Tennessee football might miss walk-on DT in transfer portal
When walk-on players for Tennessee football transfer out, it’s usually nothing to worry about. After all, you figure that they won’t play as much since they are walk-ons and that a program like UT should have plenty of options at their position anyway.
Well, that’s not necessarily the case for the Vols this year. The roster turnover on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal that came with the firing of Jeremy Pruitt and NCAA investigation into the program, which is still ongoing, depleted Rocky Top at numerous positions to the point that even the walk-ons are valuable.
As a result, Saturday’s news that local Tennessee football walk-on defensive tackle Deven Jones was entering the portal is concerning for the program. Jones, who did not play as a freshman in 2020, revealed the decision on Twitter.
Coming out of Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville, Tenn., Jones is playing at a position with very limited depth for the future at UT. So many of the key rotational linemen on the team this year are seniors, including LaTrell Bumphus, Ja’Quain Blakely, Darel Middleton, Matthew Butler and Aubrey Solomon. Even incoming USC Trojans transfer Caleb Tremblay is a senior.
That leaves the position wide open for the future. At 6’4″ 309 pounds, Jones could have been a player to provide some key depth at the position, especially with Tim Banks switching the scheme back to a 4-3. Even if he operates primarily out of the nickel, he’ll always have four down linemen.
Things were made even worse at that position with the loss of two commitments in the 2021 class. Highly touted prospect KaTron Evanms was released from his letter of intent, and Isaac Washington entered the transfer portal after being suspended throughout spring practice.
Next. Vol football's 10 biggest winners from spring practice. dark
Simply put, Tennessee football needs some long-term help up front, and somebody like Jones could prove to be a bigger loss than he seems to be on paper. At this moment, depth is crucial to the program, and Josh Heupel needs all the help he can get.