Tennessee Volunteers

Jalen Reeves-Maybin announces he will return for his senior seaosn

Published Jan. 12, 2016 4:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

Tennessee's 2016 defense was already expected to make an improvement with the addition of defensive coordinator Bob Shoop but got another huge boost Tuesday, as junior linebacker and leading tackler Jalen Reeves-Maybin announced he would return for his senior season.

No Rearview!! pic.twitter.com/CDe8HYdtP4
— Jalen Reeves-Maybin (@Finally_Maybin) January 12, 2016

Reeves-Maybin has recorded 206 tackles over the last two seasons and quickly emerged as one of the leaders of the young up-and-coming Volunteer football team and stepped into even a larger leadership role following the injury to senior Curt Maggitt last season.

Shoop who unsuccessfully recruited the linebacker to Vanderbilt three years ago, had high praise for the leader of the defense during his introductory press conference Tuesday: "My man is sitting somewhere in here, Jalen Reeves-Maybin. He's the undisputed leader of this group," Shoop said. "He's a special guy, and he knows that."

The arrow continues to point up for Tennessee and with yet another positive sign moving forward for the Volunteers, 2016 could be a very special year on Rocky Top.