Louisville’s pipeline from Knoxville is alive and well. Defensive back Kaleb Beasley is the latest Tennessee transfer to make the jump to the Cardinals, continuing a trend that’s become more than just a coincidence. Beasley committed to Louisville on Sunday, adding another SEC-to-ACC transfer to the growing list of Vols who’ve found a new football home in the Derby City.
Beasley, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound sophomore, was part of Tennessee’s safety rotation in 2025, logging 301 defensive snaps and finishing the season with 24 tackles and a pass breakup. He also made one of the more memorable plays of the year for the Vols’ defense, scooping up a fumble and taking it 23 yards to the house against UAB. That kind of heads-up playmaking is exactly what Louisville is hoping to tap into as they continue to reload for another ACC run.
This isn’t a one-off. Beasley joins a growing list of former Vols who’ve landed at Louisville via the transfer portal in recent years.
Linebacker Kalib Perry made the move last offseason. Before that, defensive backs Wesley Walker and Tamarion McDonald, along with defensive end Tyler Baron, all passed through Louisville-though Walker and Baron ultimately landed at Michigan and Miami, respectively.
Even further back, wide receiver Jimmy Calloway and running back Tiyon Evans made the same trip. It’s clear there’s a strong connection between these two programs when it comes to transfer talent.
This offseason, Tennessee finally got one back, landing kicker Cooper Ranvier from Louisville. But the flow of talent has mostly gone the other way.
Beasley’s journey started at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, where he was a two-time Tennessee Mr. Football Award finalist and a standout on a powerhouse high school team.
His high school résumé is loaded: two state titles, 24 interceptions, and nine picks in his junior year alone-six of which he took to the end zone. That kind of production made him one of the top defensive backs in the 2024 recruiting cycle, and he arrived in Knoxville as a Top247 prospect.
As a freshman, Beasley lined up at cornerback and contributed on special teams, tallying four tackles and a pass breakup. But it was his sophomore year where he started to carve out a more defined role.
After transitioning to safety and the Star position-a hybrid role in Tennessee’s defense-he became the primary backup to starters Andre Turrentine and Edrees Farooq. He made the most of his opportunities, especially in the second half of the season, highlighted by that scoop-and-score moment against UAB and a season-high four tackles in the same game.
Now, with two years of eligibility remaining, Beasley heads to a Louisville program that just wrapped up a 9-4 season in 2025. The Cardinals have been aggressive in the portal under their current staff, and Beasley fits the mold of the kind of player they’ve targeted-experienced, versatile, and still with room to grow.
For Louisville, it’s another savvy addition. For Beasley, it’s a fresh start in a system that could give him more snaps and a bigger stage.
And for Tennessee, it’s another name added to a growing list of talented players who’ve left for the Cardinals. The connection between these two programs isn’t just a trend anymore-it’s a full-on pipeline.