Tennessee is no longer a part of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl or National Signing Day, but they are still in roster-management mode as they try to finish building their squad for the 2024 campaign. In December, the program signed four players through the NCAA transfer site; nevertheless, during the last few days of the open window in January, fresh targets emerged in the portal, indicating that more aid is still needed. Since much portal recruitment happens quickly, it might be challenging to keep track of everyone Tennessee might be interested in.
For Tennessee and the majority of clubs, the busiest period for portal recruitment was December. The Vols threw a wide net of interest and offers, and four intriguing acquisitions emerged. Three four-star transfers—Oregon State cornerback Jermod McCoy, Tulane wide receiver Chris Brazzell, Notre Dame tight end Holden Staes, and Middle Tennessee State safety Jakobe Thomas—will bolster the secondary with experience. According to the most recent information, the Vols are in need of additional defensive line support as well as offensive line support.
This is a live tracker of Tennessee’s portal initiatives.
OL Ar’maj The Reed-Adams in Kansas All in favor of Texas A&M
Reed-Adams, who started 12 games for the Jayhawks this season at left guard and right tackle before entering the portal on December 31, is a potential addition to Tennessee’s roster. The Jayhawks selected Reed-Adams as a transfer from Kansas a few years ago. After starting three games as a rookie at right guard in 2020 and playing in only three games in 2021 and 2022, he may still have two seasons of eligibility left. With his starting experience and flexibility, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound player from DeSoto, Texas, who was a three-star prospect out of high school, will be highly sought-after as a transfer. Throughout his career, Reed-Adams has played both guard and right tackle positions. This season, he started nine games at left guard and the final three at right tackle. After his formal visit to Tennessee, Reed-Adams gave the Vols good marks, but the day after leaving Knoxville, he committed to Texas A&M after visiting the Aggies.
There will be fierce competition in this portal war, and Tennessee is probably not the only team trying to add Heard. This season, he played 195 snaps at right tackle for the Tigers, including starting against Army and spending the most of the game against Auburn. A former five-star prospect, he has three years remaining on his eligibility because he was a freshman in 2023. In the 2023 recruiting class, the 6-foot-6, 340-pound player from Monroe, Louisiana, was rated as a five-star prospect by 247Sports, who also had him listed as the No. 16 overall player and the cycle’s top offensive tackle. After entering the database on January 2, Heard is now ranked by 247Sports as the No. 2 offensive lineman transfer and the No. 12 overall transfer in the portal. Heard arrived in Oklahoma the day after his one-day official visit to Tennessee on January 6.