Tennessee offensive tackle Bennett Warren plans on entering the transfer portal when it opens Friday, 247sports’ Chris Hummer first reported Thursday. Warren is leaving the Tennessee program after spending two years as a backup offensive lineman.
Warren was a backup offensive tackle for Tennessee last season. He played 76 total offensive snaps in five games where he earned a 52.8 PFF grade. He played a season-high 41 snaps against ETSU while his only SEC action came in six snaps against Alabama and one snap against Florida.
The 6-foot-7, 325-pound offensive tackle was technically Tennessee’s third offensive tackle in 2025 but that didn’t prove overly accurate. When starting right tackle David Sanders Jr. suffered an injury in preseason practice, Tennessee slid right guard Jesse Perry out to right tackle to replace him. Left guard Wendell Moe Jr. moved to right guard while Sham Umarov came off the bench to play left guard.
Warren was a major win for Tennessee on the recruiting trail in the 2024 recruiting cycle, committing to the Vols over Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. The Sugar Land, Texas native ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 140 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings.
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Tennessee’s offensive tackle room is not entirely clear entering the 2026 season. Starters Lance Heard and David Sanders Jr. each have more eligibility remaining but Heard could declare for the NFL Draft or potentially enter the transfer portal ahead of his senior season.
Perry proved he was more than capable at offensive tackle when thrust into the role early in the 2025 season. The rising redshirt sophomore could slide into a starting offensive tackle spot opposite of Sanders if Heard moves on to a different stop.
Warren becomes the 13th Tennessee player to announce plans to enter the transfer portal, joining Boo Carter, Jamal Wallace, Kellen Lindstrom, Brenden Anes, Marcus Goree Jr, Jake Merklinger, Peyton Lewis, Trevor Duncan, Herb Gray, Max Anderson, Tommy Winton III and Colin Brazzell.
None of the 13 players started for Tennessee last season while Carter, Wallace and Lewis are the only ones who played meaningful snaps. We’ll see if anyone else jumps in the portal after it officially opens, but Tennessee has so far done a good job retaining its best players.
