Vanderbilt transfer PF Jaylen Carey commits to Tennessee

Vanderbilt transfer forward Jaylen Carey committed to Tennessee. He averaged 8.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this past season.

Carey started his college career at James Madison, where he came off the bench in all 36 of his appearances. He then followed coach Mark Byington to Nashville at Vanderbilt and once again played a key role off the bench while also making one start as a sophomore.

Carey also saw his minutes increase at Vanderbilt. He played 20.2 minutes per game as a key contributor for the Commodores, and his 5.7 rebounds per game ranked second on the roster only to Devin McGlockton. Carey will have two years of eligibility remaining.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

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Jaylen Carey played high school basketball at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Westminster Academy before making his way to James Madison. After entering the transfer portal, he became the No. 71 overall player and No. 19-ranked power forward to hit the open market this cycle, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings.

Tennessee made a run to the Elite Eight in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, falling to Houston in Indianapolis. The Volunteers ended the year with a 30-8 overall record, including a 12-6 record in SEC play as they used a blend of new and returning talent. Senior guard Zakai Zeigler emerged as one of the best point guards in the nation, and transfer guard Chaz Lanier emerging as the leading scorer.

Since the season ended, the Vols have been active in the portal. They also made a notable splash at point guard, landing one of the best transfers this cycle.

Former Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie committed to Tennessee on Friday. He played and started in all 36 games for Maryland this past season, averaging over 30 minutes a night. He was the team’s second-leading scorer with an average of 14.7 points per game while also leading the Terrapins with 4.8 assists per game.

After entering the portal, Gillespie became one of the most coveted transfers. He is the No. 5 overall player and No. 3-ranked point guard to enter the portal this cycle, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings.