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Tennessee football: Ranking every player who transferred from Vols by 2021 performance

By Caleb Calhoun

North Carolina Tar Heels running back Ty Chandler (19)takes the ball down the field while playing against South Carolina Gamecocks during the DukeÕs Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Thursday, December 30, 2021.Jg Mayobowl 123021 036
North Carolina Tar Heels running back Ty Chandler (19)takes the ball down the field while playing against South Carolina Gamecocks during the DukeÕs Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Thursday, December 30, 2021.Jg Mayobowl 123021 036 /
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UCF’s Brandon Johnson makes a catch during the first half Friday evening as the Louisville Cardinals took on the University of Central Florida at Cardinal Stadium. The Cardinals led 21-14 at halftime. Sept. 17, 2021As 1237 Uofl Ucf 1sthalf New366
UCF’s Brandon Johnson makes a catch during the first half Friday evening as the Louisville Cardinals took on the University of Central Florida at Cardinal Stadium. The Cardinals led 21-14 at halftime. Sept. 17, 2021As 1237 Uofl Ucf 1sthalf New366 /

UCF Knights. Brandon Johnson. player. Scouting Report. Wide receiver. 886. Pick Analysis. 7

38 catches for 565 yards; 11 TDs

  • Redshirt senior
  • 6’2″ 195 pounds
  • Entered portal Dec. 14, 2020

Over a month before Tennessee football added Josh Heupel from the UCF Knights, Brandon Johnson entered the transfer portal. It happened the week before UT’s final regular season game that year. Johnson eventually went to UCF as the Vols lured Heupel away from Orlando.

Anyway, Johnson needed a year to himself to stand out. A true wideout, he was the Vols’ leading receiver during their dismal 2017 campaign, but he took a backseat to Jauan Jennings, Marquez Callaway and Josh Palmer in 2018 and 2019, so he redshirted in 2019 looking for a strong senior campaign in 2020. Jim Chaney’s dismal offense didn’t make that possible.

As a result, Johnson made what seemed like the right move at the time to transfer, although with Palmer leaving and Heupel coming, he may have actually been better off in Heupel’s system. JaVonta Payton and Cedric Tillman both thrived in roles he could have had.

Either way, joining Gus Malzahn worked out. As the No. 2 receiver, Johnson led the team in touchdown catches. Nobody else came within four of him on the team, and in fact, his 11 scores ended up leading the AAC while finishing in the top 10 in the nation. Taking that into account, it’s safe to say his transfer worked out.

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