Tennessee football has its 2026 schedule confirmed and is just waiting for kickoff times and TV designations. Until then, the Vols can look ahead at their opponents and figure out what things will look like in the new nine-game SEC format.
However, rosters may look a good bit different when Tennessee gets to playing the games compared to now. Players are flooding to the transfer portal before it officially opens on Jan. 2 and the recruiting battles fully get underway.
For UT, it has lost eight players to the portal to this point. This includes running back Peyton Lewis, quarterback Jake Merklinger, defensive back Marcus Goree Jr., linebacker Brenden Anes, edge rusher Kellen Lindstrom and defensive tackle Jamal Wallace. The other two are defensive back Boo Carter and lineman Trevor Duncan, but Carter left midway through the season and Duncan was not with the team this year.
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With that in mind, let’s take a look at each of the 11 FBS teams on the Vols’ schedule and what they have lost and gained through the portal so far. Players are listed from first to announce they will transfer to most recent.
As of noon ET, Dec. 26, 2025
Sept. 12 – at Georgia Tech (1 transfer)
- QB – Aaron Philo
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
Sept. 19 – vs. Kennesaw State (8 transfers)
- CB – JeRico Washington
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- QB – Dexter Williams II
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- LB – Donelius Johnson
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
- IOL – Brandon Best
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- IOL – Josiah Chenault
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
- CB – Five Hamilton
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
- QB – Amari Odom
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- DB Ike Paul
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
Sept. 26 – vs. Texas (14 transfers)
- RB – Jerrick Gibson
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- K – Will Stone
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
- QB – Trey Owens
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- RB – CJ Baxter
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- DL – Melvin Hills III
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Aaron Butler
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- CB – Santana Wilson
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- IOL – Connor Stroh
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- S – Derek Williams Jr.
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- CB – Wardell Mack
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- LB – Liona Lefau
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 3-star
- RB – Rickey Stewart Jr.
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – DeAndre Moore Jr.
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 4-star
- RB – Quintrevion Wisner
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
Oct. 3 – vs. Auburn (22 transfers)
- RB – Damari Alston
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- EDGE – Antonio Coleman
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- LB – Caleb Wheatland
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- CB – Raion Strader
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
- WR – Perry Thomas
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 4-star
- WR – Horatio Fields
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 3-star
- CB – A’mon Lane-Ganus
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- TE – Hollis Davidson III
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Malcolm Simmons
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 4-star
- IOL – DeAndre Carter
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- OT – Favour Ebuka Edwin
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Cam’Ron King
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- IOL – Seth Wilfred
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- CB – Jay Crawford
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 4-star
- K – Towns McGough
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
- DL – Malik Blocton
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- EDGE – Jamonta Waller
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- EDGE – Amaris Williams
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 3-star
- QB – Ashton Daniels
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- CB – Kayin Lee
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- LB – Robert Woodyard Jr.
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 4-star
- CB – Donovan Starr
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
Oct. 10 – at Arkansas (4 transfers)
- CB – Keshawn Davila
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- OT – Shaq McRoy
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- LB – Tavion Wallace
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- DL – Ian Geffrard
- 247: 4-star
- 4-star
Oct. 17 – vs. Alabama (1 transfer, 1 commit)
- WR – Aeryn Hampton
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
COMMITS
- TE – Josh Ford (Oklahoma State)
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
Oct. 24 – at South Carolina (14 transfers)
- TE – Michael Smith
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- IOL – Nick Sharpe
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- DL – Zavion Hardy
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Emazon Littlejohn
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
- LB – Jaron Willis
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- K – Peyton Argent
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
- OT – Mac Walters
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- IOL – Trovon Baugh
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Brian Rowe Jr.
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- OT – Cason Henry
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- QB – Air Noland
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- OT – Tree Babalade
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- EDGE – Taeshawn Alston
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
- DL Chase Kibble
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
Nov. 7 – vs. Kentucky (5 transfers)
- LB – Steven Soles Jr.
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- EDGE – Landyn Watson
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- QB – Stone Saunders
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Preston Bowman
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – David Washington Jr.
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
Nov. 14 – at Texas A&M (5 transfers, 1 commit)
- LB – Tristan Jernigan
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- S – Jordan Pride
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- CB – Jayvon Thomas
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- EDGE – Solomon Williams
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
- EDGE – Rylan Kennedy
- 247: N/a
- On3: N/a
COMMITS
- LS – Shea Freibaum (Oklahoma State)
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
Nov. 21 – vs. LSU (10 transfers)
- WR – Kylan Billiot
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Jelani Watkins
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
- CB – Ashton Stamps
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- DL – Ahmad Breaux
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- DL – Sydir Mitchell
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- RB – Ju’Juan Johnson
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- RB – Kaleb Jackson
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- QB – Colin Hurley
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- OT – Carius Curne
- 247: 4-star
- On3: 4-star
- IOL – Coen Echols
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
Nov. 28 – at Vanderbilt (7 transfers, 1 commit)
- QB – Drew Dickey
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- QB – Jeremy St-Hilaire
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- OT – Misael Sandoval
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
- IOL – Cooper Starks
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
- TE – Witt Edwards
- 247: 3-star
- On3: N/a
- LB – Jailen Ruth
- 247: N/a
- On3: 3-star
- WR – Boski Barrett
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
COMMITS
- TE – Maurice Veney (Morhouse College)
- 247: 3-star
- On3: 3-star
