One of the Tennessee Vols’ top transfer targets has committed to another SEC program
One of the Tennessee Vols’ defensive transfer portal targets committed to another SEC program late Saturday night.
One of the Tennessee Vols’ top transfer portal targets has committed to another SEC program before his scheduled visit to UT.
Baylor transfer linebacker Keaton Thomas was expected to visit Tennessee early next week, but he committed to Ole Miss on Saturday night.
Thomas, a former three-star recruit from Jacksonville, FL, totaled 99 tackles, a sack, three passes defensed, and an interception in 2025.
VolQuest’s Austin Price mentioned during an appearance on 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will last week that Tennessee was taking a “hard look” at Thomas.
“I think Tennessee would look to add a linebacker,” said Price. “Keaton Thomas at Baylor is someone Tennessee’s been taking a hard look at since he announced his intentions to go into the portal. That’s one I could see Tennessee getting in here for a visit and seeing where things go.
“You just don’t know what (new Vols defensive coordinator) Jim Knowles wants. How does he want to construct the defense? How does he want to rotate that position. That’s the position he’s coached individually himself for many years — up until when he got to Penn State. So I think a lot of it (transfer portal strategy) depends on what Jim Knowles wants to do.”
It’s unclear whether Thomas will still visit Tennessee this week, but it seems fair to expect that the trip won’t happen.
Who else is Tennessee targeting at linebacker?
With Thomas heading to Ole Miss, it likely makes North Carolina transfer linebacker Khmori House an even bigger target for the Volunteers.
House, who is expected to visit Tennessee on Sunday, started his career at Washington before transferring to North Carolina ahead of the 2025 season.
Tennessee linebackers coach William Inge recruited House to Washington during the 2024 recruiting cycle (Inge, however, didn’t coach House at Washington).
“That’s my guy, we have a great relationship,” said House of Inge in 2023. “He has been with me from the beginning.”
Tennessee will likely add just one transfer linebacker to its roster this offseason.
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