Josh Heupel, Tennessee opt outs, who's in, who's out vs Illinois

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Tennessee football hopes to have a complete and healthy roster to play Illinois in the Music City Bowl, but that's not reality.

Players in virtually every program opt out of non-playoff bowls for various reasons. Some begin rehabbing injuries. Some start their preparation for NFL draft workouts. And others announce their intention to enter the transfer portal, which opens Jan. 2.

No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) plays Illinois (8-4) in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Nashville.

Quarterback Joey Aguilar said he plans to play in Tennessee's bowl game, but he's not projected as a high draft pick like some of his teammates. Each player makes the decision that's best for them.

Here are the updates on Tennessee opt-out decisions for the Music City Bowl.

Tennessee football players opting out of Music City Bowl

Defensive lineman Jamal Wallace

On Dec. 1, Jamal Wallace announced that he plans to enter the portal, so he will not play in the Music City Bowl. He played six games and made four tackles in the 2025 season, but he played in only one of UT's last seven games.

Defensive end Kellen Lindstrom

On Dec. 1, Kellen Lindstrom announced that he plans to enter the portal, so he will not play in the Music City Bowl. He played three games and made two tackles in the 2025 season.

Tennessee players heading to the NFL or considering it

Typically, players projected as NFL draft picks consider opting out of non-playoff bowl games. The following Tennessee players have not announced their decision either way, so we should assume they're playing in the Music City Bowl until reported otherwise. But their draftable status and other factors make them players to watch as potential Music City Bowl opt-outs.

Wide receiver Chris Brazzell: The first-team All-SEC performer is projected as an early round draft pick. He led the SEC with 1,017 yards receiving and nine TD catches in the regular season. Brazzell has one year of eligibility remaining, but he's expected to enter the draft. He has not announced his NFL decision.

Linebacker Arion Carter: The second-team All-SEC performer led Tennessee with 76 tackles despite missing two games due to injuries that limited him in the second half of the season. Carter is a draftable player with one year of eligibility remaining. He must decide whether he's going to explore his draft potential. And he must factor his health into that NFL decision and his availability in the Music City Bowl. Carter has not announced his NFL decision.

Left tackle Lance Heard: The third-team All-SEC performer is a draftable player, but it'd debatable how high he would go in the 2026 draft. Heard has one year of eligibility remaining. David Sanders is expected to move from right tackle to left tackle next season. That would require Heard to switch sides if he returns to Tennessee next season. Heard has not announced his NFL decision.

Cornerback Colton Hood: The third-team All-SEC performer is projected as an early round draft pick. Some mock drafts even project him as a first-rounder. He had 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, eight pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two defensive TDs this season. Hood has two years of eligibility remaining. He has not announced his NFL decision.

Edge rusher Joshua Josephs: The playmaking edge rusher is projected as an early round draft pick. ESPN analyst Matt Miller ranks Josephs as the No. 36 prospect in the 2026 draft class. He had 33 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, four sacks, six quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a defensive TD. Josephs is a senior with no eligibility remaining.

Tight end Miles Kitselman: The team leader and starting tight end missed the last two games of the regular season due to a leg injury. Even if Kitselman is medically cleared to play in the Music City Bowl, it would be surprising if he plays, considering the apparently severity of his injury. Kitselman has no eligibility remaining, and he's a draftable player. Neither UT nor Kitselman has addressed his availability for the Music City Bowl.

Cornerback Jermod McCoy: The 2024 All-American missed the 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL in January. He is projected as first-round pick, pending strong performances in his pre-draft workouts. Obviously, McCoy's rehab and draft stock indicates he will not play in the Music City Bowl. He has not announced his NFL decision.

Defensive back Jalen McMurray: The versatile defensive back is a potentially draftable player, indicated by McMurray's invitation to the Senior Bowl, which will be played on Jan. 31. Senior Bowl practices are swarming with NFL scouts, which makes it extremely important for fringe draft prospects. Some players opt out of bowl games to remain healthy for the Senior Bowl. McMurray has no eligibility remaining. He has not announced his plans.

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 atknoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football opt outs for Music City Bowl vs Illinois

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