Tennessee football: 5 players Vols should target in NCAA transfer portal

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the inside of Neyland Stadium during a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the inside of Neyland Stadium during a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)
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Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

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Tennessee football has no more direct connection than they do to Kyriq McDonald. Once a four-star safety who committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 recruiting class, the 5’11” 197-pound prospect is transferring out now with three years of eligibility left.

Well, the Vols have a major opening at safety, even with this loaded defensive backs recruiting class, due to the fact that they just lost Todd Kelly Jr. and Micah Abernathy and will lose Nigel Warrior after this year. McDonald would be their most talented athlete at the position.

And, here’s the real twist, he committed to Alabama while being recruited by Derrick Ansley and Jeremy Pruitt. Those were the two coaches he specifically committed to. Ansley is now coaching defensive backs and the Vols’ defensive coordinator, and Pruitt is obviously UT’s head coach.

So if McDonald transferred to Tennessee football, the two coaches he committed to at Alabama would be the only two on-field coaches directly responsible for dealing with him. It’s the perfect fit, and that’s why he’s No. 1 on this list.

Safety is not as big of a need for the future as wide receiver, but it’s still a need. On top of that, McDonald brings more years of eligibility at the position, and he has a deeper connection to current UT coaches than anybody else on here. As a result, the Vols should go hard after him to try to lure him to Rocky Top. He’d be a huge pickup.