After firing defensive coordinator Tim Banks, Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel tabbed Jim Knowles as Banks’ replacement. With the transfer portal opening shortly after, Knowles used it to retool his roster ahead of his first season leading the defense.
This included bringing in a handful of players from his previous stop at Penn State. Linebacker Amare Campbell, edge rusher Chaz Coleman, defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam and safety Dejuan Lane all followed him to Knoxville.
Now, as spring ball is about to begin, Campbell has been named an ‘under-the-radar’ transfer in this cycle by 247. Chris Hummer surveyed front office members across the country and compiled a list of 100 players.
“Campbell isn’t a big linebacker at 6-foot, 230 pounds. But he’s been remarkably effective in stops at North Carolina and Penn State, posting 193 tackles, 22 TFLs and 9 1/2 sacks in his career,” Hummer wrote. “He’s not the most popular name among Tennessee’s offseason additions, but personnel staffers look at him as a potential All-SEC candidate.”
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Campbell is coming off his junior season and will have one year of eligibility remaining. He spent his first two seasons at North Carolina before entering the transfer portal to join Penn State this past season.
During the 2025 season, Campbell notched 103 tackles and three sacks. His tackles mark easily led the Nittany Lions.
He will now join a strong position group led by returning linebackers coach William Inge. Campbell projects to be a potential starter in a room that also features the return of senior Arion Carter and breakout redshirt-sophomore Edwin Spillman.
Jeremiah Telander, Jadon Perlotte, Jaedon Harmon and Jordan Burns also return. UT brings in highly-recruited four-star freshmen Brayden Rouse and TJ White, as well, to round out what may be the deepest position group on the team.
