Tennessee football transfer portal live updates tracker for Josh Heupel, 2026 roster

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It's the first day that Tennessee football players can officially enter the transfer portal as Jan. 2 arrives.

Several UT players have already announced their plans to go into the portal, which closes to new players entering on Jan. 16. Teams can still take players already in the portal after that date.

This is also the first day the Vols can add players from the portal. And they have numerous needs after posting an 8-5 record with a 30-28 loss to Illinois in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.

Here are the Tennessee players entering the portal and positions of need to bolster the 2026 roster.

Who is leaving Tennessee football via transfer portal

CB Rickey Gibson

On Jan. 1, it was reported that Rickey Gibson plans to enter the portal. He suffered a season-ending upper-body injury in a Week 1 win over Syracuse. Gibson has played 26 games with 13 starts. He has recorded 42 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, six passes breakups and one forced fumble. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

WR Amari Jefferson

On Jan. 1, it was reported that Amari Jefferson plans to enter the portal. He was the 2023 Mr. Football in Division II-AAA at Baylor School. As a four-star recruit, he was one of Tennessee's top high school prospects in the 2024 class. He spent one season each at Alabama and Tennessee but didn't pan out at either. He played two games and four snaps total in 2025, and he has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

OT Lance Heard

Lance Heard announced on Jan. 1 that he plans to enter the portal. The All-SEC performer started all 13 games at left tackle and allowed only two sacks in 887 snaps. Heard, a 6-6, 330 pounder, was considered a potential 2026 NFL Draft prospect. But he instead will utilize his final season of college eligibility. Heard was a five-star prospect out of high school. He played the 2023 season at LSU and then transferred to Tennessee. He started 23 games at left tackle over the past two seasons.

OT Bennett Warren

Bennett Warren announced on Jan. 1 that he plans to enter the portal. He played 18 games over two seasons, including all 13 games in 2025. Most of his snaps were on special teams. Warren is a 6-7, 325-pounder from Houston. He was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class, ranked No. 11 among offensive tackles by 247Sports Composite.

WR Braylon Harmon (walk-on)

Braylon Harmon announced on Jan. 1 that he plans to enter the portal. He is a walk-on with three seasons of eligibility remaining. Harmon, a 5-9, 185-pounder, played six games over two seasons. He had a 41-yard reception against UAB in 2025. And he returned a punt for six yards against Kent State in 2024.

DB Colin Brazzell (walk-on)

Colin Brazzell announced on Jan. 1 that he plans to enter the portal. He is a walk-on and the younger brother of UT wide receiver Chris Brazzell, a 2025 All-SEC performer who declared for the NFL draft. The younger Brazzell played three games over two season. The 6-1, 175-pounder has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

WR Tommy Winton (walk-on)

Tommy Winton announced on Jan. 1 that he plans to enter the portal. He is a walk-on who started his career at ETSU. The 5-10, 200-pounder had three receptions for 26 yards and played four games in the 2025 season. And he played 12 games in the 2024 season. He has one season of eligibility remaining.

OL Max Anderson

On Dec. 31, it was reported that Max Anderson plans to enter the portal. The redshirt freshman played 15 games over two seasons. That included all 13 games in 2025, mostly on special teams. The 6-5, 311-pounder was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

DL Herb Gray (walk-on)

Herb Gray announced on Dec. 30 that he plans to enter the portal. The 6-3, 288-pound walk-on redshirted in 2024 and played two games in 2025, making a tackle-for-loss.

DL Trevor Duncan

Trevor Duncan announced on Dec. 23 that he plans to enter the portal. Earlier in 2025, he retired from football due to medical reasons after spending two seasons at Tennessee and playing sparingly. But he has now decided to restart his career. Duncan, a 6-6, 285-pounder, has played on the offensive and defensive lines.

RB Peyton Lewis

Peyton Lewis plans to enter the transfer portal, he shared Dec. 21 on his Instagram. Lewis has been in the backfield rotation for two seasons at Tennessee, rushing for 629 yards and 10 touchdowns in 23 games.

QB Jake Merklinger

Jake Merklinger announced on Dec. 17 that he plans to enter the portal. He played six games over two seasons and went 19-of-33 passing for 221 yards and two TDs. As a redshirt freshman in 2025, Merklinger competed for the starting job but lost to Joey Aguilar. Merklinger, a native of Savannah, Georgia, was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

DB Marcus Goree

Marcus Goree announced on Dec. 13 that he plans to enter the portal. The redshirt freshman played two games in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, mostly on special teams. He recorded two tackles for the Vols. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

LB Brenden Anes (walk-on)

Brenden Anes announced on Dec. 10 that he plans to enter the portal. He played 12 games in the 2025 season, mostly on special teams. He made five tackles. The Nolensville, Tennessee native was a three-star prospect in the 2025 signing class.

DE Kellen Lindstrom

Kellen Lindstrom announced on Dec. 1 that he plans to enter the portal. The 6-5, 240-pounder, will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. In 2024, Lindstrom played three games, made four tackles and took a redshirt. In 2025, he played three games and made two tackles.

DL Jamal Wallace

Jamal Wallace announced on Dec. 1 that he plans to enter the portal. He came to Tennessee in 2024 as a junior college transfer. The 6-3, 313-pounder was plagued by injuries in the 2024 season, played only three games and took a redshirt. He played six games and made four tackles in the 2025 season. He has one season of eligibility remaining.

DB/PR Boo Carter

Boo Carter announced on Nov. 16 that he plans to enter the portal following his dismissal from the team. In 2025, he played nine games as a backup nickelback and primary punt returner. He had 25 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, along with three forced fumbles. He also has 11 punt returns for 145 yards. In 2024, Carter earned SEC All-Freshman honors as a defensive back and return specialist, and he was a 2025 preseason All-SEC selection.

Here's who Tennessee football needs from transfer portal

Defensive backs

UT needs talent and depth in the defensive secondary. The unit underperformed and lost its best players to the NFL draft, namely injured cornerback Jermod McCoy and All-SEC cornerback Colton Hood. And cornerback Rickey Gibson plans to enter the portal.

New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles likely will target a premier safety and cornerback to bolster his scheme. A starting nickelback is needed because Jalen McMurray is headed to the NFL and Boo Carter was dismissed from the team.

Ty Redmond was an All-SEC cornerback as a freshman. Freshman Tre Poteat got his first major action in the Music City Bowl, and four-star safety Joel Wyatt arrives in January. But UT can’t add enough talented defensive backs. It's an immediate need.

Quarterback

Joey Aguilar was very good this season, but he is out of eligibility unless the Diego Pavia lawsuit challenging NCAA eligibility rules completes a Hail Mary very soon.

Freshman George MacIntyre is talented but underweight and still developing. Faizon Brandon, a five-star signee in the 2026 class, will enroll in January. He is loaded with talent, but he’s also 17 years old and coming off a thumb injury that sidelined him for most of his senior season.

UT will explore a deep pool of experienced quarterbacks in the portal.

Defensive line

Veterans Joshua Josephs, Bryson Eason, Dominic Bailey, Tyre West and Jaxson Moi exhausted their eligibility.

The cupboard isn’t bare. Jordan Ross looks like a rising star at edge rusher, and Caleb Herring completes the Vols’ one-two punch there. Daevin Hobbs, Nathan Robinson and Tyree Weathersby are effective when they’re healthy, but that’s been hit or miss.

Ethan Utley, Isaiah Campbell and Mariyon Dye contributed as freshmen. But UT needs a veteran defensive lineman to help bring them along.

Running back

DeSean Bishop was a 1,000-yard rusher and All-SEC performer, but he needs help. Star Thomas is out of eligibility, and Peyton Lewis is entering the transfer portal. That leaves only freshmen Daune Morris and Justin Baker in the backfield.

UT needs at least four scholarship running backs, and it didn’t sign any in the 2026 class. So the Vols must add a transfer to complement Bishop.

Offensive line

Before the Music City Bowl, this was a low priority. But the offensive line underperformed, as it had throughout the second half of the season. Granted, the absence of injured guard Wendell Moe probably impacted that poor performance. But then starting tackle Lance Heard, backup tackle Bennett Warren and reserve center/guard Max Anderson decided to enter the portal.

On the positive side, four starters are set to return. But UT may add an offensive lineman from the portal to upgrade the unit overall and bolster depth.

Linebacker

It’s debatable just how much help this unit needs, but Knowles must determine that.

Despite All-SEC performer Arion Carter heading to the NFL, Edwin Spillman is a promising replacement. Jeremiah Telander returns as a veteran starter. Jadon Perlotte and Jaedon Harmon showed flashes of playmaking ability as freshmen, but they’re still raw.

The Vols could use an upgrade at linebacker, but the question is whether other positions outweigh that need.

These Tennessee needs are lower priorities in portal

Specialists: Max Gilbert has made 76% (34-45) of his field goals in his career, but he's been shaky in key moments. That could make him vulnerable to a 2026 competition or push him into the portal for a restart at another school. If that happens, kicker becomes a portal priority.

Meanwhile, punter Jackson Ross, kickoff specialist Josh Turbyville and long snapper Bennett Brady each have one season of eligibility remaining.

Wide receiver: Braylon Staley, the SEC Freshman of the Year, and Mike Matthews return. Radarious Jackson or Travis Smith could slide into a starting position. Tristen Keys, arguably the No. 1 receiver in the 2026 class, signed with the Vols. And four-star receiver Tyreek King is another promising signee.

Tight end: Ethan Davis looks ready to take over the No. 1 spot. Jack Van Dorselaer and DaSaahn Brame looked promising as freshmen. This position group is in good shape.

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 transfer portal live tracker for 2026 roster

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