Tennessee’s roster overhaul through the transfer portal has been nothing short of aggressive - and it’s not done yet. With 18 new players already on board, including South Alabama tight end Trent Thomas, the Vols are still looking to bulk up the tight end room.
The latest name on their radar? UT Martin transfer Drake Martinez, who’s scheduled to visit Knoxville from Wednesday through Thursday.
Martinez is a well-traveled tight end with a unique journey through college football. He’s coming off a 2025 campaign at UT Martin where he caught 18 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. His PFF grade for the season came in at 53.6 - not eye-popping, but numbers rarely tell the whole story, especially for a tight end who’s often asked to do the dirty work in the trenches.
Before landing at UT Martin, Martinez spent the 2024 season at Houston Christian, where he put up 16 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns. That followed a brief stint at McNeese State in 2023, where he saw the field only on special teams in the season opener. His college career began at Colorado State, but he didn’t see game action during his two years there from 2021 to 2022.
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 240 pounds, Martinez brings the kind of frame that can be molded into a versatile piece - whether that’s as a blocker, a red zone target, or a hybrid H-back. He hails from Houston, Texas, where he was a three-star recruit coming out of St.
Thomas High School. Football runs in the family, too - his father, Mark Martinez, played both football and baseball at Tulane.
The Vols’ tight end depth took a hit when freshman Jack Van Dorselaer entered the portal - a loss that stings given his potential to contribute next season. That makes the pursuit of players like Martinez even more important. While Trent Thomas brings size and blocking ability from South Alabama, Tennessee clearly isn’t content with just one addition at the position.
Overall, Tennessee has seen significant movement through the portal this offseason. They’ve brought in 18 new faces but lost 28 players to transfers, including a few key contributors.
Most of the additions have come on defense, which makes sense as new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles looks to put his stamp on that side of the ball. But the offense hasn’t been ignored either, and the tight end position is clearly part of the plan.
If Martinez impresses during his visit, he could be the next piece added to a puzzle that’s still very much in progress. Tennessee is building a roster with both immediate impact and long-term potential in mind - and the tight end room is shaping up to be one of the more interesting position battles to watch heading into spring.