Tennessee football has seen a whirlwind offseason in the Transfer Portal, losing 27 players. This is a big number, even in today’s era, where transfers are part of the game, but the Vols haven’t just been on the losing end. Josh Heupel has worked to offset those losses by adding 18 transfers and securing a talented 2026 high school recruiting class.
While you never want to lose anyone, it's inevitable. Tennessee has done a great job on the recruiting trail, so there's no doubt the Vols can rebound from their losses.
Let's take a look at where each Tennessee transfer committed.
Tennessee players in the Transfer Portal
- TE Jack Van Dorselaer (Oklahoma)
- S Kaleb Beasley (Louisville)
- DL Josh Schell (UCF)
- LEO Jordan Ross (LSU)
- IOL Brian Grant (Memphis)
- IOL William Satterwhite (LSU)
- DL Jayden Loftin (Wisconsin)
- K Max Gilbert (Arkansas)
- EDGE Emmanuel Okoye (Cal)
- EDGE Caleb Herring (South Carolina)
- CB Rickey Gibson III (Texas A&M)
- WR Amari Jefferson (Uncommitted)
- WR Braylon Harmon (Austin Peay)
- OT Lance Heard (Kentucky)
- OT Bennett Warren (Minnesota)
- CB Colin Brazzell (Abilene Christian)
- WR Tommy Winston III (ETSU)
- IOL Max Anderson (Kentucky)
- DL Herb Gray (UNLV)
- OT Trevor Duncan (Uncommitted)
- RB Peyton Lewis (Virginia)
- QB Jake Merklinger (UCONN)
- CB Marcus Goree Jr. (Troy)
- LB Brenden Anes (Western Michigan)
- EDGE Kellen Lindstrom (Missouri State)
- DL Jamal Wallace (Utah)
- S Boo Carter (Colorado)
Analysis of Tennessee football's transfers
Of the 27 players Josh Heupel lost this cycle, 16 of them ended up staying at the Power-Four level. Of those 16 players, half of them (Max Anderson, Lance Heard, Rickey Gibson III, Caleb Herring, Max Gilbert, William Satterwhite, Jordan Ross, Jack Van Dorselaer) are staying in the SEC
Tennessee's first portal entrant, defensive back Boo Carter, will play for Deion Sanders at Colorado. Jamal Wallace and Josh Schell will join him in the Big 12.
Linemen Bennett Warren and Jayden Loftin are the only two former Tennessee players who landed in the Big 10, as they will play for two rivals, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Peyton Lewis, Emmanuel Okoye, and Kaleb Beasley are on their way to the ACC.
Kellen Lindstrom, Brenden Anes, Marcus Goree Jr., Herb Gray, and Brian Grant are all on various Group of Five teams now. Jake Merklinger joins Uconn an Independent school.
Wide receivers Braylon Harmon, Tommy Winston III, and cornerback Colin Brazzell were the only three Vols to drop from the FBS level to the FCS.
Two players have not found new homes yet in former 4-star wide receiver Amari Jefferson and hometown offensive lineman Trevor Duncan.