With Rick Barnes immediately silencing retirement rumors after the Elite Eight loss to Michigan, the pressure is now on Tennessee to back him with some big-time talent. The fanbase is dreaming of him making history with the Vols and reaching the Final Four.
Tennessee battling SEC rivals for perfect-fit power forward transfer
Could standout wing Jalen Haralson help the Vols end up doing that? The freshman sensation recently wrapped up a tremendous season with Notre Dame, but he's in the transfer portal looking for a new home. Per Jon Rothstein, the sharpshooter is down to Tennessee, North Carolina and Ohio State. Will Barnes be able to pull this one off?
Source: Notre Dame transfer Jalen Haralson has cut his list to the following programs.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 11, 2026
Tennessee
Ohio State
North Carolina
Averaged 16.2 PPG and 4.0 RPG last season.
Jalen Haralson is down to Tennessee, UNC and Ohio State with a decision expected soon
It's safe to say things are about to get pretty interesting. Haralson indeed was a stud in 2025-26 for the Fighting Irish, scoring 16 points a game and adding four rebounds per showing. He's received a ton of interest via the portal, but UNC, Tennessee and Ohio State are in fact the last teams standing.
The Vols are going to have to replace a ton of talent for next season, of course including JP Estrella (Michigan), Nate Ament (NBA Draft), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (out of eligibility) and many others. Barnes has been working overtime out on the recruiting trail and landing a player of Haralson's caliber sure would be a splash move.
Tennessee got the portal started with a bang, as Belmont standout Tyler Lundblade wasted no time in signing with the Vols. Now, everyone is waiting to see who else Barnes will be able to bring in. Again, Haralson sure would be a statement move, especially since UNC and Ohio State are heavily involved.
Coming out of high school, the 6-7 200-pounder was ranked five stars and one of the top small forwards in the country per the 247Sports Composite. Soon enough, he'll make another life-changing decision with his transfer call - the Vols will be ones to watch moving forward here, no doubt.