we have plenty of time until we can truly figure it out.