This is the third installment of an examination of recruiting classes under Josh Heupel.
In the modern era of college football, transfers are very common. Tennessee's 2023 recruiting class is no exception to the trend.
Now three seasons following the 2023 class, 18 players of the 25-person crew have transferred out. Here's what happened to every member of Heupel's third recruiting class.
Edge rusher Chandavian Bradley left the Vols after one season to attend Hutchinson Community College. Linebacker Jalen Smith entered the transfer portal after two seasons, heading to Mississippi State. Offensive tackle Vysen Lang did the same, moving to Troy after two years in Knoxville.
Running back Cristian Conyer went to Coastal Carolina after a season, and safety Jack Luttrell went to Arizona after his first season with the Vols. Wide receiver Nate Spillman moved after two seasons to go to Charlotte.
Wide receiver Cameron Seldon played just two seasons for the Vols, leaving for Virginia Tech after the 2024 season. Wide receiver Nathan Leacock also left after 2024, going to Purdue. Cornerback Jordan Matthews spent two years on Tennessee's roster before moving to rival Vanderbilt.
Offensive tackle Larry Johnson III played two seasons with Tennessee before leaving for Colorado and Deion Sanders. Saftey John Slaughter made the same move to Boulder after three years. Offensive tackle Ayden Bussell left in the spring portal in 2025, going to West Virginia.
Five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava was the headline signing of the 2023 class, and he began to prove why with his play in 2024 when he led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff. Following the season, Iamaleava left the Vols in the spring portal due to a dispute with the Vols over NIL payment, going to UCLA.
Edge rusher Caleb Herring spent three years with the Vols, recently entering the transfer portal and going to South Carolina. Tight end and England native Emmanuel Okoye left for California after three seasons of limited reps. Cornerback Rickey Gibson III missed most of the 2025 season due to injury and transferred to Texas A&M following the most recent season.
Offensive lineman Trevor Duncan entered the portal after three seasons and moved to The Citadel. Running back Khalifa Keith left after two years to go to Appalachian State and has since transferred to Alabama, where he will play in 2026.
Defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs has become more of a contributor for the Vols over the course of his career. After missing time due to injury, Hobbs recorded 30 tackles in five games, forcing a fumble against Arkansas. Hobbs will return to Tennessee in 2026.
Offensive lineman Shamurad Umarov has progressed over his career with the Vols and started nine games during his redshirt sophomore season in 2025. He returns to the Vols in 2026 poised to continue his progress. Tight end Ethan Davis has enjoyed similar progress with the Vols and looks to break out next season following Miles Kitselman's graduation.
Linebacker Arion Carter hinted at leaving following a strong 2025 season, going so far as to enter the transfer portal. He later decided to return to Knoxville for 2026, hoping to build on a good 2025 where he led the SEC with 7.6 tackles per game. Defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby got more playing time in the rotation in 2025 and will hope for a good season under Jim Knowles.
Defensive lineman Nathan Robinson was part of Tennessee's rotation in 2025, recording 14 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. Linebacker Jeremiah Telander will return for 2026 and look to continue his strong standard of play under Knowles.