Tennessee Vols player named one of college football's top newcomers in 2024

Earlier this week, ESPN named the top 50 newcomers in college football in 2024 and a key Tennessee Vols player made their list.

ESPN ranked Vols sophomore cornerback Jermod McCoy as the No. 17 best newcomer this season.

McCoy transferred to Tennessee from Oregon State this past offseason.

From ESPN : McCoy started five games as a true freshman for Oregon State before making his move to the SEC. The 6-foot, 193-pound corner is still young and growing but is off to a terrific start for the Vols, allowing just nine catches for 107 yards in pass coverage, according to TruMedia, with four pass breakups plus an interception in their road win at Oklahoma.

The Texas native has been a huge addition for Tennessee this season. McCoy is the closest thing the Vols have to a "shutdown corner" and he's continuing to improve as the season progresses. He's also made an impact on special teams while serving as one of Tennessee's top punt return options.

Vols head coach Josh Heupel and his staff have a very measured approach when it comes to the NCAA transfer portal. They're picky about players they take -- the culture fit has to be right and if it's not, that can be a dealbreaker for Tennessee. When it comes to the decision to take McCoy, they absolutely nailed it.

Related: An under-the-radar reason for the Tennessee Vols' recent offensive struggles may have been discovered