# SEC Morning Report: CBS Sports Crowns Tennessee's Linebackers College Football's Best **Published:** 2026-07-09 — **By:** Stacy Stanfield **Category:** daily-roundup — **Type:** daily-roundup **Source:** https://secscouts.com/news/cbs-sports-tennessee-linebackers-best-2026 --- ## Lead Story: Tennessee Owns the Nation's Deepest Linebacker Room The Tennessee Volunteers have spent the offseason flying under the radar, but CBS Sports just handed them a headline. In a national breakdown of the best position group at every spot, CBS Sports' Chris Hummer named the Volunteers' linebackers the top unit in the country for 2026 — a rare bright spot for a defense in transition after Jim Knowles arrived from Penn State to run the unit. The depth chart reads like a problem most programs would love to have. Edwin Spillman and Jeremiah Telander led Tennessee in tackles a year ago and both return, yet neither is guaranteed a starting job. Arion Carter, an expected draft pick who came back to Knoxville after an injury, headlines the group alongside Penn State transfer Amare Campbell, a four-star portal addition who has piled up 179 tackles, 20 TFLs and 9.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Spillman, for his part, led all SEC freshmen with 80 tackles in his debut campaign. According to Hummer, the rotation runs even deeper. Sophomores Jaedon Harmon and Jadon Perlotte — former four-star signees who each logged 19 tackles as true freshmen — give Knowles quality reps behind an already loaded quartet. With Tennessee expected to run a 4-2-5 the majority of the time, that middle-of-the-field talent will be central to whether the Volunteers can get off the field on defense in what projects as a wide-open SEC. ## Quick Hits - **Mizzou schedules a Big Ten road test.** Per Jon Rothstein, Missouri and Indiana are finalizing an agreement to play December 18th in Bloomington, with no return game to Columbia. The Hoosiers become the third Big Ten opponent on Dennis Gates' non-conference slate, joining Illinois and Nebraska, alongside SLU, Marquette, Kansas and Pittsburgh. - **Utah's QB room draws national praise.** ESPN's Pete Thamel calls Utah one of the most dynamic quarterback rooms in the country. Senior signal-caller Devon Dampier led the endorsements for the NCAA's new five-year, age-based eligibility model during Big 12 media days on Wednesday. - **Mark Pope tempers Jamal Crawford buzz.** The Kentucky basketball coach told KSR's Matt Jones that the three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year has two years left on his NBC broadcasting contract. Pope, who called Crawford a longtime friend, said he stays engaged in staff conversations daily but expects Crawford to remain in his current role for now. Kentucky opens November 3rd against Manhattan at Rupp Arena. - **LSU takes over SEC Network.** The Tigers' annual July SECN takeover kicks off late Thursday, re-airing highlights from 2025-26 including a 25-0 softball drubbing of Auburn, a volleyball upset of Florida, the SEC Tournament baseball win over national champion Oklahoma, and the introductory press conferences for Will Wade and Lane Kiffin. - **Eleven VFLs headed to NBA Summer League.** Tennessee will have 11 former players competing in the 2026 NBA Summer League, per the school, a strong showing of Knoxville-developed talent at the next level. - **Texas OL Trevor Goosby gives back.** The Longhorns offensive lineman is helping raise funding to fight childhood heart disease, drawing on his own battle with Atrial Septal Defect that led to open-heart surgery at 16, according to 247Sports. "Just being able to use my platform for good... stuff that isn't talked about as much," Goosby said. ## Portal Watch No new transfer portal activity crossed the wire in the last 12 hours. Roster reshaping continues across the league — Red Cup Rebellion notes Ole Miss basketball is pressing on with its summer overhaul — but no fresh entries or commitments were reported overnight. ## Recruiting Buzz Burnt Orange Nation reports two notable additions for Texas: UCLA transfer outfielder Payton Brennan committed to the Longhorns baseball program, and five-star offensive tackle Ismael Camara pledged to the football program. On the hardwood, Roll 'Bama Roll reports elite point guard Anderson Diaz has reclassified and will play for Alabama in 2026-27. ## Games to Watch No games are scheduled today across SEC athletics. Attention stays fixed on offseason storylines — Big 12 media days wrapping up, summer roster moves and non-conference scheduling — with the college football and basketball slates still on the horizon. --- *Original article: [SEC Morning Report: CBS Sports Crowns Tennessee's Linebackers College Football's Best](https://secscouts.com/news/cbs-sports-tennessee-linebackers-best-2026) — SEC Scouts*