Tennessee Vols have some of the top odds to land transfer QB

The Tennessee Vols could use a quarterback from the transfer portal this offseason to serve as a backup to Nico Iamaleava, who is expected to take over as UT's starter next season.  Behind Nico, the Vols have four-star quarterback Jake Merklinger (who will sign later this month) and walk-on Gaston Moore.  A more experienced option […]

Zach Ragan — Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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The Tennessee Vols could use a quarterback from the transfer portal this offseason to serve as a backup to Nico Iamaleava, who is expected to take over as UT's starter next season. 

Behind Nico, the Vols have four-star quarterback Jake Merklinger (who will sign later this month) and walk-on Gaston Moore. 

A more experienced option with a higher ceiling would be ideal, though that won't be easy to find. Most quarterbacks in the transfer portal are looking for an opportunity to start immediately. 

But despite that situation, Tennessee, according to SportsBetting.ag, has some of the best odds in the country to land Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel out of the portal. 

Here are their odds: 

Mississippi State +100

Oregon +300

Ohio State +500

Tennessee +500

Florida State +600

UCLA +700

Texas A&M +800

Notre Dame +1000

USC +1200

Washington +1500

Miami +2000

Ole Miss +2200

Wisconsin +2500

Oklahoma State +3300

There's an obvious connection between Gabriel and Tennessee as he played for Vols head coach Josh Heupel at UCF from 2019 to 2020. But it seems incredibly unlikely that he'll consider Tennessee because of the Vols' current situation at quarterback (again, everyone knows Nico is the guy for Tennessee in 2024). 

Gabriel, however, is the one quarterback in the transfer portal that could play immediately in Heupel's system thanks to their time together at UCF (plus Gabriel played under Jeff Lebby, Heupel's former offensive coordinator, for the last two seasons). 

For now, the college football industry seems to think that USC and Oregon are the top potential transfer destinations for Gabriel. You never say never, but I'd be surprised to see Tennessee become a viable option for Gabriel. 

This isn't a bet I'd recommend making, despite the favorable odds. 

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