There’s going to be a lot of changes on the defensive side of the ball for Tennessee football in 2026. The Vols hired a new defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles, who made significant changes under him on the coaching staff and hammered the transfer portal for personnel.
However, there will still be remnants of the past UT defenses. One of the returners with high expectations under the new staff is defensive tackle Daevin Hobbs. He is entering his senior year and is one of the players on the roster who could play their way into an NFL draft pick.
Ahead of the crucial year in Hobbs’ career, he had a former teammate come out and praise him. Jaxson Moi, who spent the past two seasons with the Vols, joined 99.1 The Sports Animal to discuss Hobbs.
“Very explosive,” Moi said during the radio appearance. “Athleticism through the roof. He’s due for a breakout year. He made a huge step from year two to year three and will make an even bigger step from year three to year four.”
(On Daevin Hobbs) “Very explosive. Athleticism through the roof. He’s due for a breakout year. He made a huge step from year 2 to year 3 and will make an even bigger step from year 3 to year 4.”@JaxsonMoi spoke with @VinceSports about @Vol_Football.https://t.co/iuD2bARCGg pic.twitter.com/KL4VGLguTo
— 99.1 THE Sports Animal (@SportsAnimal991) June 17, 2026
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When healthy, Hobbs has been productive in his career. He was forced to miss the front part of his junior year, but returned to play in the final eight games of the season. In that time, he produced 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.
However, injury struck again this past spring. Due to the same foot injury that plagued him for the beginning of the 2025 season, Hobbs had to sit out the back portion of spring camp and missed the Orange and White Game.
If Hobbs can stay healthy, he’s projected to be a starter at defensive tackle next to Penn State transfer Xavier Gilliam. Other options include sophomores Isaiah Campbell and Ethan Utley and a number of freshmen.
