Jones, Vols not surprised by Jumper

[tag linked="true" key="1959630" url="http://247sports.com/Player/Colton-Jumper-17578"]Colton Jumper[/tag] being named Tennessee’s first-team middle linebacker heading into the Vols’ season-opening game against Bowling Green surprised many people. It didn’t surprise anyone in the program, though. Jumper, a sophomore walk-on, has impressed Vols junior linebacker [tag linked="true" key="1959631" url="http://247sports.com/Player/Jalen-Reeves-Maybin-17174"]Jalen Reeves-Maybin[/tag] since both were high school stars in Tennessee. Reeves-Maybin starred at Northeast High School in Clarksville, and Jumper starred at The Baylor School in Chattanooga, but Reeves-Maybin —Â the much bigger prospect of the two —Â said he knew the little-known Jumper could play. “I knew in high school," Reeves-Maybin said Monday afternoon. “Him going to Baylor, we used to watch him a little bit in high school, like his highlight tapes and stuff. I always knew he could play, and when he got here, he was right on cue. As soon as he got here, he was keeping up with everybody. It didn’t take him too long to learn the defense. “As soon as he got here, he really was in a position to play early.” Reeves-Maybin took a direct route to Knoxville as a four-star prospect, and Jumper came after a one-year stint at The Hun School, a prep school in New Jersey. Jumper initially planned to play at Navy before opting to head back closer to home and enroll at Tennessee as a walk-on. Not all walk-ons are created equal, though. Jumper emerged quickly as someone who could help the Vols. Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee’s leading returning tackler, said with a smile that he “didn’t warn anybody" that No. 53 was a good player. “I didn’t warn anybody, but everybody saw it, anyway,” Reeves-Maybin said. “Even (A.J. Johnson) and ([tag linked="true" key="1959632" url="http://247sports.com/Player/Curt-Maggitt-383"]Curt Maggitt[/tag]) saw it. When he first got here, he was making plays, just being physical. "We all saw that he was gonna be a player from Day One.” The 6-foot-2, 224-pound Jumper played outside linebacker in 2014 but got moved inside heading into his sophomore season, and he quickly emerged as a legitimate contender in a multi-player battle to replace Johnson. Vols coach [tag linked="true" key="371732" url="http://247sports.com/Coach/Butch-Jones-75"]Butch Jones[/tag] said shook his head when asked if even he was surprised that Jumper ultimately won the first-team Mike linebacker position over highly touted freshman [tag linked="true" key="1959633" url="http://247sports.com/Player/Darrin-Kirkland-Jr-32396"]Darrin Kirkland Jr.[/tag], junior [tag linked="true" key="1959634" url="http://247sports.com/Player/Kenny-Bynum-10998"]Kenny Bynum[/tag] and others. “He’s worked very, very hard," Jones said. “I think him being in our program now, understanding the standard, the expectations, the strength and conditioning program, the knowledge of the defensive system. I think that’s really aided and benefited him. …He’s one of those those individuals that has always worked hard. He doesn't really say two words, he just takes coaching and works very hard at everything that he does. “And he does have a skills set in terms of speed and athleticism and toughness.” Reeves-Maybin didn’t flinch when asked if he was worried about Jumper's first game coming against Bowling Green, which has one of the nation’s fastest-paced offenses. “He's been preparing for it since the spring," Reeves-Maybin said. “Me and him talk a lot. I’ve just been telling him, ‘You’ve got to be focused, you’ve got to be ready for it, ‘cause when your name is called, you’ve got to live up to the expectation.’ We’ll all see Saturday that he's prepared for it, and he’s been working hard for it. We’ll see it. “I don't think (he'll be fazed). He’s been around. He knows how the defense is run. I definitely think he’ll be prepared for it and will be fine.” Jumper, like every walk-on, will have to prove he belongs at the SEC level. Reeves-Maybin said that shouldn’t be a problem. He said all anyone needs to do in order to respect Jumper is watch him play. “Definitely, you know, him being a walk-on, he's had to fight that much harder than everyone else,” Reeves-Maybin said. “He’s been through a lot more stuff that everyone else has gone through. For him to be put in the starting position at the Mike linebacker, that's just a big step for him, and it's great.” [b]———————————————[/b] [i][h2]For more news on Tennessee sports and recruiting, [link url="https://twitter.com/GoVols247"]follow GoVols247 on Twitter[/link][/h2][/i] [i]Contact Wes Rucker by email at wesrucker247@gmail.com, or [b][link url="www.twitter.com/wesrucker247"]ON TWITTER[/link][/b] or [b][link url="www.facebook.com/wesrucker247"]ON FACEBOOK[/link][/b][/i]