Tennessee continued to replenish its secondary via the NCAA transfer portal Wednesday, receiving a commitment from former Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee.
Lee played in 36 games for the Tigers the past three seasons and made 25 starts. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder from the Atlanta suburb of Ellenwood was a four-star signee in the 2023 signing cycle and was a classmate of Colton Hood, who would transfer from Auburn to Colorado before transferring again to Tennessee.
Hood spent this season with the Volunteers before forgoing his two remaining years of eligibility for the NFL draft.
“Seeing Colton Hood, my old teammate from Auburn, come here and do what he did out of the transfer portal is just dope,” Lee told 247Sports.com during his visit to Tennessee that wrapped up Wednesday. “That just gives me nothing but confidence, seeing what my brother did.”
Lee was the nation’s No. 17 cornerback and No. 144 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings, and he would amass 81 tackles, 17 passes defended, three interceptions, two tackles for loss and one forced fumble during his three seasons on the Plains.
As a junior this season, Lee tallied 31 tackles, four passes defended and an interception.
(READ MORE: Vols announce three hires; Max Gilbert enters portal)
Tennessee’s secondary is undergoing a significant revamping under new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who brought in Anthony Poindexter as co-coordinator and secondary coach and Michael Hunter Jr. as cornerbacks coach. Jalen McMurray and Andre Turrentine are out of eligibility, Hood and Jermod McCoy have declared for the NFL, and Rickey Gibson III and Boo Carter have entered the transfer portal.
The Vols added former Kansas State cornerback Qua Moss through the portal Sunday.
“They told me they need a guy like me to come in and be elite and be a leader,” Lee said. “They need someone who can take the defense to another level and be a leader on and off the field and just be me.”
One Tennessee offensive departure, running back Peyton Lewis, revealed Wednesday that he will continue his career at Virginia.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.