Josh Heupel and Tennessee have done a great job in the Transfer Portal to address the needs of the secondary. Overall, the portal has been lacking for the Vols, but Jim Knowles has made it his mission to address defensive backs, and he's been successful in that aspect.
Tennessee and Josh Heupel get rough Sam Leavitt news right after his Knoxville trip
Tennessee has landed Kayin Lee from Auburn (the No. 8 Cornerback according to 247Sports) and safety Qua Moss (No. 28 safety), who both will help the Vols in 2026. Tennessee looks to add to this list by adding another SEC cornerback.
GoVols247 is reporting that Tennessee has another talented cornerback on campus today. Oklahoma’s Gentry Williams is visiting Knoxville as the Vols look to add some much-needed depth to the secondary.
Gentry Williams would be a plus addition for Josh Heupel
There is a lot to like here. 247Sports has Williams rated as the No. 25 cornerback in the transfer portal, and Oklahoma has always produced amazing defenses under Venables. He played in six games last fall, recording one pass breakup and a 66.3 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus. He has four years of experience under his belt and four career interceptions.
Williams is known for being an elite athlete and a guy who can make plays on the ball. He has battled injuries throughout his career, but when he's healthy, he can be an outstanding player. The former 4-star prospect was a high school quarterback who transitioned to defensive back in college.
Ty Redmond has already locked down one cornerback spot, and landing Gentry Williams would set up some serious competition with Kayin Lee, Tre Poteat, and Timothy Merritt. This could make Tennessee’s secondary one of the most improved units in the SEC.
On the surface, you can never be mad at getting a defender on arguably one of the best defenses in college football last fall. Tennessee still has yet to make noise in the portal; however, the Vols are slowly chipping away.
Tennessee has only landed five players out of the portal, but there is no need to panic yet.