Tennessee has slowly rebuilt the defense one player at a time. Josh Heupel knew the defense was below par in 2025, so he brought in Jim Knowles to help turn things around. In the month that Knowles has been at Tennessee, he's brought in 5-star Transfer Portal edge rusher Chaz Coleman, plus surefire starters in Amare Campbell, Xavier Gilliam, and TJ Metclaf.
How Josh Heupel can recover from the crushing blow of losing a former top TE to the transfer portal
By the looks of it, Heupel and Knowles aren't done yet. Tom Loy of 247Sports has reported that Aaron Scott Jr., an Ohio State cornerback, will take a visit to Tennessee this Friday and Saturday following his Oregon visit.
Sources have informed @247Sports that coveted Ohio State cornerback transfer Aaron Scott Jr. is expected at Oregon on Thursday and at Tennessee Friday and Saturday, as his process inches closer to a final decision.
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) January 14, 2026
🔗https://t.co/Nx5HSmJ7p3@247SportsPortal pic.twitter.com/YBgiJvcp5R
Ohio State CB Aaron Scott Jr. will make his way to Tennessee
Scott was one of the best recruits in the 2024 class. He was ranked as the No. 1 player in Ohio and a 5-star by the 247sports composite. He has, however, had a somewhat slow start to his college career. In two seasons at Ohio State, Scott racked up 19 tackles, two passes defended, and a tackle for loss. Despite limited opportunities, he posted solid Pro Football Focus grades, and breaking into the rotation on a defense like Ohio State’s is incredibly difficult.
Don’t give up on him just yet. Scott is still extremely talented and has the ability to be a valuable contributor. Jim Knowles coached him at Ohio State, so he knows exactly what Scott is capable of, and that familiarity with the system could go a long way. Plus, Dan Lanning is a great defensive mind, and if he wants Scott, Vols fans should, too.
What this really means is that Tennessee still isn't satisfied with the defensive backs room. Ty Redmond is the only for-sure starter in 2026. Kayin Lee was a three-year starter at Auburn and will likely secure the other spot, but landing Scott could create a healthy open competition.
Heupel has already locked down 12 transfer portal commits, and the Vols are far from finished. Tennessee will look to add more talent soon before turning its focus to the 2027 class.