Portal Tracker: Where Tennessee's roster stands as NCAA Transfer Portal closes

The winter window for the NCAA football transfer portal officially closed on Sunday. At the time of closing, Tennessee had lost a total of 13 scholarship players and has gained the commitment of one player out of the transfer portal.

A reminder, players do not have to pick thier new programs by the cutoff date. Instead, players wishing to enter the transfer portal only have to submit names by the end of December 28.

Right before the cutoff date, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews has plans to enter the portal. At this time, Matthews is not officially in the portal and won’t be until at least Monday morning, unless he decides to withdraw his name. Additionally, backup quarterback (walk-on) Gaston Moore entered the portal this past week but he is not reflected in the numbers.

An updated list of Tennessee Football players who are entering or have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, players the Vols have added out of the portal as well as the former Vols who have already committed to new schools:

Tennessee players in the NCAA Transfer Portal

Mike Matthews | Freshman | Wide Receiver | 6-1, 197

Matthews spent one season on Rocky Top where he caught seven passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the year strong with 36, 42 and 28 offensive snaps against UTEP, Vanderbilt and Ohio State. The freshman’s touchdowns came against Kent State and Vanderbilt, while he totaled a season-high three receptions against Vanderbilt to conclude the regular season.

Matthews was a five-star recruit, per the On3 Industry Rankings, in the Class of 2024. He was considered the No. 26 overall prospect in the cycle, No. 6 wide receiver ad No. 4 player out of Georgia where he attended Parkview High School in Lilburn, Ga.  

Squirrel White | Junior | Wide Receiver | 5-10, 167

White over the last three seasons caught 131 passes for 1,665 yards and six touchdowns. In 13 games this season he caught 34 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns, down from 67 catches for 803 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023. He caught 30 passes for 481 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2022. 

White was a four-star recruit in the 2022 class out of Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Ala. He was ranked No. 371 overall, was No. 63 among wide receivers and the No. 15 overall player in the state of Alabama. 

Holden Staes | Junior | Tight End | 6-4, 250

Staes joined the Vols last season as a transfer portal addition from Notre Dame. He played in all 13 games for Tennessee in 2024, finishing with 15 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown on 427 snaps. The junior tallied a season-high 30 yards against UTEP in November three catches against Kentucky. Staes racked up at least one reception in all but three games this season, including multiple receptions in five games.   

A part of the Class of 2022, Staes was a four-star rated tight end and considered the No. 201 player in the cycle, No. 9 player at his position and No. 23 player out of Georgia. Staes was a standout at Westminster School in Atlanta, Ga.

Jayson Jenkins  | Redshirt Sophomore | Defensive Lineman | 6-6, 281

Jenkins had nine tackles, including 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks, in 13 games this season. In three years at Tennessee he had 15 tackles, five tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks in 20 career games. 

Jenkins was a three-star prospect in the class of 2022 out of Notre Dame High School in Bordentown, New Jersey.

Christian Harrison | Redshirt Sophomore | Defensive Back | 6-1, 191

Harrison this season had 20 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. He had one pass broken up and two quarterback hits. He started the season as Tennessee’s No. 1 nickel back, but ended up splitting time at the position with Boo Carter. According to Pro Football Focus, Harrison played 295 snaps this season while Carter played 424.

Harrison had 11 total tackles in 13 games over the previous two seasons. He was a three-star prospect in the 2022 class, ranked No. 956 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the No. 42 athlete in the class and the No. 96 overall prospect in the state of Georgia, out of Woodward Academy.

Cam Seldon | Sophomore | Running Back | 6-2, 222

Seldon ran 23 times for 118 yards and a touchdown in six games this season. He carried 25 times for 106 yards while appearing in all 13 games as a freshman in 2023. Seldon this season carried nine times for 44 yards and a touchdown against UTEP, seven times for 47 yards against Chattanooga and six time for 26 yards against Mississippi State.

Seldon was a four-star running back prospect out of Heathsville, Va., in the 2023 recruiting class. He was ranked No. 181 overall in the On3 ratings. He was the No. 6 athlete in the class and the No. 6 overall player in the state of Virginia, out of Northumberland High School. He picked the Vols over Penn State, Maryland and Virginia, among others.

Nathan Leacock | Redshirt Freshman | Wide Receiver | 6-3, 217

Leacock caught one pass for 13 yards in the Tennessee win over Chattanooga on August 31 and it was his only catch of the season while appearing in five games. He appeared in just one game as a freshman in 2023.

Leacock was a four-star prospect in the class of 2023. He was ranked No. 75 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the No. 12 wide receiver in the country and the No. 3 player in the state of North Carolina, out of Millbrook High School in Raleigh. 

Chas Nimrod | Redshirt Sophomore | Wide Receiver | 6-3, 202

Nimrod caught 10 passes for 121 yards in 12 games this season, recording season highs with three catches for 45 yards in Tennessee’s win over Kentucky on November 2. He had two catches for 34 yards against Kent State and combined for three catches for 29 yards against Arkansas and Florida. He caught 19 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown in 13 games last season. 

Nimrod was a three-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking in 2022. He was the No. 415 overall player in the country, was ranked No. 69 at wide receiver and was No. 4 in the state of Arkansas, out of Bentonville High School. 

Vysen Lang | Freshman | Offensive Line | 6-4, 340

Lang was a reserve offensive lineman for Tennessee this season. He was a three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, ranked No. 715 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. He was ranked No. 67 among interior offensive linemen and No. 29 overall in the state of Alabama, out of Pike Road, Ala. He picked the Vols over offers from nine other SEC schools. 

Where former Tennessee players are headed 

Kaleb Webb (Maryland) | Redshirt Sophomore | Wide Receiver | 6-3, 204

Kaleb Webb announced his transfer commitment to Wake Forest two weeks ago, but switched to Maryland after Wake coach Dave Clawson announced his retirement. This season he caught six passes while appearing in seven games. He had 48 receiving yards, with a long of 13. Last season Webb caught 16 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown while appearing in 13 games. He played in three games as a true freshman in 2022. 

Webb was a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. He was ranked No. 217 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking, was the No. 38 wide receiver in the class and the No. 24 overall prospect in the state of Georgia, out of McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Ga.

Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt) | Redshirt Freshman | Defensive Back | 6-2, 182

Matthews committed to Vanderbilt last week. He appeared in 12 games this season as a reserve defensive back and special teams player, recording 3.0 tackles and breaking up two passes. He broke up both passes in the season-opening win over Chattanooga on August 31, recorded two tackles against Kent State on September 14 and had one tackle against the Mocs.

Matthews was a four-star prospect in the 2023 class. He was ranked No. 143 overall, No. 16 at corner and No. 7 in the state of Louisiana, out of Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge, La. He picked Tennessee over LSU, Texas and Michigan.

Jalen Smith (Mississippi State) | Redshirt Freshman | Linebacker | 6-2, 230

Smith committed to Mississippi State last week. He played in all 12 games during the regular season, finishing with 34.0 tackles, with 13 solo and 21 assists, and had 1.5 tackles for loss. He had a career-high nine tackles against Kentucky on November 2 and five tackles against UTEP, including 1.5 tackles for loss. He had four tackles against Chattanooga and Florida.

Smith was a three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. He was ranked No. 432 overall nationally, No. 42 at linebacker and No. 44 in the state of Georgia, out of Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga. He picked the Vols over Pitt, Georgia Tech and Duke, among others. 

Khalifa Keith (Appalachian State) | Sophomore | Running Back | 6-1, 239

Keith appeared in four games during the regular season, running 21 times for 100 yards and one touchdown. He had 10 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown against Chattanooga, three carries for five yards against NC State and four carries for 13 yards against Kent State. He rushed four times for 39 yards against UTEP.

Keith was a three-star prospect in the 2023 class, ranked No. 547 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the No. 38 running back in his class and the No. 25 overall prospect in the state of Alabama, out of Parker High School in Birmingham, Ala. 

Tennessee’s NCAA Transfer Portal additions 

Wendell Moe (Arizona) | Redshirt Sophomore | Offensvie Lineman | 6-3, 330

Moe appeared in all 13 games on Arizona’s offensive line during the 2023 season, part of an offense that finished 20th in total offense (448.0), eighth in passing offense (308.3) and 18th in scoring offense in the nation (34.6 ppg).