On Friday, chaos ensues as the transfer portal officially opens and teams can rebuild their roster. For Tennessee and Josh Heupel, the work ahead this offseason is significant. After an 8-5 season, anything less than a strong rebound simply won’t cut it as we head into year six of the Heupel era.
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Tennessee hasn't lost too many major contributors to the portal so far, except Boo Carter, of course. Heupel will have to recruit this current Tennessee roster while also turning over stones and pitching portal entrants on why Knoxville is the place for them.
These are three players who Josh Heupel should most definitely be targeting, and could end up committing to the Vols soon.
Josh Hoover, QB
Josh Heupel has hinted that if Joey Aguilar is not able to return, it will likely be a veteran portal quarterback, not George Macintyre or Faizon Brandon. There are plenty of great portal signal-caller options, but I think Hoover fits best for Tennessee. There was previous chatter last off-season that Heupel was interested in him, so it sounds like the staff likes him, too.
In 2025, Hoover had 3,472 passing yards and completed 66% of his passes. He also added 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Hoover has played in a high-tempo offense and can make his progressions quickly while in the pocket. He isn't a dual-threat quarterback, but he can make all the throws needed in the Heupel scheme. Hoover is ranked the No. 7 quarterback in the portal, according to Saturday Blitz's Nicholas Rome.
There are plenty of solid quarterback options out there for Tennessee, and fans wouldn’t complain if it ends up being Brendan Sorsby or Sam Leavitt. Still, if you had to guess, Hoover feels like the most likely outcome. He makes the most sense on multiple fronts.
AJ Harris, CB
Saturday Blitz has Harris ranked as the No. 8 cornerback in the transfer portal. Ty Redmond will need a new partner with Colton Hood and Jermod McCoy off to the NFL. Rickey Gibson III should be back and ready to go next fall, but it won't hurt to grab another corner who fits in Tennessee's new defense.
Harris began his career at Georgia before transferring to Penn State. He played two years for the Nittany Lions, and new Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles is very familiar with his game. Harris is a physical corner who can play on an island in man coverage. He did have a production dip in 2025, but he is still uber talented
He would fit perfectly in Knoxville. He knows Jim Knowles' scheme already and would have an opportunity to improve his draft stock and be a major contributor in the Vols' quest to reach the playoffs again.
Tawfiq Byard, S
Byard is a Colorado Buffaloes safety who is a former standout at DeMatha Catholic in Maryland. He has some loose ties to the Vols. He initially committed to USF and Alex Golesh, Former Tennessee offensive coordinator, out of high school. His brother, Kevin Byard, is an All-Pro NFL safety and played at Middle Tennessee State. Yes, these are loose ties, but he's from the area and has connections to Tennessee connections, so he makes sense for the Vols to push.
Tennessee has a major safety need in the portal, and Byard could fill that role nicely. He is rated the No. 2 safety in the portal right now by Saturday Blitz. Byard posted a 74.9 Pro Football Focus grade in 2025 and had 65 tackles for the Buffaloes. Tennessee had a significant problem with its run defense in 2025, and Byard addresses that. He's a gritty and physical defender who gets downhill and tackles. Byard is also solid in pass coverage, too.
After losing Boo Carter, the Vols have a significant gap to fill, and Byard looks like the perfect fit to step in and make an impact.