Tennessee junior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin will return for his senior season, he announced on Tuesday morning.
No Rearview!! pic.twitter.com/CDe8HYdtP4
— Jalen Reeves-Maybin (@ReevesMaybin) January 12, 2016
Reeves-Maybin, who started all 13 games in 2015 as an outside linebacker was seventh in the SEC in overall tackles with 105 and ninth in SEC in tackles per game (8.1) and the led Vols with 14.0 TFLs (eighth in SEC) and second on team in sacks with five.
A native of Clarksville, Tenn., Reeves-Maybin emerged as a standout defender in 2014 after contributing primarily on special teams as a true freshman in 2013. He finished 2014 tied for first on the team with 101 tackles and emerged as a defensive leader, especially after the suspension of A.J. Johnson late in that season.
Reeves-Maybin returns as one of as many as eight defensive starters coming back for the Vols in 2016. He and cornerback Cam Sutton, who hasn’t made any kind of public announcement yet, were the two defensive players considered possible NFL early entries.
