Tennessee OT transfer Lance Heard commits to Kentucky

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Tennessee defensive OT Lance Heard has committed to Kentucky out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. Heard began his career at LSU.

Heard started at left tackle in all 12 of Tennessee’s regular-season games this year. He regularly posted the highest pass-blocking grades for the Volunteers. For his efforts, he was named an All-SEC Third-Team selection by the league’s coaches.

The 6-foot-6, 330-pound standout transferred to Tennessee ahead of the 2024 season. He started every game he played in during his debut campaign with Tennessee.

Heard announced his decision to leave Tennessee on New Year’s Day. He penned a message on Instagram to go along with the announcement.

“I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been part of my time at Tennessee. Wearing the Vol orange and white has been an incredible experience, and I’m truly grateful for all the lessons, memories, and growth along the way,” Heard wrote on X. ” To the coaches and staff, my teammates, and all the fans who have shown love and support, thank you.

Your encouragement has never gone unnoticed. After a lot of thought and prayer, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal with eligibility remaining, to explore new opportunities and continue developing as a player and as a person. Tennessee will always hold a special place in my journey, and I’m thankful for everything this program has given me.”

Before joining Rocky Top, Heart spent his freshman season at LSU. He made 12 appearances for the Tigers, along with one start. In turn, he was named an All-SEC Freshman Team selection.

Lance Heard played high school football at Neville (LA), where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 22 overall player and No. 4 offensive tackle in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this report.

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