With only two commits so far, Tennessee likely has a lot of good news coming soon. Josh Heupel has been hard at work aggressively pursuing top targets, but it hasn't resulted in many pledges. The Vols do have a starting-caliber safety, Qua Moss, and picked up a young, versatile offensive man from LSU, which is nice.
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With Jermod McCoy, Colton Hood, and Rickey Gibson all headed to the Draft or the transfer portal, securing a starting cornerback became an absolute must for Tennessee. Ty Redmond, the stud freshman, already has one spot locked up, but Tennessee needs another talented player to pair with him.
It looks like Tennessee just got its guy. Former Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee has committed to Tennessee.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
— GoVols247 (@GoVols247) January 7, 2026
Auburn cornerback transfer Kayin Lee commits to Tennessee.
🔗 https://t.co/z7fg8GTe2D #Vols pic.twitter.com/MtOhc00W2r
Former Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee is now a Vol
Kayin Lee will bring 36 games of SEC experience to Knoxville. He has a career stat line of 81 tackles, 17 passes defended, and three interceptions. You can never be mad at a veteran corner who has performed well against the SEC.
Not to mention, the last time Tennessee got a former Auburn cornerback, it worked out pretty well. Colton Hood has a great shot to be a first-round pick in this spring's NFL Draft.
Lee is an aggressive corner who will fit in Jim Knowles' system. He registered a 66.7 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last season. This is a good high-floor add for Tennessee. Lee has the potential to be better than he's been, but he's definitely a starting-caliber player in the SEC.
Stay tuned for more commitments, as the Transfer portal moves quickly. You never know when Heupel will strike again.