Kaemen Marley is Tennessee football’s second alarming transfer portal entry

As mentioned earlier in the week, numerous players entering the transfer portal is to be expected by every program given the new rules. Tennessee football wasn’t going to be any different, and most of the players who have entered the portal are of no concern.

However, Kaemen Marley has become the second player to enter that is a concern for the Vols. News of his entry into the portal came out Friday from Matt Ray of SI.com. K’Rojhn Calbert was the first, as we wrote about here, because of Rocky Top’s immediate need at right tackle with Cade Mays gone and Calbert’s experience.

Marley wasn’t with the team in Nashville for the Music City Bowl and seemed to confirm that he would no longer be with Tennessee football earlier in the month, but it wasn’t made official until this entry. Although it may have been a bit expected, his decision is still alarming for a different reason than Calbert’s is.

In the case of Marley, the Vols lost potential more than they did a guy with experience. Marley, a highly touted recruit from the Vols’ 2021 class, was a four-star athlete across the board out of North Carolina who stands at 6’3″ 195 pounds.

The graduate of Eastern Randolph High School in Ramseur, N.C., was initially expected to play safety, but Josh Heupel moved him over to wide receiver. He never played this year as he was battling injuries, and during bowl practices before the team went to Nashville, he worked out some at linebacker. It seems as if they could never find a true spot for him.

Taking that into account, the entry into the portal may not be surprising, but it’s alarming. UT will need depth at some places in the future, particularly defensive back or linebacker, and Marley is a guy who could have provided it. They will also need more skill weapons across the board, which Marley seems to be.

Heck, even at wide receiver, where they are incredibly deep, Marley could have been a unique talent. Another 6’3″ guy who brings a ton of athletic ability could help a team that is already huge at receiver to have the most dominant passing attack in the country.

Simply put, while there is no specific place Marley seemed to be needed to build up depth, his potential and versatility made him one of the more valuable players on the roster to transfer. As a result, Tennessee football did suffer a bit of a loss in Marley, more than they did with most players who decided to enter the transfer portal.