Four Outgoing Tennessee Football Transfers Considered Top-100 Players in the Portal this Year

Tennessee football had a largely successful time in the transfer portal this year. The Vols bring in 21 new pieces, including a pair ranked inside the top-50 rankings, edge rusher Chaz Coleman and defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam from Penn State.

However, Tennessee also lost 28 players itself to the transfer portal. While the majority were reserves and weren’t projected to make a big impact next season, some were significant names.

According to CBS’s Cooper Petagna’s top-100 transfer portal player rankings, four departures were listed. This included offensive tackle Lance Heard, cornerback Rickey Gibson III, edge rusher Jordan Ross and defensive back Boo Carter.

More From RTI: Pair of Incoming Tennessee Football Signees Rank as Top-50 Transfer Portal Additions This Cycle

Here’s the info on each.

OL – Lance Heard

• CBS Ranking: No. 27
• Position: LT
• New School: Kentucky
• Career Timeline:
  • 2023: LSU
  • 2024-25: Tennessee
  • 2026: Kentucky
• What Petagna Wrote:
  • “A former five-star with previous stops at LSU and Tennessee, Heard arrives in Lexington with extensive SEC starting experience to protect Kenny Minchey’s blindside. A plug-and-play left tackle, the Louisiana native can overwhelm defenders with his play strength and power once attached but must continue to refine his pass protection to reach his ceiling.”

DB – Rickey Gibson III

• CBS Ranking: No. 47
• Position: CB
• New School: Texas A&M
• Career Timeline:
  • 2023-25: Tennessee
  • 2026: Texas A&M
• What Petagna Wrote:
  • “Gibson missed most of last season after suffering an upper-body injury in the season opener against Syracuse, but despite the limited availability, the Alabama native still offers the length, athleticism and coverage traits that are scarce in the portal. A toolsy corner with SEC starting experience, Gibson has the upside to develop into one of the better defensive backs in the conference.”

DL – Jordan Ross

• CBS Ranking: 59
• Position: EDGE
• New School: LSU
• Career Timeline:
  • 2024-25: Tennessee
  • 2026: LSU
• What Petagna Wrote:
  • “The former five-star heads to Baton Rouge after two seasons in Knoxville, where he flashed high-level ability off the edge as Lane Kiffin and the Tigers hope a fresh start under Blake Baker helps him capture his Top-32 potential.”

DB – Boo Carter

• CBS Ranking: 73
• Position: Safety/Nickelback
• New School: Colorado
• Career Timeline:
  • 2024-25: Tennessee
  • 2026: Colorado
• What Petagna Wrote:
  • “Following a promising true freshman season, Carter struggled to make the same on-field impact in Knoxville this past year, and fell into Josh Heupel’s doghouse over the offseason. A talented nickel defender who adds playmaking in both the secondary and as a returner, the Buffaloes are banking on a fresh start to help rediscover his early-career success.”