ESPN recently listed 11 "sleepers" available in the NCAA transfer portal and there are a couple of them that could be a good fit for the Tennessee Vols.

One of the Vols' biggest needs is at cornerback. Tennessee had one of the worst pass defenses in the nation this season and they could certainly use some added talent to that position unit.

ESPN listed SE Louisiana cornerback Zy Alexander as a sleeper that could help an FBS team.

Alexander has good height and good ball skills — two attributes that Tennessee would undoubtedly welcome on Rocky Top.

From ESPN:

Tall corners with length and ball skills are rare, but Alexander received little exposure out of high school as part of the 2020 recruiting cycle. He broke out in 2021 for Southeastern Louisiana, snagging six interceptions and defending 13 more passes. In 2022, he had three additional picks, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He was also great in the open field, utilizing his length and recovery speed fundamentals for 17 solo tackles. Alexander has excellent range and instincts for the football. He was able to lock down the best wide receiver on the field at the FCS level, and chances are he will do the same at the FBS level.

The other sleeper that Tennessee should pursue is Rhode Island offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius.

From ESPN:

Cornelius played at FCS Rhode Island but may be the best offensive lineman in the portal. Coming from a smaller private school in New York, he had good size but lacked Power 5 functional strength and agility. That weight is now distributed properly on his long frame and he's more agile with better bend in pass protection. His best asset is as a run blocker, where he shows great pop and explosion off the ball. Technically, Cornelius is also very sound and should make a smooth transition to the next level.

Tennessee has extended an offer to Cornelius so we'll see how aggressively they pursue him. The Vols are losing guard Jerome Carvin to the NFL. Cornelius could slide right into that vacated role.

The portal is a quick way to build depth and improve a roster, but it's not a great way to build a team. The best way to build a team is still through recruiting. There are a lot of great players that hit the portal, but there are also a lot of players who probably aren't going to make an impact that hit the portal.

If a player who was a non-factor at one SEC school transfers to another SEC school, why should there be an expectation that he'll suddenly become a factor at his new program?

That's part of why navigating the portal is so difficult for college football head coaches.

I expect the Vols to make some additions, but I don't know if they'll be adding quite as many players from the portal as some folks think they will.

Featured image via Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports