With the spring transfer portal now open, college football is about to get chaotic all over again, with team rosters undergoing massive restructuring in a matter of just two weeks. One team that could be dipping into the transfer portal again rather extensively is Tennessee football.
The Tennessee Volunteers will be heading into Year 4 of the Josh Heupel era at the start of the 2024 season. To date, the Heupel hire has been a successful one, with Tennessee football finishing in the final top 25 College Football Playoff rankings the last two seasons. However, the Vols are hoping to get back to their 2022 season, where at one point they were ranked No. 1 in the country and finished 11-2 overall, their best season since 2001. If they want to have similar success this season, some portal additions will likely be needed.
Here are the four players that Tennessee football should target now that the spring transfer portal is open.
Henry Parrish Jr. or TreVonte' Citizen, Running Back, Miami
When it was first announced that Oregon State running back Damien Martinez was entering the transfer portal, Tennessee football was mentioned as one of the top five teams he planned to visit. But less than 24 hours after the announcement, Martinez canceled his visit with the Vols, according to Hayes Fawcett at On3.
Running back is definitely a need for the Vols that this spring transfer portal window could help with. Behind starter Dylan Sampson, Tennessee has many unproven players at the position. Sophomore Cameron Seldon could potentially be sidelined recovering from shoulder surgery to start the season, and freshman Peyton Lewis won't be ready either.
With Martinez likely favoring Miami, Tennessee football could target one of their former backs who entered the portal, such as TreVonte' Citizen or Henry Parrish Jr.
Citizen, a former highly rated four-star in the class of 2022, was one of Miami's best signings that year. However, after suffering a lower extremity injury in Fall camp that season, Citizen has seen little playing time until the Hurricanes' recent spring game. He's a high-risk, high-reward player.
That makes the veteran Parrish a more likely candidate. Transferring from Ole Miss, he has SEC experience, which bodes well in his case. While at Miami, he rushed for 1,242 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Lejond Cavazos, Defensive Back, North Carolina
Tennessee football suffered losses in its defensive backfield during the last transfer portal window in the winter. Luckily, they still have starters in sophomore cornerbacks Rickey Gibson II and Jermod McCoy, as well as starting safeties Andre Turrentine and Jakobe Thomas. But depth is a concern after that.
Adding depth to the defensive backfield seems like a logical move for Heupel and defensive coordinator Tim Banks, and North Carolina's Lejond Cavazos could help. Cavazos is a recent addition to the portal and would be entering it for the second time in his career, originally transferring from Ohio State.
If healthy, Cavazos could be productive, as he has played both cornerback and safety. He's only had one notable season back in 2022, due to injuries, playing in 11 games and accounting for 18 total tackles, one for a loss, and two pass deflections. With depth more of a need than a starter, Cavazos could be worth a look.
Kardell Thomas, Interior Offensive Lineman, Florida A&M
Can a team ever have enough depth on the offensive line? The answer is no. The Vols currently have four interior linemen who can rotate, but there are concerns about injuries with some veteran players like Cooper Mays and Andrej Karic. This warrants adding another piece or two on the line.
Florida A&M interior offensive lineman Kardell Thomas could be an option for the Vols. At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, he has great strength and excels in run blocking but may need work in pass blocking, according to 247sports. Still, with limited options in the portal for offensive linemen, Thomas may not be a bad choice for additional depth.
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