Tennessee will need to make a significant impact on the transfer portal if they hope to reclaim their top spot in the SEC and make the playoffs. They’ve done this before with success, so all they need to do now is aim at Hendon Hooker, whom the Vols acquired through the portal from Virginia Tech. Players find Tennessee to be a desirable location within the portal. So, the question is: who in the Vols team should they recruit from the portal to support them?
Why not attempt a third hue of orange, because DJ Uiagalelei has already attempted two? After Trevor Lawrence left for the NFL, Uiagalelei was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps as the next great Clemson quarterback. But with Uiagelelei at Clemson, it never really clicked. In his debut season as a starter at Clemson, he passed for ten more interceptions than touchdowns (nine). Although he had a much stronger season in 2022—possibly the greatest of his career thus far—he was ultimately benched in favour of current Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.
Uiagelelei transferred to Oregon State, but he still didn’t exactly take the next step. He did set a career-high in passing yards (2,638) and yards per attempt (8.4), but he also completed just 57.1% of his passes. Oregon State went just 8-4 on the year, which is a really solid season for them, but short of the expectations they set in the preseason.
Once again, Uiagalelei is in the portal, and Tennessee football may be the ideal place for him. Hendon Hooker, who was brought in via the portal from Virginia Tech, gave Tennessee’s quarterbacking situation a boost. Joe Milton, another quarterback obtained through the portal from Michigan, is no longer eligible. Uiagelelei would make an interesting and enjoyable addition to Josh Huepel’s system. Tennessee ought to pursue him.
Football in Tennessee could also use a wide receiver. The Vols didn’t really have a receiver stand up in their absence after losing Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman to the NFL. Hyatt had a 2022 season that included 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. Squirrel White led their receivers in receiving yards with 764 yards. With 64 receptions, White also had the most on the squad. White played well for the Vols the previous season, but as the team’s top receiver, he might have been overworked.
