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    Tennessee football needs receivers. What transfers could meet their needs

    Pabio Posted on

    Forget fall. December has become the biggest month in college football.

    High school players sign with the college – or NIL collective – of their choice. The conference championships are decided. The 12-team playoff field is announced. Players dive into the transfer portal or negotiate new NIL agreements.

    And Tennessee is right in the middle of the action.

    The Vols signed the nation’s 10th best class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Included is five-star offensive tackle David Sanderswho should fill a huge need, and three four-star defensive linemen. They also added four-star quarterback George MacIntyre, who could compete for the backup role behind starter Nico Iamaleava next season.

    But it’s the future. The present is even better: The Vols finished the regular season 10-2 and qualified for the College Football Playoff.

    Now, back to the future. The transfer portal has already added some tempting possibilities.

    The Vols need to strengthen their receiving corps for next season. Don’t take my word for it. Just check the stats. No Vols wide receiver has caught more than 35 passes.

    Dont’e Thornton was the best of the group, and it was a senior Thornton who had 25 catches for 647 yards for a dazzling average of 25.9 yards per catch.

    Bru McCoy, another senior, has 35 catches for 432 yards. Junior Squirrel White has 33 receptions for 364 yards.

    All three have been hampered by injuries. In fact, White is probably more likely to see his shoulder move than to score a touchdown. He deserves credit for playing injured, and McCoy has done his best to recover from an injury that cost him most of the 2023 season and slowed him this season as well.

    Obviously, the Vols need fresh legs for next season. White and Chris Brazzell, who have 28 catches this season, are expected to return. And heralded freshman Mike Matthews is expected to play a bigger role. But that is not enough.

    The portal offers hope. Additionally, Tennessee already has direct experience with several of the most important receivers in the portal – NC State’s Kevin Concepcion, Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson and Kentucky’s Dane Key. All were on the lists of UT’s opponents.

    Concepcion, a sophomore, has 124 catches for 1,299 yards and 16 touchdowns in two seasons with the Wolf pack. Key has 136 receptions for 1,870 yards and 14 touchdowns during his career at Kentucky.

    Anderson can’t match those stats but could help Tennessee the most, as he would give the Vols a much-needed deep threat. He only played one game as a freshman and only three games this season due to injury. However, he showed his talent in 2023 when he caught 38 passes for 798 yards (an average of 21 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns.

    Another SEC receiver who might be worth a look is CJ Daniels, who first played at Liberty and transferred to LSU ahead of the 2024 season. He has 148 career receptions for 2,434 yards and 21 touchdowns.

    ADAM: Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel has proven he can build more than just an offense

    Wide receiver won’t be UT’s only need. Like any other program with championship aspirations, it should continue to improve wherever possible.

    With Tennessee’s success on the field and in the NIL department, it should be able to make these improvements heading into coach Josh Heupel’s fifth season.

    John Adams is a senior chronicler. He can be contacted at 865-342-6284 or [email protected]. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.

    Pabio
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