The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s 2025 football season kicks off on Aug. 29 at West Georgia, and beat writer Gene Henley is taking a positional look at UTC’s roster. After spending the past few days on the offense, we’ve moved on to the defense.
After talking about both the defensive line and linebackers, we wrap things up with the secondary.
Who’s Gone: Kamari Todd (transferred to Auburn; 12 games, 8 starts, 50 tackles, 1.5 TFL, INT, pass broken up, quarterback hurry); Khari Gee (transferred to Missouri State; 10 games, 1 start, 43 tackles, TFL, INT); KJ Sejour (transferred to Ohio; 12 games, 11 starts, 41 tackles, INT, 11 pass breakups, fumble recovery); Kaelin Drakeford (graduated; 12 games, 11 starts, 32 tackles, 2.5 TFL, INT, 2 pass breakups); Jeremiah Batiste (graduated; 11 games, 8 starts, 18 tackles, TFL, INT, 5 pass breakups); Taylor Smallwood (transferred to Florida A&M 1 game, 1 start, 2 tackles); Josh Jones (graduated; 1 game); Jonathan Harris Jr. (transferred to Valparaiso; redshirted); Austin Kent (transferred to NAIA Graceland; redshirted); Tre’von Dangerfield (transferred to Division II Carson-Newman; DNP)
Who’s Back: Kam Baah-Slay (senior, 6-3, 198; 12 games, 12 starts, 89 tackles, TFL, 2 pass breakups, one fumble recovery); DJ Adams (senior, 6-0, 176; 12 games, 3 starts, 25 tackles, 5 pass breakups); Martez Cooksey, Jr. (redshirt junior, 5-9, 187; 11 games, 1 start, 16 tackles, 3.5 TFL); AJ Wallace (redshirt sophomore, 6-2, 190; 10 games, 6 tackles, pass breakup); Keyshawn Jackson (junior, 6-3, 186; 7 games, 10 tackles, 2 pass breakups); Nick Coates (senior, 5-9, 185; 3 games, 3 starts, 11 tackles); Jordan Davis (redshirt sophomore, 6-2, 197; 4 games); Jaden Nelson (redshirt freshman, 5-11, 197; 3 games, 3 tackles, fumble recovery); Travarius Flood (redshirt sophomore, 6-0, 199; DNP); Taylor Lawrence (freshman, 6-2, 176; redshirted); Jarian Dunlap, Jr. (senior, 6-3, 194; DNP)
(READ MORE: Maturity, motivation could equal big things for UTC’s D.J. Adams)