Fall camp is just about here — how do we know? Tennessee released their updated roster on Friday. The official 2026 version is live, complete with numerous updates in both the weight columns and jersey number columns. A handful of key players will sport different numbers this season, while some very important Volunteers put on some big weight under new strength coach Derek Owings.
First up, the number changes of note.
Advertisement
Number swaps for Tennessee
RB Justin Baker: No. 2
DT Xavier Gilliam: No. 2
WR Radarious Jackson: No. 3
CB Tre Poteat: No. 3
WR Tristen Keys: No. 5
RB Javin Gordon: No. 6
WR Joakim Dodson: No. 9
QB George MacIntyre: No. 12
DL Nathan Robinson: No. 19
Other notables from freshmen and transfers
QB Faizon Brandon: No. 11
WR Tyreek King: No. 19
S Joel Wyatt: No. 31
S TJ Metcalf: No. 1
Nickel Qua Moss: No. 6
CB Kayin Lee: No. 14
Notable weight gains for Tennessee players
EDGE Christian Gass: 245 pounds
-
This is by far the most notable change on the roster. That’s close to a 30 pound gain for Gass, who needed badly as Tennessee is looking for depth on the edge following the Chaz Coleman disaster.
QB George MacIntyre: 208 pounds
-
This has been a much-discussed situation since the spring — would MacIntyre ever be able to put on weight? That answer turns out to be yes, with about 15 pounds gained from last season. Tennessee clearly made it a priority with a short quarterback depth chart lacking experience.
TE DaShaan Brame: 240 pounds
-
Brame is a breakout candidate that saw his playing time tick up late last season. He adds ten pounds here in preparation for an expanded workload this fall. Expect to see him playing both at tight end and in the slot.
RB DeSean Bishop: 215 pounds
-
Another notable gain here is DeSean Bishop, who fought through some midseason injuries last season playing around 200 pounds. The added bulk should help this season with Bishop set to see a massive, massive role.
“If it does not make you better at your position, I don’t waste your time,” Owings said when he was hired. “We don’t have enough time in the day, week, calendar to do fluff. If it does not make you a better running back, we’re not going to do it. It doesn’t make you a better quarterback, we’re not going to do it.”
Advertisement
Tennessee is set to open fall camp in just a matter of weeks, where we’ll see all this physical progress hit the field for the first time.
