Tennessee Football Commit Jowell Combay on Elevating His Mental Aspect as a Senior

Tennessee 2026 safety commit Jowell Combay shined in his season opener that included doing some new things on the gridiron.

Tennessee 2026 safety commit Jowell Combay | Dale Dowden/Vols on SI

Tennessee 2026 safety commit Jowell Combay shined in his season opener that included doing some new things on the gridiron.

August 13th was a lot of firsts for senior safety Jowell Combay: first game at Kell High School, first game as a Tennessee football commit, and first time returning in the kicking game; and he did not disappoint, showing why the Vols coaching staff made him a priority down the stretch.

At his primary safety position, he believes he has taken a noticeable step in the mental aspect of the football game, helping take a leadership role on his new high school team, something that was intentional as he constantly discusses the game with his future position coaches in Knoxville.

"I feel like my mental game has stepped up (going into my senior year). Just processing the game and understanding what is going on — down and distance, formations, and getting guys aligned."

What a night at @kellhsathletics. Tonight's game featured two Tennessee football commits and a target.@JowellCombay may be a hidden gem in the return game.@BraydenRouse8 is a legit offensive weapon as a four-star LB.@MoonieGipson spent a lot of time in the endzone and… pic.twitter.com/VVWr7oslCq

— Dale Dowden (@Dale_Dowden) August 14, 2025

Combay was a part of a strong run that Tennessee had in July, and he liked how the class looks, as the majority of it is complete, believing in what this group can bring to the program.

"It is definitely good. I feel like we could do a lot of good things, and I feel like we will continue to go up"

The Peach State product is still working to finalize his gameday visit schedule, but knows for sure one specific home game he will be in attendance for this season, and that will be on September 13th when Tennessee hosts Georgia.

The safety is enjoying a less hectic recruiting process now that he is committed, but that isn't stopping other programs from continuing to reach out, such as Miami, Georgia Tech, and Wisconsin. But he remains locked in with what Josh Heupel is doing at Rocky Top.

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