Some much needed help.
Tennessee continued its work in the secondary on Wednesday, grabbing a commitment from Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee. The 25-game starter for the Tigers will now slide into another starting role, this time in Knoxville. Lee will take one of the two outside spots as the Volunteers replace Rickey Gibson, Jermod McCoy, Colton Hood and Jalen McMurray.
Lee was a member of Auburn’s 2023 class, one that also featured Colton Hood. He took over late in 2023 as a starter for Auburn and never looked back. He started ten games in 2024 and 11 more in 2025. During those two full-time seasons, Lee has 63 tackles, three interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Tennessee beat out Ohio State for the commitment this afternoon. The Buckeyes, led by Jim Knowles defensively at the time, recruited Lee out of high school. His two full seasons of SEC experience bring a ton of value to a Tennessee secondary that badly needs it.
As things currently stand, Lee will start alongside of Ty Redmond at cornerback. Redmond was baptized by fire this season, forced into action early after the injuries piled up. That may just end up paying off in 2026 as Knowles retools the secondary with help from Anthony Poindexter and Michael Hunter Jr.
Tennessee is still going after secondary help, along with defensive front help. The defensive front, particularly at EDGE, is a priority going forward following the surprising exit of Jordan Ross. Expect several more moves over the next few days.
Category: General Sports
