Tennessee’s transfer exodus has produced a mixed bag so far, with some former Volunteers flashing immediately and others still searching for traction at their new stops.
Boo Carter stands out as one of the most productive names on the list. He has posted 32 tackles, six pass deflections and one fumble recovery, and while he still has no interceptions, his overall output has made him one of the more successful departures from the Tennessee program.
Kaleb Beasley has also made a strong early impression. He has piled up 49 tackles, five interceptions and three pass deflections, and those five picks are a team high for the Kentucky-based program. That kind of production makes him one of the tougher exits for Tennessee to look back on.
Jordan Ross has taken off for LSU. He has 23 tackles, five sacks and one forced fumble, and his play has started to push his NFL Draft stock upward, with early second-round buzz for the 2027 NFL Draft beginning to form.
Max Gilbert has delivered one of the more eye-catching special teams moments in the group. He is 69.2% on field goals and 100% on PATs, with a long of 55. That 55-yard kick has been one of the biggest highlights of his season with Arkansas, even if the consistency has not always been there.
Caleb Herring has also settled in well at South Carolina. He has been solid in 2026 and is one of the better EDGEs on that roster.
Not every former Vol has hit the ground running, though. Jack Van Dorselaer was expected to be one of Tennessee’s top three tight ends before leaving, but he has not produced the kind of numbers Sooners fans were hoping for just yet. Trey Weary has not broken through at East Tennessee State, even though this has still been the most productive season of his college career, and he has a chance to grow into a bigger role with more reps.
Peyton Lewis has not matched the expectations that followed him out the door, either. He has 10 carries for 17 rushing yards and one touchdown, and in limited work he is averaging less than two yards per carry.
Josh Schell has not been piling up tackles or sacks, but he has still given UCF a dependable piece. Emmanuel Okoye has only one sack so far, which suggests he is still in the growing phase as a prospect.
Rickey Gibson has been one of the better defenders on Texas A&M’s roster, though there is still room for more. He has yet to intercept a pass, which stands out. Kellen Lindstrom has been solid off the edge at Missouri State with nine tackles, but he has not recorded a sack yet.
A few others have shown flashes without putting together big numbers. Herb Gray has half a sack since moving to Vegas.
Trevor Duncan has five tackles with his new program. Tommy Winton III has less than 30 receiving yards at ETSU, trailing Weary in production.
There are also several former Volunteers for whom no statistical information was available because of injuries, position, or production as a whole: Brian Grant (Memphis), William Satterwhite (LSU), Jayden Loftin (Wisconsin), Amari Jefferson (Shelton State Community College), Braylon Harmon (Austin Peay), Lance Heard (Kentucky), Bennett Warren (Minnesota), Colin Brazzell (Abilene), Max Anderson (Kentucky), Jake Merklinger (UConn) and Jamal Wallace (Utah).
In Other News...
Josh Heupel's Knoxville Visit Put Tennessee Fans On Manning Watch
Josh Heupels stop at Baylor School on Friday night had the kind of built-in intrigue Tennessee fans notice right away. The Vols coach was there for the game against Knox Catholic, where Baylor came away with a 21-7 win, and he took time to meet with freshman quarterback Marshall Manning, the son of Peyton Manning. Marshall is still early in his high school career, has only recently made his debut, and has seen limited action so far, but any appearance involving the Manning name tends to draw attention in Knoxville.
Heupel was not the only Tennessee staffer on hand, either. Running backs coach DeRail Sims was also in attendance to watch five-star commit David Gabriel Georges, who turned in a strong showing in the game. For Tennessee, it was a reminder that the recruiting trail and the Manning family continue to intersect in ways that keep Vols fans watching every sideline sighting a little more closely. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Next Depth Chart Already Comes With One Huge Uncertainty
Even before the transfer portal has had its say, Tennessees early roster projection already has one spot that feels far less settled than the rest. The exercise is meant to be a preliminary look at what the Volunteers could line up with next season after likely NFL draft departures, and it offers a useful snapshot of where the depth chart appears sturdy and where the questions still hang over the program.
The broad outline is there on both sides of the ball, but the quarterback picture remains the biggest variable in an otherwise orderly projection. Because the portal has not been factored in, the list is inherently fluid, and that makes the early read more of a starting point than a forecast. For Tennessee, the next few weeks could do a lot to turn speculation into something closer to a real depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Rick Barnes Sent Tennessee A Message They Couldn't Ignore
After preseason losses, Rick Barnes spent a long stretch with Tennessees basketball team in film, breaking down what winning basketball actually looks like and what the Volunteers were missing. The session lasted three and a half hours, and it was part teaching moment, part reset button for a group still trying to turn early lessons into habits before the games start to count.
Barnes said the response has shown up in practice and in a closed scrimmage against Davidson, where Tennessee looked more connected and more aware of what was happening around them on the floor. He has also made clear that the standard inside the program matters more than any outside ranking, which is the kind of message that tends to land when a coach believes his team is close to understanding what he wants. [Read more 🡒]