Tennessee football got a quarterback in the transfer portal, but it still has other needs.
The departure of quarterback Nico Iamaleava over an NIL dispute opened up a big hole on UT’s depth chart, and UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar filled it. The Vols are still actively looking for a few more players.
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The winter transfer portal was active. UT lost 18 players, including 13 on scholarship, and added four players.
The spring transfer portal closed on April 25 to new players entering it. But teams can still add players from the portal. Here is the latest on the Vols.
INSIDE TENNESSEE QB SEARCH Pay transfer or Jake Merklinger?
What does Tennessee football need from transfer portal?
The Vols need a wide receiver because they have only seven on scholarship for the 2025 season, including three freshmen. And they could explore options at defensive back, where injuries and portal departures have trimmed the depth chart.
Who is leaving Tennessee football via the transfer portal
Safety Jakobe Thomas
Jakobe Thomas, a 6-2, 202-pounder was in line to potentially start for the Vols in the 2025 season. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
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Last season, Thomas played in all 13 games. He had 22 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, one sack, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery. In 2024, he transferred from MTSU, where he was one of the best safeties in Conference USA.
Offensive tackle Larry Johnson (Colorado)
Larry Johnson committed to Colorado, according to numerous reports.
Johnson is a 6-7, 350-pounder who spent two seasons at Tennessee. He appeared in 15 games and spent spring practice competing with five-star signee David Sanders for the starting spot at right tackle.
Johnson transferred to Tennessee in December 2022 from Hutchinson Community College, and he took a redshirt in the 2023 season.
Wide receiver Dayton Sneed (North Carolina)
Walk-on receiver Dayton Sneed committed to North Carolina on April 22. The Nashville native appeared in seven games over the past two seasons, and he made two catches for 19 yards. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Offensive lineman Ayden Bussell
Ayden Bussell will be a redshirt sophomore in the 2025 season. He took a redshirt in 2023 and played three games last season. Bussell, a 6-5, 314-pounder, was a three-star recruit in the 2023 class out of Mount Juliet, Tennessee.
Defensive back Christian Charles (Virginia)
Christian Charles committed to transfer to Virginia, 247Sports reported.
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He will be a fifth-year senior in the 2025 season. He played 30 games with seven starts over four seasons but took a redshirt in 2023 after suffering a season-ending injury. In 2024, he played 10 games and made 28 tackles, including two for loss. But he sat out spring practice while rehabbing an injury.
Charles, a 6-1, 200-pounder, was a three-star recruit in the 2021 class. He played cornerback and safety for the Vols, but he was plagued by injuries during multiple stints of his career.
Safety John Slaughter (Colorado)
John Slaughter committed to Colorado, according to numerous reports.
Slaughter played in 23 games over two seasons at UT, mostly on special teams. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining. In 2024, he made five tackles and one interception in 10 games.
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Slaughter, a 6-2, 197-pounder, was a three-star recruit in the 2023 class. He was competing for a starting safety spot alongside returning starter Andre Turrentine. But it appeared Slaughter was behind Jakobe Thomas and Edrees Farooq on the depth chart.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava (UCLA)
Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star recruit, started as a redshirt freshman in 2024. He passed for 2,616 yards, 19 TDs and five interceptions en route to the Vols posting a 10-3 record and making the College Football Playoff.
Iamaleava took a redshirt in 2023, but earned the Citrus Bowl MVP in the final game of that season. After one season at UT’s starter, he transferred to UCLA.
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Who is joining Tennessee football via the transfer portal
Defensive lineman Josh Schell (Grand Valley State)
Josh Schell is a 6-3, 290-pounder who has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Schell played 13 games at Grand Valley State in the 2024 season. He made 35 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, six pass breakups, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Joey Aguilar passed for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns in two seasons at Appalachian State. Before that, he passed for almost 3,000 yards and 21 TDs in two seasons at Diablo Valley Community College in Pleasant Hill, California. He transferred to UCLA in January and went through spring practice there. But he re-entered the portal after Iamaleava transferred from Tennessee to UCLA.
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Aguilar, a 6-3, 220-pounder, is from Antioch, California. He started 24 games at Appalachian State.
In 2023, Aguilar was the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year and the Cure Bowl MVP after breaking multiple school records. He passed for 3,757 yards, 33 TDs and 10 interceptions. And he rushed for 249 yards and three TDs.
In 2024, Aguilar passed for 3,003 yards, 23 TDs and 14 interceptions. And he rushed for 207 yards and two TDs.
TENNESSEE QB COMPETITION How Joey Aguilar impacts Jake Merklinger in 2025 season
Who Tennessee added and lost in winter transfer portal
Vols added in winter portal:
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OG/C Sam Pendleton (Notre Dame)
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WR Amari Jefferson (Alabama)
Vols lost in winter portal:
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LB Kalib Perry (Louisville)
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WR Squirrel White (Florida State)
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TE Holden Staes (Indiana)
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TE Charlie Browder (ETSU)*
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DE Jayson Jenkins (Florida State)
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DB Christian Harrison (Cincinnati)
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RB Cam Seldon (Virginia Tech)
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WR Nate Spillman (Charlotte)*
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WR Nathan Leacock (Purdue, re-entered portal in spring)
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WR Chas Nimrod (South Florida)
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QB Ryan Damron (Stephen F. Austin)*
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LB Jalen Smith (Mississippi State)
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CB Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt)
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RB Khalifa Keith (Appalachian State)
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* Indicates player was a walk-on at Tennessee
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football transfer portal tracker: Who’s in, out in 2025
