Colorado safety transfer Tawfiq Byard originally planned on visiting Tennessee football when he officially entered the transfer portal on Friday. But Byard committed to Texas A&M football Sunday afternoon while on his official visit in College Station.
BREAKING: Colorado transfer Safety Tawfiq Byard has Committed to Texas A&M, he tells @On3Sports
The past 2 seasons he’s totaled 140 Tackles, 16.5 TFL, 2.5 Sacks, 2 FF, & 2 INT
He’ll have 2 years of eligibility left https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/BCXFsODeE1
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 4, 2026
Byard spent his redshirt sophomore season at Colorado where he totaled 79 tackles, four pass deflections, two forced fumbles and one interception. The younger brother of NFL safety Kevin Byard spent the first two years of his college career at South Florida under former Tennessee offensive coordinator and current Auburn head coach Alex Golesh.
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Safety play is one of the biggest position of need for Tennessee football in the transfer portal this summer. The Vols were terrible at safety a season ago. Tennessee loses starter Andre Turrentine to graduation while starter Edrees Farooq and backup Kaleb Beasley are both currently set to return.
Tennessee landed its first commitment in the transfer portal earlier on Sunday and it came from a defensive back. Kansas State’s Qua Moss is a safety who played nickel for the Wildcats last season. The Vols are in need for a starting nickel as well as a safety.
Tennessee is a top contender to land Penn State starter King Mack— one of the top safeties in the transfer portal currently. Landing Mack would lessen the blow of missing out on Byard but the Vols will still need to add more bodies in addition to Mack and Moss in the secondary.
The Vols will also face off against Byard next season when they travel to College Station to face the Aggies on Nov. 14.
