Defensive lineman Amari McNeill enters transfer portal
Tennessee defensive lineman Amari McNeill has entered the transfer portal, looking to seek a new college home.
The 6-4, 285 pound reserve defender played in seven games as Vol, recording three total tackles and one pass breakups in two seasons a Vol.
The Peachtree Ridge High School (Ga.) product signed with Tennessee as a part of the 2021 class after seeing his stock rise late in the cycle. McNeill was unable to crack the defensive line rotation during his time in Knoxville, and the addition of Arizona State transfer Omar Norman-Lott, and newcomer Daevin Hobbs (once healthy), has created even more competition inside of the room.
McNeill will have three years of eligibility remaining at whichever school he choses in the transfer.
Understanding the portal
The spring portal window runs from April 15-April 30th.
Players don’t have to pick a school they are going to during those specific dates but those are the span of dates on when a player can enter the portal.
Those dates don’t apply to graduate transfers who can enter the portal whenever they wish. Also, if there’s a head coaching change, players can enter the portal outside of those dates.
A year ago according to the NCAA 950 football players went into the portal. In 2020, there were less than 600 players who transferred. Coaches and media around the country feel like this year there will be a record number of players who go into the portal as one time transfers.
Vols have benefitted from the portal
The transfer portal can giveth and it can taketh away. For Josh Heupel and Tennessee it’s been much more of a positive than a negative for the Vols.
Since the end of the 2023 season, Tennessee had found more portal help with the arrival of BYU’s transfers Keenan Pili (linebacker), and Gabe Jeudy-Lolly (cornerback). Omarr Norman-Lott transferred in on the defensive line from Arizona State. Offensively, Tennessee landed left tackle John Campbell from Miami, Texas offensive lineman Andrej Karic, receiver Dont’e Thornton from Oregon and UC-Davis tight end McCallan Castles. The Vols also have found placekicker help in Indiana transfer Charles Campbell.
The reality is that the portal has accelerated the rebuild of the program the last two years. Every knows the impact of Hendon Hooker or the last two season’s via the portal. Quarterback transfer Joe Milton will be making his fourth career start in the bowl game.
Tennessee found left tackle help this past off-season in Gerald Mincey. Bru McCoy as a transfer has had a big impact. McCoy is the team’s second leading receiver with 619 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Defensively, transfers Kamal Hadden, Brandon Turnage, Wesley Walker, Juwan Mitchell, and DaJon Terry have all started games last fall helping Tennessee go 10-2. Their first 10 win regular season since 2003.
