Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | PUNT | YDS | AVG | LONG | IN20 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-9vs Furman | 2 | 89 | 44.5 | 52 | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 45-24@ Georgia Tech | 3 | 134 | 44.7 | 48 | 1 | |
| Total | 5 | 223 | 44.6 | 52 | 2 |
#98
Jackson Ross
Senior punter for Tennessee. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 203 lb · Melbourne, VIC · Haileybury College
Returning to Tennessee for 2026
The numbers
44.6
yards per punt · 2026
5 punts · long of 52 · 2 inside the 20
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 punts, 44.7 avg, at Georgia Tech
The story
4 punter for Tennessee. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Tennessee in 2022.
Jackson Ross
Drops it inside the 20 and pins them on their own goal line. A 2-star signing who has since put four seasons on the field at Tennessee. 2025 brought the first one: SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- recruiting profile
- recognition record
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2022
- Signed with Tennessee2-star out of ProKick Australia
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
Tennessee
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Tennessee
Played his entire career under Josh Heupel.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Josh Heupel — 29-12 over that span.
2023Tennessee9-4HC: Josh Heupel · Run-leaning
2024Tennessee10-3HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
2025Tennessee8-5HC: Josh Heupel · Balanced
2026Tennessee2-0HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Not enough tracked stats yet to summarize this season.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Josh Heupel
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–9
vs Furman
2 NO · 89 YDS · 44 AVG
Dominant 47-point win at home against Furman.
With F. Brandon — 226 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 68 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · M. Matthews — 4 rec · 132 yds · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Drops it inside the 20 and pins them on their own goal line.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Tennessee
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Punter · Tennessee
Returning around him
- 5 Tennessee players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -8 net (21 in / 29 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Tennessee · Last season: 8-5 (AP #18) · Talent rank #13 · 2026 recruiting class #8
DNA match
Player DNA
Pinner
Drops it inside the 20 and pins them on their own goal line.
P
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Oliver Straw’s 2023 season.
Matches Oliver on
Yards / punt
Weight
In-20 rate
Differs from Oliver on
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Lou Hedley's junior season at Miami (2022).
62%match
All-ACC
Matches Lou on
Height
In-20 rate
Yards / punt
Differs from Lou on
Class year (lower)
Weight (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jackson Ross
Background
CAREER HONORS 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 2025 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist Ray Guy Award College Punter of the Week Ray's 8 List (at Alabama, 10/20/25) 2025 Fall Academic Honor Roll 2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2023 SEC All-Freshman Team 2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2023 Ray Guy Awar...
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology