Former Tennessee football reserve wide receiver Tommy Winton III has found his new home, and it’s not too far away. Winton announced on his Instagram on Tuesday that he has committed to ETSU.
This is a return to the Buccaneers for Winton. He started his career there and was a contributor on offense. He recorded 23 receptions for 349 yards, while posting 10 rushes for 23 yards during his redshirt freshman campaign in 2023. He also returned four kickoffs for 99 return yards against Samford alone.
As a true freshman, Winton played in just four games, including in a matchup with Mississippi State. He is from Knoxville, where he played for Knoxville Catholic High School as both a wide receiver and defensive back.
Another former Knoxville Catholic standout who made his way to UT, Braylon Harmon, committed to Austin Peay earlier this week through the portal, as well.
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Winton will have one season of eligibility remaining after beginning his career at ETSU and playing the previous two seasons with the Vols. At Tennessee, he rarely got on the field on offense, but was a consistent contributor on special teams. This included during the 2024 season, in which Tennessee won 10 games and made the College Football Playoffs.
Winton appeared in two games in 2025 on offense. He played a total of 15 snaps between the wins over ETSU and UAB. He caught three passes for 26 yards in that time.
In 2024, Winton played on offense against Kent State. In his four snaps, he did not catch a pass.
Winton is one of 26 players from Tennessee to depart for the portal. While the majority have been reserve pieces, there have been a few starters and contributors to leave. At wide receiver, the Vols have landed one transfer, Gavin Freeman from Oklahoma State.
