2017 Football Roster
Roster
Blakely, Ja'Quain

Jersey Number 48
Ja'Quain Blakely
- Position:
- DL
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-2 / 254
- Class:
- Redshirt Freshman
- Hometown:
- Moultrie, Ga.
- High School:
- Colquitt County
Bio

CAREER
Veteran defensive lineman who played six seasons for the Vols and improved each year … Played in 50 games with 10 starts during his career … Served as a prominent starter in his final season ... Notched 44 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries … Graduated from Tennessee in the summer of 2020.
2021 – RS-SENIOR (SIXTH YEAR)
Enjoyed the best season of his career, playing in all 13 games with 10 starts at defensive end … Tallied 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks for a loss of six yards, five tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries … Had three tackles in win vs. Vanderbilt (11/27) ... Set a new career high with two pass breakups vs. No. 1 Georgia (11/13) ... Notched two tackles and a TFL at No. 4 Alabama (10/23) ... Had three tackles and one TFL vs. No. 13 Ole Miss (10/16) ... Collected a career-high six tackles and also had a TFL in win vs. South Carolina (10/9) ... Finished with five tackles and a career-high 1.5 TFLs while tying a career highs in sacks (1.0) and QBH (1) at No. 11 Florida (9/25) ... Finished with three tackles along with half a sack, a PBU and a QBH vs. Tennessee Tech (9/18) ... Started at DE and finished with two tackles and one QBH vs. Pitt (9/11) ... Made his first-career start in season-opening win vs. Bowling Green (9/2), finishing with one tackle.
2020 – RS-SENIOR
Played in all 10 games as a reserve defensive lineman, finishing the year with five tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks ... Recorded his second career sack vs. No. 6 Florida (12/5) ... Recorded his first career sack at Arkansas (11/7) ... Made first tackle of the year in win vs. Missouri (10/3).
2019 – RS-JUNIOR
Appeared in all 13 games as a reserve defensive lineman ... Made touchdown saving tackle on fourth down at the goal line to preserve UT’s 17-13 win over Kentucky (11/9) ... Played as the down lineman in Tennessee’s third down rush package ... Tied his season-high with two tackles in 30-7 win over UAB (11/7) ... Tied his season-high in tackles with two in UT’s 45-0 win over Chattanooga (9/14) ... Made his season debut in UT’s home opener against Georgia State, recording one stop (8/31).
2018 – RS-SOPHOMORE
Saw time in five games as a reserve and as a contributor on special teams … Made his season debut against ETSU (9/8).
2017 – RS-FRESHMAN
Appeared in nine games and finished with two tackles … Recoded both of his tackles for the season against Georgia (9/30) ... Made his collegiate debut versus Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game (9/4).
2016 – FRESHMAN
Redshirted ... Did not see any action.
HIGH SCHOOL
A four-star prospect according to Rivals ... Starred at Colquitt County High School … Helped lead the Packers to a perfect 15-0 record and their second consecutive state championship in 2015 … Posted 47 tackles to go along with four tackles for loss and two sacks as a senior in 2015 … Finished with 48 tackles as well as five TFLs and two sacks as a junior in 2014.
PERSONAL
Full name is Ja’Quain Jerome Blakely … Nickname is “Jay” … Born on Oct. 15, 1997 … Son of Jerome Blakely and Jackie Hightower ... Earned his undergraduate degree in sociology in summer of 2020 ... Recipient of the AFG Industries Endowment Fund … Enjoys fishing … Twitter handle is @BlakelyJay and Instagram handle is @the_real48.
FB | Cinematic Recap vs. Syracuse (8.30.25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB | Willie Martinez Press Conference (9.2.25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB | Joey Halzle Press Conference (9.2.25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB | Josh Heupel Press Conference (9.1.25)
Monday, September 01