ESPN names the most important player the Tennessee Vols retained for the 2026 college football season
The Tennessee Vols kept several key players on Rocky Top this offseason.
The Tennessee Vols’ roster will look a little different in 2026 than it did in 2025.
Tennessee was extremely active in the transfer portal this offseason, making 21 transfer additions — by far the most the program has made in the portal era (the previous high was 10 in 2021).
The Volunteers also lost some players to the transfer portal. 28 players, to be exact.
Along with all of the portal movement,Tennessee managed to keep numerous key players from leaving Rocky Top.
ESPN names the most important player that Tennessee retained this offseason
ESPN’s Max Olson this week named a key player each preseason top 25 team retained.
Olson went with linebacker Arion Carter for the Vols.
Carter initially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. But after having surgery for the turf toe injury he dealt with in 2025 (in both toes), Carter was not going to be able to participate in the NFL scouting combine and other pre-draft workouts.
The former four-star recruit entered the NCAA transfer portal after withdrawing from the NFL Draft, but he quickly made the decision to return to Tennessee (entering the portal was a procedural move in case his return to Tennessee didn’t work out).
“Carter returned to the Vols after exploring all his options for 2026,” wrote Olson. “The second-team All-SEC selection declared for the NFL draft in early December, then entered his name in the transfer portal in January before deciding to stay in Knoxville for his senior season. He’ll have an opportunity to be a three-year starter for the Vols and boost his draft stock with another strong season after producing 76 tackles, six TFLs and 1.5 sacks in 2025.”
There are several other players Tennessee retained who are equally important — such as wide receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley — but Carter is the only one who initially looked to be moving on.
Tennessee’s linebacker room is overflowing with talent, with Carter returning to join Penn State transfer Amare Campbell, Jeremiah Telander, Edwin Spillman, Jadon Perlotte, and Jaedon Harmon.
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