Intriguing player enters NCAA transfer portal that the Tennessee Vols should immediately pursue
If there's one area where the Tennessee Vols could use some help from the NCAA transfer portal in 2024, it's along the offensive line. For now, there's a lot of uncertainty at several offensive line positions. Center Cooper Mays and right guard Javontez Spraggins each have another year of eligibility they could use, but it's […]
If there's one area where the Tennessee Vols could use some help from the NCAA transfer portal in 2024, it's along the offensive line.
For now, there's a lot of uncertainty at several offensive line positions. Center Cooper Mays and right guard Javontez Spraggins each have another year of eligibility they could use, but it's unclear if they'll return for another season.
Left tackle John Campbell, a Miami transfer who played well for the Vols in 2023, is out of eligibility. Offensive tackle Jeremiah Crawford, who has played right tackle and left tackle for Tennessee, was a fifth year senior in 2023 and doesn't appear to have any eligibility remaining.
Additionally, the Vols need to figure out a solution at left guard, a position that was an issue at times this season after losing Jerome Carvin to the NFL last spring.
Not only does Tennessee need to add some starting options, they need to add some depth, which they lacked in 2023.
Intriguing offensive lineman enters NCAA transfer portal that Tennessee Vols should pursue
Princeton offensive tackle Jalen Travis entered the NCAA transfer portal on Tuesday and he's a player that Tennessee should definitely be trying to bring to Rocky Top.
Travis has one year of eligibility remaining. It appears he's looking to transfer in an effort to boost his NFL stock (that's where the Vols can sell Darnell Wright going from not being on the draft radar to being a top 10 overall pick).
The Minneapolis, MN native is a 6-foot-9/315 lb offensive tackle who has already received some NFL interest. In fact, there was some thought that he might enter the NFL draft after his career at Princeton was finished.
Travis, a former basketball player who has two older brothers who played college basketball (and a sister who played college basketball as well as another sister who plays college volleyball), is extremely athletic and extremely smart (if he didn't have a future in the NFL, he'd likely be heading to law school). He's the type of player who could be an instant fit in Tennessee's unique up-tempo offense.
The NCAA portal can be full of gambles. Not every player looking for a new program is worthy of a starting spot — especially in the SEC. But Travis is the rare type of plug-n-play starter that can pay instant dividends for a program. Tennessee might not be able to bring him to Knoxville, depending on what he's looking for in his next program, but they should certainly make a strong effort to add the former Princeton offensive lineman to the roster.
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