TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES
Jordan Ross had everything going for him as a senior at Vestavia Hills High in Birmingham in 2023. He was the No. 9 prospect in the country and No. 1 edge rusher as well as the No. 3 player in his state when he signed with Tennessee in 2024.
Two years later when he entered the portal, he was just the No. 62 transfer in the nation and No. 8 edge rusher. In between through 22 games and no starts, Ross has exactly 1.5 career sacks and only seven solo tackles in his career.
Lane Kiffin was one of the many coaches from major programs to recruit Ross out of high school along with Georgia, LSU, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida State and Oregon. Kiffin now has him at LSU, and the hope is that defensive coordinator Blake Baker can help Ross see the light and tap the potential he once had.
So far through the early preseason practices at LSU, Ross has been running with the first team at edge with Ole Miss senior transfer Princewill Umanmielen on the other side.
TIGER RAG SCOUTING REPORT: Former five-star with SEC experience but underwhelming production. He has elite speed and length and could play on Sundays, but needs to produce.
BIOGRAPHY NOTES: Joins the Tigers after 2 years at Tennessee where he developed into a vital part of the Vols defense as a sophomore in 2025 … Former 5-star edge rusher from Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School … Rated as the nation’s No. 1 edge rusher for the Class of 2024 … Appeared in 22 games (no starts) in his 2 seasons at Tennessee … Earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 2024 … Blocked a punt and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown in his collegiate debut against Tennessee-Chattanooga … Capped 2 seasons in Knoxville with 26 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Had career-best 6 tackles in final game at Tennessee against Illinois in the 2025 Music City Bowl … Earned SEC Academic Honor Roll status in 2024.
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2025 at Tennessee)
Played in 11 games with no starts … Part of the rotation at edge rusher for the Vols … Saw action on 246 defensive snaps with a career-best 33 coming against Illinois in the Music City Bowl … Recorded a career-high 6 tackles to go with a half-tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry against the Illini … Finished year with 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Also forced a fumble, returning it 10 yards in win over Arkansas … Added 2 tackles and 1.5 sacks for 9-yards in losses against Arkansas … Played 30 snaps and had 3 tackles, including a half-tackle for loss, in conference opener against Georgia … Played 32 snaps and had a tackle against Kentucky … In season-opener, played 29 snaps and tallied a tackle for a 5-yard loss and a pass breakup in win over Syracuse … Registered 3 tackles vs. Alabama and 2 in overtime win over Mississippi State.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2024 at Tennessee)
Appeared in 11 games and tallied 3 tackles with 1.5 going for losses … Saw action on 20 defensive snaps and 58 on special teams (49 punt return, 7 kickoff coverage, 2 field goal block) … Earned Freshman All-SEC honors … Named to SEC Academic Honor Roll … In collegiate debut, blocked a punt and returned it 49 yards for a TD in season-opening win over Tennessee-Chattanooga … Added a tackle for a 2-yard loss against UT-Chattanooga … Had 2 tackles and a half-tackle for a 2-yard loss the following week vs. 24th-ranked NC State.
HIGH SCHOOL
Highly touted, lengthy defensive end from Vestavia (Ala.) High School … Rated as a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 edge rusher in the country for the Class of 2024 by On3 and 247Sports … Considered the No. 7 overall prospect in the nation and No. 2 in the state of Alabama by On3 … Rated the No. 9 overall prospect and No. 3 player from Alabama by 247Sports … The No. 24 overall prospect and No. 5 edge rusher in the country according to ESPN … Considered the No. 4 edge rusher in the country and No. 5 player from Alabama by Rivals … Selected to the 2024 Under Armour All-America Game … Helped lead Vestavia Hills High School to a 9-3 record his senior season, racking up 72 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks … Tabbed the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year by Over the Mountain Journal, a suburban Birmingham-based news publication … Recognized by Around The State Sports as the 2023 AHSA 7A Defensive Player of the Year … Tabbed the 2023 High School Lineman of the Year by the Birmingham Quarterback Club … Posted 49 tackles and 16 tackles for loss during his junior campaign … Earned ASWA Second Team All-State after his junior season … Tabbed to the AL.com Birmingham All-Region First Team in 2022 … Selected to the Alabama 7A Coaches’ All-Region 3 First Team … Also played basketball for Vestavia Hills where he nearly averaged a double-double (9.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg) as a junior and helped the Rebels reach the 2023 Class 7A Northwest Regional Final … Coached by Robert Evans.
CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 6 vs. Illinois (2025 Music City Bowl)
Tackles for Loss: 1.5 vs. Arkansas, 2025
Sacks: 1.5 vs. Arkansas, 2025
NEXT: Offensive Tackle Jordan Seaton
PREVIOUS BIOS:
Defensive Tackle Richard Anderson
Offensive Guard Aliou Bah
Safety Ty Benefield
Running Back Harlem Berry
Defensive Tackle Malik Blocton
Offensive Guard Bo Bordelon
Wide Receiver Jayce Brown
Defensive End Lamar Brown
Wide Receiver Tre Brown III
Punter Grant Chadwick
Quarterback Landen Clark
Safety Tamarcus Cooley
Right Tackle Weston Davis
Safety Faheem Delane
Linebacker TJ Dottery
Running Back Caden Durham
Defensive Tackle Deuce Geralds
Tight End Trey’Dez Green
Offensive Lineman Devin Harper
Wide Receiver Jackson Harris
Running Back Dilin Jones
Linebacker Davhon Keys
Quarterback Sam Leavitt
Quarterback Husan Longstreet
Defensive Tackle Dominick McKinley
Center Braelin Moore
Cornerback DJ Pickett
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