One of Tennessee Vols' top 2027 targets weighs in after Tennessee's defensive coaching moves
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Tennessee has had some very good cornerback play in recent years. Between Kamal Hadden, Jermod McCoy, Rickey Gibson III, and Colton Hood, among others, the Vols’ secondary has had some outstanding pieces on the edge.
One player that Josh Heupel is hoping will help continue that trend in the years ahead is Hayden Stepp from Las Vegas, Nevada (Bishop Gorman High School). The 2027 recruit is one of the top-rated defenders in the country, checking in as the No. 23 overall player, No. 3 cornerback, and top overall player in the state of Nevada in Rivals’ industry rankings.
However, did the Vols’ recent sweeping changes on defense to anything to damage their chances with him? It seems not. Stepp recently told Rivals that he was “a little surprised” about the change at defensive backs coach but said he’s still in on the Vols as a candidate for his services.
Four-star DB Hayden Stepp says he likes what he sees from Tennessee’s new defensive coaches
Stepp said that after Tennessee defensive backs coach Willie Martinez was ousted and new cornerbacks coach Michael Hunter, Jr. was hired, that the latter reached out to him to introduce himself and touch base.
“Coach (Michael) Hunter reached out to me right away after taking over as the new DB coach,” Stepp told Rivals. “He let me know that Tennessee is still recruiting me and that I fit well in their defensive scheme.”
Stepp also went on to compliment new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and his “strong coaching background” as well as new strength coach Derek Owings. He said Tennessee’s coaching staff “has a lot of potential to be very competitive next season.”
The Vols are in the mix with a lot of teams at the moment, with Oregon, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and a bevy of marquee names in the mix. But for the time being, it’s certainly a good sign that the talented defender appears to be giving a thumbs up to the moves the Vols have made so far.
This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Jan 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the Nashville section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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