Tennessee defensive lineman Dominic Bailey (90) celebrates with Tennessee defensive lineman Omari Thomas (21) after recovering the ball during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and UTEP in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee's Rodney Garner Offers High Praise for Defensive Lineman Dominic Bailey

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Jonathan Williams | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 10:33 AM ET

Tennessee coach Rodney Gardner offered some very high praise for defensive lineman Dominic Bailey.

The Tennessee Volunteers are in need of another difference maker upfront defensively this year with James Pearce now in the NFL, and according to coach Rodney Garner, they might have found the next one.

Dominic Bailey is entering his sixth season with the Volunteers, and Garner said if they had to pick an MVP for the defensive front guys, it would be Bailey hands down.

“I’d say, just talking to those scouts, I think right now if we had to vote on the MVP of the front guys, I think Dom Bailey would win it hands down,” Garner said on Wednesday. “This kid has had an outstanding camp, run, pass, leadership, all those things.”

Garner went on to talk about how far Bailey has come since he first got to Tennessee.

“He really stands out in a very positive way,” Garner said. “And, obviously, I think a lot of people know when I first got here, he stood out in another way, and it wasn’t a good way. So you know, this kid has really earned everything that he’s got. He’s a blue-collar, worked his tail off to get himself in this position and he’s made himself a really good SEC D-lineman and I am really glad that we have him.”

Last season, Bailey finished the season with 25 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks. He now heads into the 2025 season as a major piece of Tennessee's defense.