Tennessee football transfer portal targets: Who's visiting Vols

Tennessee football transfer portal targets: Who’s visiting Vols

Posted by Admin December 17, 2024 Football

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Tennessee football is reloading for the 2025 season with potential transfers from the portal.

The Vols have lost nine scholarship players to the portal, and they must replace a big senior class from the 2024 team.

They are hosting transfers on recruiting visits while preparing to play in the College Football Playoff. Tennessee (10-2) plays Ohio State (10-2) on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) in Columbus, Ohio, in a first-round game.

Here are the transfers who are considering the Vols and have visited UT’s campus.

LSU defensive lineman Jay’Viar Suggs

Jay’Viar Suggs is seeking a home for his seventh and final year in college football. He spent five seasons at Grand Valley State, including a redshirt year and the 2020 season canceled by COVID. He transferred to LSU, where he played every game of the 2024 regular season.

Suggs, a 6-foot-3, 295-pounder, has one season of eligibility remaining. He had 10 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks at LSU in 2024. And he had 21 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, five sacks, two quarterback hurries and one forced fumble at Grand Valley State in 2023.

Wisconsin defensive end James Thompson

James Thompson was a two-year starter at Wisconsin before suffering a season-ending torn pectoral muscle in 2024.

Thompson, a 6-foot-5, 295-pounder, played 38 games with 18 starts for the Badgers, mostly in 2022-23. He recorded 58 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, five sacks and one fumble recovery.

In 2023, Thompson led all Wisconsin defensive linemen with 29 tackles. He also had three sacks and 5.5 tackles-for-loss.

Thompson is a four-star transfer, according to 247Sports. He has one season of eligibility remaining.

Arizona offensive guard Wendell Moe

Wendell Moe was an All-Pac-12 performer as a redshirt freshman in 2023. And he played 760 snaps as an anchor on the Arizona offensive line in 2024.

Moe started 27 games over three seasons with the Wildcats, mostly at left guard but also at right guard. The 6-foot-2, 339-pounder has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Moe is from Long Beach, California, and he played at Long Beach Poly in high school.

That combination should sound familiar to Tennessee fans. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava is also from Long Beach, and he played his high school freshman season at Long Beach Poly. Moe told 247Sports that he didn’t know Iamaleava personally, but he spent time with him during his visit to Tennessee’s campus.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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