NCAA Transfer Portal: Tracking Tennessee's targets, commitments and departures

Tracking Tennessee football’s targets, commitments and departures in the NCAA Transfer Portal , as well as seniors that have opted to return to the Vols since the end of the 2023 season:

Tennessee NCAA Transfer Portal Targets

Zalance Heard (LSU)

Zalance Heard, the 6-foot-6, 340-pound offensive lineman from Monroe, La., was a five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. In the On3 ratings he was ranked No. 11 overall nationally as well as No. 2 among offensive tackle prospects and No. 2 overall in the state of Louisiana. He entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on January 2 and took an official visit to Tennessee just days later. It’s been a waiting game since then.

Jaxson Moi (Stanford)

Jaxson Moi, the 6-foot-2, 303-pound defensive lineman from Oceanside, Calif., played 24 games the last two seasons at Stanford. He recorded 37 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks, with three passes defended. Moi was a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, ranked by On3 as the No. 44 among defensive linemen and No. 28 overall in the state of California.

Tennessee’s Portal Commitments

Holden Staes (Notre Dame)

Holden Staes became Tennessee’s first commitment out of the NCAA Transfer Portal in this cycle on December 15. The 6-foot-4, 242-pound Staes spent the last two seasons with the Fighting Irish. He caught 15 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games this season, after catching one pass for 11 yards as a freshman in 2022. He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class out of Westminster School in Atlanta, Ga. He was ranked as the No. 9 tight end his class and was the No. 23 overall player in the state of Georgia. He was ranked No. 201 overall in the On3 ratings.

Jakobe Thomas (MTSU)

Middle Tennessee State defensive back Jakobe Thomas, who initially committed to Oregon State after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, flipped to Tennessee on December 16, giving the Vols .The 6-foot-2, 190-pound safety over the last two seasons had 108 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, to go with eight passes defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He had 37 tackles in 12 games in 2022, with 1.0 tackles for loss and all four interceptions, in 2022. He had 71 tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss, in 11 games this season. Thomas attended Tullahoma High School in Tullahoma, Tenn.

Jermod McCoy (Oregon State)

Freshman Oregon State defensive back Jermod McCoy had 31 tackles with two interceptions, a fumble recovery and seven passes defended this season. The 6-foot, 180-pound McCoy, out of Whitehouse, Texas, was a three-star wide receiver prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. 

Chris Brazzell II (Tulane)

Tulane sophomore receiver Chris Brazzell II caught 44 passes for 711 yards and five touchdowns with the Green Wave this season, appearing in 13 games. He caught one pass for 11 yards in two games as a freshman in 2022. His father, Chris Brazzell palled 14 games for the Dallas Cowboys over the 1999 and 2000 seasons, catching seven passes for 126 yards. He was sixth-round draft pick in 1998. Chris Brazzell II was a three-star prospect in the 2022 class out of Midland Legacy High School in Midland, Texas.

Miles Kitselman (Alabama)

Alabama tight end Miles Kitselman committed to Tennessee during his visit to Knoxville on January 12. He appeared in 13 games last season for the Crimson Tide, but played only 23 offensive snaps while contributing mainly on special teams. He played 33 offensive snaps and had two catches for 16 yards at Alabama during the 2022 season, after transferring from Hutchinson Community College.

Tennessee Players Returning

John Campbell

Tennessee offensive tackle John Campbell announced on social media on December 4 that he would be returning to the Vols in 2024 for his seventh year of college football. Campbell spent five years at Miami before transferring to Tennessee. He started the first 10 games of the season for the Vols at left tackle before dealing with an injury over the final three weeks of the regular season. He has started 27 times in 43 career games, including 18 starts in 34 games at Miami.

Keenan Pili

Tennessee fifth-year senior linebacker Keenan Pili announced his return to the Vols for the 2024 season on social media on December 8. The BYU transfer was lost to what proved to be a season-ending injury in the season-opening win over Virginia on September 2. He finished the Virginia game with four tackles, including two solo tackles. He earned a game ball after the win, after playing 30 snaps. Pili spent the last four years at BYU. He had 191 tackles in 34 career games at BYU, including 62 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks in 12 games last season. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during his time with the Cougars. 

Omari Thomas 

Tennessee senior defensive lineman Omari Thomas announced on December 14 that he would be returning to the Vols for a fifth season in 2024. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Thomas, a Memphis native and product of Briarcrest Christian High School, is coming off a career-high 31 tackles in 11 games this season. He had 1.0 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss, his highest TFL total since he had 5.0 in 12 games in 2021. Thomas for his career has 86 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, eight passes defended, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Thomas was a four-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class.

Cooper Mays

Tennessee senior offensive lineman Cooper Mays announced on December 15 that he would be returning to the Vols for the 2024 season. The start of the 2023 season was hindered for Mays, as he dealt with an abdominal injury that left him sidelined for the first four games of the season. Mays returned against Texas A&M, and he has not left the starting rotation at center since. He notched his 30th career start against Georgia in November.

Tennessee Portal Departures

Warren Burrell (Committed to Georgia Tech)

Redshirt senior defensive back Warren Burrell announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal as a graduate-transfer on November 30. Over five seasons at Tennessee, he had 91 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, one interception, seven passes defended and a fumble recovery while appearing in 37 games with the Vols. He was a three-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting cycle out of North Gwinnett High School in Georgia.

Mo Clipper Jr. (Committed to Charlotte)

Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Mo Clipper Jr. announced his decision to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal on December 1, making it two Vols in two days who had announced their intentions to transfer. The 6-foot-5, 308-pound Clipper was a reserve offensive lineman for the Vols. He signed with Tennessee as a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle out of Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga.

Doneiko Slaughter (Committed to Arkansas)

It was reported on December 8 that Tennessee senior defensive back Doneiko Slaughter intends to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. The 6-foot, 190-pounder had 32 tackles and one sack in 10 games this season. Over the last four seasons, Slaughter appeared in 43 games, accounting for 87 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He had one interception, seven passes defended and one fumble recovery.

Tamarion McDonald (Committed to Ole Miss)

Tennessee senior nickel Tamarion McDonald submitted paperwork to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal on December 11. In four seasons with the Vols, he had 115 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, one sack and four interceptions. He had a career-high 55 tackles, 4.0 tackles and two interceptions in 13 games in 2022. He had 40 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss this season. 

Tyler Baron (Committed to Ole Miss)

Tennessee senior defensive end Tyler Baron plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, it was reported on December 8. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Baron, a Knoxville native, is coming off his best season with the Vols, posting a career-high 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. He had 28 tackles — 16 solo and 12 assisted — over 12 games. In 46 games at Tennessee, Baron has 101 tackles, 27.0 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks, along with three passes defended and one fumble recovery, which he returned 24 yards for a touchdown in the 59-3 win over UConn in November. Baron had 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks as a junior in 2022 and 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks in 2021.

Jack Luttrell (Committed to Arizona)

Freshman defensive back Jack Luttrell entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on December 4, less than a year after arriving at Tennessee. He signed with the Vols as a three-star safety prospect out of Colquitt Country in Moultrie, Ga. He was ranked No. 848 overall in the 2023 recruiting class. He was the No. 81 safety prospect in the country and the No. 82 overall prospect in the state of Georgia.

Addison Nichols (Committed to Arkansas)

Tennessee redshirt freshman Addison Nichols entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on December 4. He played just 49 snaps in the first 11 games this season and had already decided to enter the portal, sources told Volquest, before getting his most extensive playing time in the regular-season finale against Vanderbilt. Nichols was ranked No. 166 overall in the 2022 recruiting class. He was the No. 11 interior offensive lineman in the cycle and ranked No. 18 overall in the state of Georgia, out of Greater Atlanta Christian School.

De’Shawn Rucker (Committed to South Florida)

Tennessee junior defensive back De’Shawn Rucker entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on December 11. He appeared in 24 games with the Vols over the last three seasons, accounting for 14 tackles and one pass defended. He played in 12 games as a freshman in 2021, with five tackles, and had eight stops in eight games in 2022. He played in four games for the Vols this season, making one tackle. Rucker was a three-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle out of Amos P. Godby High School in Tallahassee, Fla.

Wesley Walker (Committed to Louisville)

Redshirt senior defensive back Wesley Walker entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on December 22. Walker, who transferred from Georgia Tech to Tennessee after the 2021 season, had 89 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions in 23 games with the Vols. This season he finished fourth on the team with 53 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He became the seventh Tennessee defensive back to enter the portal since the ned of the season. 

Gerald Mincey (Committed to Kentucky)

Gerald Mincey initially announced his return for his redshirt senior season with the Vols in 2024, but ultimately entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on January 4. He played in all 12 games this season, making six starts at right tackle. He also played left tackle while giving up just two sacks while playing 510 snaps. He started seven times in nine games at left tackle in 2022. Mincey started his college football career at Florida, spending the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Gators before transferring to Tennessee. Mincey was a three-star prospect in the 2020 class out of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Brandon Turnage

Redshirt senior defensive back Brandon Turnage entered the NCAA Transfer Portal when it opened on December 4. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound Turnage started his collegiate career at Alabama in 2020 before transferring to Tennessee. In three season with the Vols, he appeared in 31 games, recording 48 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, an interception and five passes defended.