The Tennessee Vols’ pass rusher situation heading into the 2026 season is raising some real concerns. 

And it’s becoming clear that Tennessee made a mistake by letting former five-star EDGE Jordan Ross leave via the transfer portal. 

The Vols’ defense under new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles lacks a prototypical pass rusher, and Ross, who landed at LSU, could have been the answer.

The reason Tennessee let Ross walk was because of Chaz Coleman. The Vols essentially chose Coleman over Ross, betting on Coleman’s upside and his familiarity with Knowles from their time together at Penn State. 

“I had to find a new program,” said Ross earlier this offseason before pausing to gather his thoughts. “I had to look for a new start, I’m gonna say that. I had to look for a new start after my defensive coordinator left and my other coach left. So I wanted to start off fresh, to be honest.”

At the time, it looked like a reasonable decision. Both players carried significant potential without much collegiate production to show for it. So the Volunteers went with the option that was more familiar to Knowles (some believe Coleman has more upside). 

Coleman, though, is no longer with the program after being medically disqualified. He never really ingrained himself with the team.

And Tennessee is now left with a lot of question marks at the position. Jordan Norman, a Tulane transfer addition, is a solid option. But the plan was to pair him with Coleman.

As a result, Knowles will likely get creative with some bigger defensive ends who have dropped weight to rush the passer. The Vols may be fine, but I think they’d be better with a player like Ross, who has the talent to develop into a top-end SEC pass rusher.

The problem with Ross, who will be a junior this fall in Baton Rouge, has never been a lack of talent — it’s been staying healthy and being consistent.

“Jordan Ross gotta work on being physical,” said then Vols assistant coach Levorn Harbin in 2025. “He didn’t get many reps last year. He has got to stay healthy. He didn’t stay healthy last year. So he’s got to do a great job of maintenance throughout the year on his body. And he’s still a pup. He’s still a freshman in my eyes.”

“Honestly, Ross is gifted but he’s not consistent with his work,” continued Harbin. “He has to be more consistent every day. He’s a little bit on the immature side because he’s still a freshman. He gotta become more mature and take things more serious. That’s what I’m trying to get across to him. He has God-given talent, but he gotta become more consistent with the mental aspect of the game and taking everything serious.”

LSU’s investment in Jordan Ross says a lot

Ross got paid decently to transfer to LSU, and the Tigers are betting on him reaching his potential. LSU is viewed as a College Football Playoff contender while Tennessee is not. And the fact that LSU is committing resources to Ross and counting on him as a key pass rusher on a potential playoff team tells you everything about the upside the Tigers see in him. 

“Ross’ play on tape outweighs his stat line,” noted ESPN’s Steve Muench this week of Ross. “He grades out well versus both the run and pass. He can dip, rip and bend as a speed rusher off the edge. He flashes a powerful punch and the ability to get off the block at the top of his rush. He can shoot his hands and put offensive tackles on their heels as a run defender. He makes plays chasing from the backside.”

Nobody is going to bat 1.000 on transfer portal decisions, so I’m not saying this is an indictment of Josh Heupel and his staff by any means. But there have been a couple of these instances now. A little over a year ago, for example, Tennessee chose Boo Carter over Jakobe Thomas. 

Thomas became a key player on a Miami team that played for the national championship. Carter, meanwhile, was barely a factor for the Vols and eventually got kicked off the team.

These are tough decisions, and you’re not always going to get them right. But at the end of the day, the Vols needed a pass rusher with an elite pedigree. They had one on the roster, and they chose a different path. And now that path has fallen apart. It’s a tough spot for a program trying to build a defense capable of competing in the SEC.