It has been a tumultuous spring for Tennessee football. The Vols have lost a number of players to the transfer portal including starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Josh Heupel and his staff went out and landed quarterback Joey Aguilar in the portal by way of UCLA and Appalachian State. Aguilar will compete with Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Merklinger for the Vols’ starting quarterback job.
So how does Iamaleava’s departure affect the national outlook of the 2025 Tennessee football team? Not too much according to one national pundit.
On3’s Andy Staples released his post spring practice top 25 rankings ahead of next season on Monday. Staples tagged Tennessee as the No. 21 team in the country and the No. 9 team in the SEC. The Vols came in behind No. 1 Texas, No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Georgia, No. 10 Florida, No. 12 South Carolina, No. 13 Auburn, No. 15 LSU and No. 19 Ole Miss. Tennessee is the lowest ranked team in the top 25.
Quarterback is undoubtedly Tennessee’s biggest question mark entering next season but it certainly isn’t the only one. One major question is the Vols’ receivers. Tennessee lost two receivers to professional football and a multitude of others to the transfer portal.
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Despite a clear need to add receivers in the portal, Tennessee added just one transfer receiver in Amari Jefferson— who didn’t play in his freshman season at Alabama. Chris Brazzell, Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews project as Tennessee’s top receivers and Brazzell is the only upperclassmen.
Tennessee is facing fewer questions defensively but they aren’t without them. On the defensive line, the Vols need an edge rusher to emerge to replace James Pearce Jr’s production while they also have questions about the depth of the defensive line.
The secondary is a bit of a question mark for Tennessee, especially after three safeties entered the transfer portal following spring practice. Combine that with Jermod McCoy rehabbing a torn ACL and the Vols have some uncertainties in the defensive backfield.
The good news for Tennessee is that they play a weak schedule this season with very few certain losses. Tennessee only faces three team’s in Staples top 25 but all three are in the top 10 and two are road games.
