4-Star Safety Jaylen Scott Praises Tennessee Amid Recruitment Choices
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It was a down season for the Tennessee Volunteers and Josh Heupel. After making the College Football Playoff in 2024, they went just 8-5 in 2025. Their year ended with a 30-28 loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Music City Bowl.
Now into the offseason, Tennessee’s coaching staff is looking to improve through high school recruiting. Their 2027 cycle already ranks 16th in the nation with four total commitments.
The Volunteers continue to push for talented players. That includes safety Jaylen Scott out of Mobile, Alabama. He’s a four-star recruit, the No. 15 safety and the No. 151 player in the nation, according to Rivals Industry Rankings.
His production on the field is what also makes him an intriguing player. As a junior at Williamson High School, he racked up 104 tackles, two tackles for loss, five interceptions and 15 pass deflections.
The defender continues to get closer to a decision. Rivals’ Chad Simmons reported that Scott is now choosing among the Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes, Georgia Bulldogs, Oklahoma Sooners and Volunteers. He also revealed his opinion of Tennessee when speaking to Simmons.
“Tennessee is another school that recruits me as hard as they can,” Scott said. “They’ve had some changes, but the staff has been great. Coach [Anthony] Poindexter is a new coach and he was down recently. I like him a lot. The staff and the fans at Tennessee stand out the most.”
With his recruitment narrowing down to a select few, Scott’s praise for co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Anthony Poindexter is a positive sign. It could be one of the deciding factors when the time comes to announce his commitment.
Related: 5-Star Recruit Reacts to Latest Offer From SEC Powerhouse
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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