The Tennessee Vols just received an unexpected boost days after the transfer portal closed
The Tennessee Vols received some big time news on Sunday evening.
The Tennessee Vols’ defense received an unexpected boost on Sunday evening.
According to a report from VolQuest, linebacker Arion Carter is returning to Tennessee in 2026.
Carter declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in December. He withdrew from the draft on Friday and subsequently entered the NCAA transfer portal.
The Tennessee native totaled 76 tackles in 2025, which was third on the team. Carter played in 10 of the Vols’ 13 games this past season.
Josh Heupel worked to get Arion Carter back to Tennessee
The main reason Carter withdrew from the draft was because of the turf toe injuries he dealt with during the 2025 season (he likely wasn’t going to be fully healthy for pre-draft testing).
On3’s Steve Wiltfong reported on Saturday afternoon that Tennessee was “back in the picture” with Carter — thanks in large part to Vols head coach Josh Heupel.
“Heupel has had ‘several conversations’ with Carter and has also talked with his parents Saturday, a source with knowledge tells On3,” noted Wiltfong. “Tennessee is now ‘up first’ before Carter explores other potential options.”
Wiltfong added that sources pointed out that Heupel had “invested hours” into getting Carter back to Tennessee.
The Vols added Penn State transfer linebacker Amare Campbell to the roster earlier this month. Campbell played under new Vols defensive coordinator Jim Knowles at Penn State in 2025.
Pairing Carter with Campbell instantly makes Tennessee’s linebacker room one of the most talented units in the SEC.
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