Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy didn’t get to play alongside Ty Redmond in a game last year, but he saw more than enough from the freshman cornerback while sharing the sideline and the position to know that big things are ahead for Redmond’s future.
104.5 The Zone’s Lucas Panzica caught up with McCoy during the NFL Combine event on Thursday as he shared his thoughts on what Redmond can do in his sophomore season with the Volunteers.
“I think Ty’s going to be an All-American next year, for sure, after the year he had,” McCoy said. “He learned a lot from me and Colton (Hood). Next year is for sure his year.”
McCoy suffered an ACL tear during the offseason that kept him sidelined for Redmond’s entire freshman year with the Vols. McCoy’s injury, plus a subsequent injury to Rickey Gibson III in the opening game, are what ultimately paved the way for Remond to become a full-time starter during his first year in college football. But while he and Redmond never shared the field, McCoy still had a close relationship while being in the same position room for the season.
“His size, man. He’s tall, long,” McCoy said about what stands out with Redmond’s game. “He attacks the ball when it’s in the air. His press is elite. So, I mean, overall, he’s a great corner.”
“Ty’s gonna be an All-American next year”
Jermod McCoy had some high praise for rising sophomore #Vols corner Ty Redmond pic.twitter.com/cjyXdI1Wt0
— Lucas Panzica (@lucaspanzica) February 26, 2026
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The 6-foot-2 freshman was thrust into action alongside cornerback Colton Hood during the Vols’ opening game against Syracuse. He played in all 12 regular-season games for the Vols and started the final 11 of the season after Gibson went down with injury. It was clear that teams targeted him early in the season as he found his footing, but Redmond showed plenty of breakout flashes throughout the year. He recorded three interceptions on the year, including two in the final four games of the season. Redmond picked off Georgia’s Ryan Puglisi, New Mexico State’s Logan Fife, and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia on the year.
While playing in all 13 games for the Vols, Redmond also tallied 43 total tackles, 15 pass deflections, and one tackle for loss. Redmond also had the second-highest season grade from Pro Football Focus at 80.5 in 783 plays, which only trailed Joshua Josephs’ 87.3 grade at 365 plays. Redmond also inched out Colton Hood (79.7 grade, 774 plays) for the best in the secondary.
Tennessee brought in some players from the transfer portal to compete for a spot in the secondary next season, but Redmond is obviously an important piece to the puzzle. One could suggest that he and Auburn transfer cornerback Kayin Lee are the two favorites to earn starting cornerback spots next season, but we’ll find out more this offseason during the two training camps.
Redmond also has some new coaches to work with during his sophomore season on Rocky Top. Tennessee hired Jim Knowles as the defensive coordinator, Anthony Poindexter as the secondary coach, and Derek Jones as the cornerbacks coach during the offseason. Jones is an experienced veteran assistant in the college football landscape and previously spent the last four seasons with Virginia Tech.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee Football coverage at the NFL Combine this week in Indianapolis.
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