While college football trends more and more toward the NFL, there is one stark difference.
There are no trades. Players have the final say on where they’ll play, particularly now in the transfer portal era.
However, in a purely hypothetical scenario, SEC Mike of That SEC Podcast proposed some trades he thinks could be beneficial to both teams for this upcoming season. This included Tennessee football moving its top projected player.
The Vols would send cornerback and projected first-round pick Jermod McCoy to LSU and get back quarterback Michael Van Buren, receiver Nic Anderson and defensive back PJ Woodland.
We proposed some SEC Trades we think make sense for both teams in 2025
Would you accept or veto this trade between LSU & Tennessee? https://t.co/qkUbNyQhPL pic.twitter.com/Ux369mK2ap
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) July 8, 2025
More From RTI: How Tennessee Football Linebacker Coach William Inge is Dominating the Recruiting Trail
In this fantasy scenario, Tennessee would be without McCoy, a preseason All-American. He enters his junior season coming off an ACL injury, but is expected to be ready to go by the start of the year. In his first season with the Vols in 2024, he played in all 13 games while recording 44 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions.
Other cornerbacks on the roster include Rickey Gibson III, Jalen McMurray and Colorado transfer Colton Hood.
In the hypothetical, the Vols would bring in a potential starting quarterback. Michael Van Buren, a transfer from Mississippi State, is projected to be the backup for the Tigers, but has starting experience in the SEC with the Bulldogs. Last year, as a freshman, he threw for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Tennessee would also bring in a proven receiver. Nic Anderson, an Oklahoma transfer, enters his redshirt-junior year after playing in just the game against the Vols for the Sooners last year due to injury. He did not record any stats in that game. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, he put up 798 receiving yards and caught 10 touchdowns.
The final piece that’d be routed to Knoxville is defensive back PJ Woodard. He enters his sophomore season after contributing for LSU as a freshman. In 13 games and two starts, he managed 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced and recovered fumble.
So, this trade isn’t real, but if it were, would you accept?
