Similar to what happened with James Pearce Jr., there were plenty of Tennessee football fans who were hopeful that star running back Dylan Sampson would return for one final season with the Vols in 2025. That's not going to happen, though, as both Sampson and Pearce are headed to the NFL.
While there's plenty of young talent at running back for Tennessee next season, there isn't much experience/veteran leadership for the room. Might Duke transfer running back Star Thomas be able to change that? Per multiple reports, UT has brought in Thomas for an official visit. This is a major recruiting weekend for Heupel and his staff:
Star Thomas arrives in Knoxville this afternoon. https://t.co/cOsDZDt8p2
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) January 16, 2025
Duke RB transfer Star Thomas is on his Tennessee official visit
Thomas was originally a member of the 2020 class, but he went the JUCO route out of high school. He then played for New Mexico State for two years and ended up signing with Duke - he put together a solid campaign last fall. In 2024, the 6-0, 210-pounder rushed for 871 yards and seven touchdowns.
While adding Thomas would be huge for the offense, replacing Sampson's production is going to be nearly impossible for the Tennessee ground game. What Sampson was able to get done for the Vols and Heupel last campaign was out of this world.
The RB ended up rushing for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns, setting multiple program records in the process. The fact that Sampson wasn't a finalist for the Doak Walker Award is something that plenty of people all over the state remain pretty angry about.
However, that doesn't take away from the fact that he was incredible to watch with the ball in his hands, leading to him being named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Sampson is going to be missed, but the starting job is wide open for someone to grab. If Thomas ends up signing with the Vols, he could end up being in prime position to grab that spot.