With the 2022 college football regular season over, schools are already thinking about 2023. It all began on December 5th with the opening of the transfer portal. Many players entered their names in the portal and are looking for new homes in this upcoming season. One program they could take into consideration is Tennessee.

After starting the season unranked, the Volunteers put together one of the most surprising campaigns in college football. They finished 10-2 and at No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and were No. 1 in the initial rankings before a 27-13 loss to national-title favorite Georgia in early November.

But their stunning success in 2022 is no guarantee the Volunteers will remain a national power going forward. A top-five Heisman finalist, senior quarterback Hendon Hooker will be taking his talents to the NFL, and several other impact players will also be departing Knoxville. Head coach Josh Heupel will have some work to do in the offseason.

Because of that, the transfer portal could be crucial for the Volunteers' aspirations in the future. Here are three transfer portal players Tennessee must target for the 2023 season.

3. Fentrell Cypress II—Virginia, CB

While Tennessee's attack was one of the most prolific in the country, its defense could use some work. The Volunteers allowed 287 passing yards per game, which places them outside the-top 100 in the nation. For comparison, only four schools had a worse passing defense than Tennessee's: Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee, Ohio and East Carolina. The team also allowed 21 touchdowns through the air.

Trevon Flowers, the Volunteers' top defensive back,  won't return in 2023. He had 57 total tackles, with 34 being solo, a sack, two forced fumbles and two interceptions this season. Without Flowers, Tennessee will have a big gap to fill, especially in the secondary.

Virginia's Fentrell Cypress II is one of the best cornerbacks available in the transfer portal. In 2022, he recorded 39 tackles with 28 solos, a fumble recovery and an impressive 13 pass deflections. On 40 targets this season, he only allowed 18 catches for 179 yards with nine passes broken up.

Due to his solid performances, Cypress earned All-ACC Second-Team honors this season. Alongside Anthony Johnson, they became the first UVA cornerback duo to earn All-Conference honors in the same year in program history.

Cypress would be an immediate contributor for the Volunteers. With him, Tennessee's secondary could get significantly better. His pass protection and coverage could be a game-changer for Heupel, which could get the Volunteers even further in 2023.

2. Rara Thomas—Mississippi State, WR

Another unit that impressed the Volunteers was the receiving group. Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton had their moments in 2022. Most notably, Jalin Hyatt emerged as one of the best wideouts in the country, catching 67 passes for a total of 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns.

As an All-American, Hyatt is likely to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. The team also lost wideouts Jimmy Holiday and Jimmy Calloway  to the transfer portal. Although they had limited roles in 2022, they nevertheless contributed to the unit's depth as well as special teams on some occasions. While McCoy and Keyton are primed to step up, Tennessee could also search for help in the transfer portal.

One option is Rara Thomas from Mississippi State. The Volunteers reportedly already visited the wide receiver a week ago and made an offer, so there is clearly some interest here. He is reportedly planning to stay in the SEC, making a move to Tennessee even more probable.

In two years with the Bulldogs, Thomas has accumulated 62 receptions for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns. He might not be able to replicate Hyatt's numbers but combined with McCoy and Keyton, they could split the targets and ensure Tennessee's passing attack remains a strength.

1. Hudson Card—Texas, QB

With Hooker leaving for the NFL, the quarterback battle is wide open in Knoxville. As of now, the Volunteers could go with Joe Milton III, a super senior who has been at Tennessee for the past two seasons after playing for Michigan. But it is uncertain whether Milton will be Heupel's best option in 2023.

Definitely do not sleep on five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava, who many see as the future of the program. However, Heupel might opt to develop the freshman on the sidelines before making him a full-time starter.

That leaves the transfer portal as an option for Tennessee. The team could certainly go after a quarterback, and Texas' Hudson Card seems like an ideal option. In 15 career games, the quarterback has completed 65.3% of his passes for 1,518 yards and 11 touchdowns versus two interceptions. He started a couple of games for the Longhorns, but lost the job in 2021.

Card could go follow a similar route to Hooker's in Tennessee, who transferred from Virginia Tech to emerge as one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Under Heupel, Card has a good chance of reviving his career as a starter, following the footsteps of his star predecessor.