Kayin Lee on facing Marcel Reed, Texas A&M playmakers

Tennessee football defensive back Kayin Lee is a part of the defense that has kept offenses frustrated this season. Lee has totaled 13 tackles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery, and has really carried that physical identity that’s been seen across the board.

Head coach Josh Heupel said that Lee and cornerback Ty Redmond are still growing in the defense, and the physical presence is there.

“Kayin’s made a ton of big plays for us,” Heupel said on Monday. “At the end of the day, they’re playing really well inside of the scope of what we’re doing defensively. They’re playing with a physical presence as well.”

The Volunteers head to College Station, Texas, this weekend to face an underachieving Texas A&M squad. The Aggies are 4-5, but that means nothing, especially when they have the tools to be good. Those are often the most dangerous situations to walk into, and this Vols team doesn’t want a repeat of South Carolina, where it lost focus on the road after a huge home win. Lee said this week is being handled like any other and that the team is focused.

Oct 10, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) throws a pass against the Missouri Tigers during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Facing Texas A&M playmakers Marcel Reed, Isaiah Horton and Mario Craver is nothing new to Lee, and that gives him a leg up in knowing their strengths and what to look for.

Reed has thrown for 1,641 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, and he’s run for three more scores. The passing numbers have been up and down, but his legs are what give defenses problems. When the pocket breaks down, he can extend plays and find a receiver late, and that puts more on the secondary to stay in coverage longer than usual.

“For me, just staying in coverage longer and the person I’m going against on offense, I gotta plaster him as a defender,” Lee said. “Just being able to know where he’s at at all times, where the quarterback’s at, where he likes to roll out, those types of things. Just being able to know that he can extend plays with his legs also, so we just gotta be prepared for that.”

Oct 24, 2026; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mario Craver (1) celebrates after a touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Lee has history with A&M’s top two receivers. He covered Isaiah Horton last season when Lee was at Auburn and Horton was at Alabama, and he played 7-on-7 with Mario Craver in high school. Craver has hauled in 34 catches for 311 yards and three touchdowns. Horton has 392 yards and three touchdowns at 14 yards per catch. Both are dangerous and will challenge the secondary.

“He’s fast. He’s a fast kid," Lee said of Craver. "I know he's been fast since we’ve been in high school, but it shows on the college level still. So just being able to just get hands on him, slow him down a little bit, and just being able to just play together as a team."

Lee and the Tennessee defense are allowing 172.1 passing yards per game. That’s the second-best mark in the SEC and 14th in the nation. Reed, Craver and Horton are the kind of playmakers who can test that number on any given snap. If the Vols stay locked in for four quarters on the road, the secondary has shown all season it can hold up.

Tennessee and Texas A&M will kick off at 3 p.m. ET at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas on Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN with Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sideline) will be on the call.

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