Tennessee football transfer tracker: Who’s leaving the Vols via portal
The transfer portal is open, and some Tennessee football have entered it.
The early portal window has closed for most teams. It will open again for players to enter on April 16-30.
Here’s a look at who has entered the portal from Tennessee’s 2023 team, with the latest announcements at the top of the list.
Offensive tackle Gerald Mincey (Kentucky)
Gerald Mincey is transferring to Kentucky. The 6-6, 337-pounder, entered the portal on Jan. 4, three days after starting in the UT’s win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. Mincey started seven games in the 2023 season.
Mincey has played left tackle and right tackle, playing 22 games with 14 starts in two seasons with the Vols. He spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Florida.
Safety Wesley Walker (Louisville)
Wesley Walker is transferring to Louisville. The 6-1, 200-pounder, entered the portal on Dec. 22. He is a former Ensworth standout in Nashville. He spent the past two seasons at UT after transferring from Georgia Tech. He has played 23 games for the Vols with 12 starts.
In 2023, Walker started 10 straight games at safety and missed the last two games due to injury. He had 53 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, one sack and one forced fumble.
Defensive back Tamarion McDonald (Louisville)
Tamarion McDonald is transferring to Louisville to initially committing Ole Miss. The 6-2, 208-pounder, played 43 games with 25 starts in his UT career. He mostly played the Star position, what UT calls its nickelback.
In 2023, McDonald had 40 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, one interception and four pass breakups. He has one season of eligibility remaining because of a COVID-exempt year.
Cornerback De’Shawn Rucker (USF)
De’Shawn Rucker, a 6-foot, 190-pounder, played 24 games with two starts over three seasons at UT. He has two years of eligibility remaining because he took a redshirt in 2023. He has 14 tackles in his career, playing mostly on special teams.
Defensive back Doneiko Slaughter (Arkansas)
Doneiko Slaughter is transferring to Arkansas. The 6-foot, 190-pounder played 43 games with 15 starts in his UT career. He has one season of eligibility remaining because of a COVID-exempt year.
Slaughter is a versatile defensive back. He played cornerback, nickelback and safety for the Vols. In 2023, he posted 32 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and one interception in 10 games. He had a career-high 10 tackles against Georgia.
Defensive end Tyler Baron (Louisville)
Tyler Baron is transferring to Louisville after initially committing to Ole Miss. The 6-5, 260-pounder was one of the SEC’s top pass rushers. He had 10.5 tackles-for-loss, six sacks, five quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. In his career, he has 102 tackles in 48 games with 19 starts.
Baron has one season of eligibility remaining because of a COVID-exempt year. He could also purse the NFL Draft. In January 2022, Baron entered the transfer portal but withdrew one day later.
Offensive lineman Connor Meadows (Tennessee State)
Connor Meadows, a 6-4, 297-pounder, initially committed to UT Martin before enrolling at Tennessee as a walk-on. He spent the two seasons with the Vols, playing in two games in 2023.
Offensive lineman Addison Nichols (Arkansas)
Addison Nichols, a 6-5, 327-pounder, was a four-star prospect and the highest-rated offensive signee in UT’s 2022 class. He played two games in 2022 and 12 games in 2023, mostly on special teams. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Nichols never found his place on UT’s offensive line. He was a highly-touted tackle in high school. UT moved him to center, but it didn’t turn to him when starting center Cooper Mays missed four games due to injury. Nichols fit best at guard, but he didn’t win a competition for a starting role there either.
Defensive back Brandon Turnage (Ole Miss)
Brandon Turnage is transferring to Ole Miss. The 6-1, 180-pounder, has one season of eligibility remaining because of a COVID-exempt year. He’s looking for his third school after playing at Alabama (2019-20) and Tennessee (2021-23).
At UT, Turnage played 31 games with six starts at cornerback and nickelback In 2023, he was in and out of the cornerback rotation, making nine tackles and one pass breakup in 12 games.
Safety Jack Luttrell (Arizona)
Jack Luttrell, a 6-foot, 180-pounder, played three games on special teams during his 2023 freshman season. The former three-star prospect was the first commitment in UT’s 2023 signing class, choosing the Vols over Arkansas, Notre Dame and Texas A&M.
Cornerback Warren Burrell (Georgia Tech)
Warren Burrell is transferring to Georgia Tech. The 6-foot, 190-pounder, played 41 games with 22 starts over five seasons for UT. He played 10 games this season, recording eight tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.
Burrell received a medical redshirt in 2022 after he suffered a season-ending injury in the second game. He has one season of eligibility remaining because of a COVID-exempt year.
Offensive lineman Mo Clipper (Charlotte)
Mo Clipper is transferring to Charlotte. The 6-5, 308-pounder, was a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. He chose UT over Virginia Tech, Louisville, Alabama and Georgia. Clipper played in three games over two seasons at UT, mostly at offensive guard and on special teams.