Tennessee lost several players to the NCAA transfer portal after the 2025 season, but most of the losses weren’t players the Vols were trying hard to keep.

One player, though, that many Vols fans wanted to see stick around was EDGE Jordan Ross, a former five-star recruit who spent the first two seasons of his career on Rocky Top.

Ross, who transferred to LSU in January, wasn’t very productive during his two seasons at Tennessee — he had just 1.5 sacks as a Vol — but he’s a player with the physical attributes to be a disruptive player in the SEC.

Tennessee would’ve preferred to keep Ross, but the Alabama native felt like he needed to find a new program after the Vols moved on from defensive coordinator Tim Banks and outside linebackers coach Levorn Harbin.

“I had to find a new program,” said Ross in the spring 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.

“I [saw that] Coach (Sterling) Lucas left his South Carolina job to go to LSU. And I did my research on Coach (Blake) Baker and how he runs his defense, and honestly, it
really fit my playstyle and how I can be better and be put in a great system.”

Jordan Ross hasn’t won a starting spot at LSU yet

It’s believed that Ross received an NIL deal worth north of $1 million to transfer to LSU.

Anytime a player is getting paid seven figures, the expectation is that he’ll be a starter.

But Ross hasn’t won a starting spot at LSU yet in fall camp.

According to The Bengal Tiger, the competition for the starting EDGE spot opposite Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen is still wide open.

True freshman Lamar Brown, a five-star recruit in the 2026 class, is making a push for the spot.

“The battle at the defensive end position opposite Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen is still open,” noted The Bengal Tiger’s Shea Dixon this week. “With Gabriel Reliford out with a knee injury suffered in spring camp, and defensive end Damien Shanklin not currently with the team, the competition is Tennessee transfer Jordan Ross and a returning Tiger in senior Dylan Carpenter. … Again, if Brown wants immediate playing time, the path is there.”

Ross could still win the job — or he might be in the rotation even if he doesn’t — but it certainly doesn’t sound like he’s living up to expectations just yet. Which is why I think it’s fair to suggest that he may not have been the answer to Tennessee’s pass rushing concerns had he stayed at UT.

The biggest issue for Ross, who has missed some practice time at LSU in recent days, has been consistency, staying healthy, and being physical enough.

“Jordan Ross gotta work on being physical,” said 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.”

Everyone develops on their own timeline, so there’s still time for Ross to reach his potential, but it certainly sounds like he’s not there yet.