The Tennessee Volunteers are reloading on defense, and their latest addition from the transfer portal could play a key role in shoring up the secondary. On Sunday, Miami cornerback Jadais Richard became the 20th portal commitment announced by Tennessee - a flurry of additions that’s reshaping the roster in a big way. Richard, a veteran defensive back with SEC roots, might just be the final piece in what’s been a full-scale overhaul of the Vols’ defensive backfield.
Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 195 pounds, Richard brings both size and experience to Knoxville. He’ll enter the 2026 season as a redshirt senior with one year of eligibility remaining, and his football journey has already taken him across multiple Power Five programs.
He started his college career at Vanderbilt in 2022 before transferring to Miami, where he made seven of his eight career starts. While his time with the Hurricanes was hampered by injury - including a season-ending knee issue in 2024 and limited action in 2025 - Richard has still logged 51 career tackles and shown flashes of high-level play when healthy.
His commitment marks the eighth defensive back Tennessee has brought in via the portal this offseason - nearly half of the Vols’ 20-man transfer class. That’s no coincidence.
Tennessee clearly made the secondary a top priority, and for good reason. The Vols are aiming to build a more physical, versatile unit on the back end, and Richard fits the mold.
He’s long, athletic, and has experience playing in multiple defensive schemes, which should help him adapt quickly to what Tennessee’s staff is building.
His visit to Knoxville came just days after Miami’s gut-wrenching loss in the College Football Playoff National Championship, and it didn’t take long for Richard to make his decision. By Sunday, he was in the fold - potentially capping off a secondary rebuild that’s been aggressive, targeted, and necessary.
As Tennessee continues to fine-tune its roster for 2026, Richard’s role will be one to watch. If he can stay healthy and recapture his pre-injury form, he could be a steadying presence in a room that’s been infused with new talent and competition.
The Vols needed experience and depth at cornerback. With Richard, they just might have found both.