Looking back at Tennessee Football's additions, losses in the December portal window

Rickey Gibson on Tuesday became the first Tennessee Football player to make plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal during the spring window, which opens April 16 and remains opens for 10 days.

The 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back had a breakout sophomore season in 2024, with 32 total tackles, five passes defended and a fumble forced in 12 games alongside corner Jermod McCoy. 

Gibson, out of Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Ala., had nine tackles in 12 games as a freshman in 2023.

Here’s a look back at who Tennessee lost and who the Vols added during the NCAA Transfer Portal’s winter window:

Tennessee losses in the NCAA Transfer Portal 

Vysen Lang (Troy) | 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. 

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.

Chas Nimrod (South Florida) | 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. 

Nathan Leacock (Purdue) | 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.

Cam Seldon (Virginia Tech) | 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.

Christian Harrison (Cincinnati) | 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.

Jayson Jenkins (Florida State) | 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. 

Kalib Perry (Louisville) | Junior | Linebacker | 6-3, 230

Last season Perry had a career-high 26 tackles, with 11 solo and 15 assists, to go with three tackles for loss and a forced fumble, playing in 12 games. He had 21 tackles in 13 games as a sophomore in 2023 and 14 tackles in 12 games as a freshman in 2021. 

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

Smith 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.

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

Matthews 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.

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

Kaleb Webb initially announced a transfer commitment to Wake Forest, but switched to Maryland after Wake coach Dave Clawson announced his retirement. Last 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. 

Squirrel White (Florida State) | Junior | Wide Receiver | 5-10, 167

White last season was second on the team in receptions with 34 and was third on the team with 381 yards receiving, appearing in all 13 games. A three year contributor for Tennessee White got onto the field as a freshman in 2022 as part of the Vols’ 11-2 team. He had 30 receptions for 481 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman. In 2023 White was Tennessee’s leading receiver with 67 catches for 803 yards.

Holden Staes (Indiana) | 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.   

Tennessee additions from the NCAA Transfer Portal

Sam Pendleton (Notre Dame) | Redshirt Sophomore | Offensive Lineman | 6-4, 295

Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Sam Pendleton committed to Tennessee on January 24. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound redshirt sophomore played in 16 games for the Fighting Irish before entering the NCAA Transfer Portal. He’s a former three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. 

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). 

Star Thomas (Duke) | Senior | Running Back | 6-0, 210

Thomas ran for 871 yards and seven touchdowns on 213 carries at Duke last season. He had 653 yards and four touchdowns on 112 carries in 2023 in his second season at New Mexico State, after running for 525 yards and five touchdowns on 108 carries in 2022.

Amari Jefferson (Alabama) | Freshman | Wide Receiver | 6-0, 197 

The 6-foot-2, 197-pound Jefferson, out of Baylor High School in Chattanooga, was a four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. He was the No. 204 overall prospect in the country, the No. 34 wide receiver in the class and the No. 6 overall prospect in the state of Tennessee. He was heavily recruited by the Vols before being landed at Alabama a year ago.