Tennessee EDGE Tyler Baron has entered transfer portal

Due to the transfer portal, college football recruiting never sleeps. On Thursday afternoon, Tennessee sophomore Tyler Baron decided to re-open his recruitment after a couple of years on Rocky Top.

First reported by On3’s Matt Zenitz, the former top-125 recruit is moving on after helping Tennessee to a 7-6 finish in 2021. Through two seasons, Baron played in 21 games for the Big Orange recording 51 tackles and five sacks. A product of Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic, Jeremy Pruitt’s staff recorded a major recruiting win in the class of 2020 as the local product decided to stay home where his father, Patrick Abernathy, served as a Director of Player Development. Many considered Kentucky the runner-up in that recruitment.

Tyler Baron is now on the hunt for another school after Josh Heupel and Abernathy decided to go separate ways during the season. Expect Kentucky to be involved in this portal recruitment.

Replacing Josh Paschal

Josh Paschal was a war daddy for Kentucky football in 2021. The redshirt senior turned in an All-SEC season that saw the former four-star recruit out of the DMV record 53 tackles, 10 non-sack tackles for loss, and 13.5 sacks/QB hurries. Paschal was a star, but Kentucky needs a replacement.

Redshirt freshman Tre’vonn Rybka passed the look test in the Citrus Bowl and made a couple of key plays late in the fourth quarter win over No. 15 Iowa, but depth is a question mark at field defensive end. Tyler Baron could help plug that spot.

Originally an outside linebacker prospect out of high school, Baron moved to more of a defensive end role at Tennessee in 2021 as the Vols went to a 4-2-5 structure under new defensive coordinator Tim Banks. At 6-5 and 260 pounds, Baron could be better suited to play with his hand in the dirt on a nearly full-time basis.

Paschal made a similar move as he outgrew the EDGE position after three years in the program. The same position switch could work for Tyler Baron if he decides to stay in the SEC East to continue his playing career.

However, Kentucky has just three scholarship EDGE players expected to be on the roster if Jordan Wright does not return for a super senior season. Help could also be needed there.

Regardless, Tyler Baron is a talented football player that Kentucky has a good history with. The former blue-chip prospect has positional versatility and could help Kentucky’s defense instantly in 2022.

Expect Vince Marrow to get working on this transfer portal recruitment immediately.