Tennessee football transfers not happy with new homes

Multiple former Tennessee football players have re-entered the transfer portal just months after transferring to their new schools. Former Tennessee defensive lineman Tyler Baron and safety Wesley Walker are both back in the transfer portal a few months after leaving Tennessee. 

Walker announced his departure from the football program in December. He originally committed to Ole Miss but flipped and signed with Louisville. Baron is in a similar boat, originally committing to Ole Miss before signing with Louisville.

Both players spent the spring semester at Louisville and went through spring practice with the Cardinals, but neither seem to be satisfied with either the team or their place on the roster after both announced they are going back in the portal this week.

Walker and Baron both come with one year of eligibility remaining in their college athletics career, so they are looking to make the most of it by going back into the portal. Walker will be looking for his fourth school and Baron is seeking his third school.

Both players had solid careers at Tennessee. Walker was a part of the defensive secondary exodus we witnessed in December, but Baron was a surprise to some. It was expected that Baron and James Pearce Jr. would be the Vols' edge rushers in 2024, which would have been a lethal combination up front.

We won't get to see Baron and Pearce team up again, though, after the Knoxville native left Tennessee in December and will look for another program this spring. Baron finished his Tennessee career with 102 tackles, four pass deflections, 13.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Walker also had a successful 2023 season. It was the first time we got to see him in a starter role with the Vols and he took full advantage of that opportunity. In his senior season, Walker had 53 tackles, two pass deflections, one sack and one forced fumble.

Pro Football Focus also graded him out with a 70.6, which is the 28th-best grade among safeties in the nation, and second-highest grade of Tennessee safeties. Jaylen McCollough is the only Vol to grade higher than Walker last season.

While these two players' exit from Tennessee was a bit more notable, it doesn't mean this is the case for any other players that transfered this past season or in years past. It is unfortunately a result of the current college football environment with unlimited transfers, NIL, and people in student athletes' ears telling them the grass is always greener.