After finishing with their first positive record since 2017, Eddie George's 6-5 Tennessee State Tigers signed quite a haul of new players. As is typical of the current college landscape, the Tigers went after both high school seniors and athletes in the transfer portal.

Tennessee State has steadily improved under Eddie George, but there is still work to be done. While the Tiger defense ranked second overall in the Ohio Valley Conference, they were seventh (of 10 schools) when defending against the run. They gave up an average of 155 yards on the ground per game.

The Tiger offense struggled mightily, finishing seventh in the OVC. They scored just 29 touchdowns, tied for the fourth-fewest in the conference. The rushing attack buoyed the offense with an average of 147.73 yards per game. The passing offense, however, was second-to-last in the conference. Tennessee State tied for last in passing touchdowns with just eight, which were offset by eight interceptions.

George and his coaching staff addressed these concerns in the offseason, particularly through the transfer portal.

Tevin Carter

The Tennessee State Tigers ran an unusual offense as they rotated quarterbacks Deveon Bryant and Draylen Ellis consistently. They may be trying to address the play-calling position by signing former Memphis quarterback Tevin Carter. Carter was a three-star recruit coming out of high school with offers from Maryland, Syracuse, and Florida A&M before committing to Memphis. Last season, Carter played only a handful of snaps, completing just three of five passing attempts for 101 yards, one touchdowns, and an interception.

Jalal Dean

The Tigers continued to beef up the passing attack by signing former Tennessee Tech receiver Jalal Dean. Tennessee State had two receivers with over 300 receiving yards last season. They'll add another in Dean, who racked up 324 yards on 25 receptions as a Golden Eagle. Dean only has two receiving touchdowns in his career, but he'll likely find the end zone more often as a primary target.

Jeremiah Reed

Jeremiah “Snap” Reed was the most heavily targeted skill player Tennessee State sought from high school. Reed, a 6'2″, 185-pound receiver, also received offers from Miami (OH), Eastern Kentucky, Lindenwood, and Mississippi Valley State. The Tennessee native is one of the three receivers the Tigers have brought in: Dean, Reed, and Santana Crayton, another high school player from Louisville, Kentucky.

Cameron Blaylock

Blaylock is another transfer from the University of Memphis, although unlike Tevin Carter, Blaylock is a 6'1″, 321-pound defensive lineman. Considering the Tigers' issue stopping the run, Blaylock may be a pivotal step in the right direction. Furthermore, Tennessee State got high school commits from defensive end Marlon Huff and defensive tackle Tyler Moore.

Connor Meadows

By signing offensive lineman Connor Meadows, the Tigers seek to continue their dominance through the run game. Meadows comes from the University of Tennessee, where he walked on instead of taking offers from UT Martin or Southeast Missouri State. The 6'4″, 295-pound tackle made the roster, but decided to enter the transfer portal before the Citrus Bowl.