Why Josh Heupel will – or won’t – add players in transfer portal for Tennessee football

Just as Tennessee spring football practice ends, the transfer portal opens.

The Vols don’t have many holes on their depth chart, but they may still look to upgrade at a few positions.

Keep in mind, this spring portal window, which opens Tuesday, isn’t like the winter window.

There are fewer elite players in the portal this time around. And because they’re transferring after spring practice, their adjustment could be too slow to make a major impact during the season.

Plus, the asking price for the best players in the spring window is usually inflated in terms of NIL money. If a team wants them this late in the process, they must really need them.

That drives the price up and drives away some teams.

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What Josh Heupel will look for in transfer portal

Coach Josh Heupel said UT must be selective, especially making sure that any new players don’t disrupt team chemistry.

“You’re trying to make your roster as good as it can be,” Heupel said after UT’s spring game Saturday. “We’ll go through that process and have exit meetings with our own players.

“I think the culture piece is extremely important, in particular at this time of year because there’s not a lot of time with them before training camp. So it’s got to be mature guys that you’re bringing into your program.”

Here’s where the Vols could consider adding a player from the portal during the upcoming 15-day window.

Backup running back, just in case

Dylan Sampson is the undisputed starter at running back. He’s the only one remaining from last season’s three-man backfield rotation because Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small declared for the NFL Draft.

But backup Cam Seldon underwent surgery after suffering a shoulder injury in spring practice. And freshman Peyton Lewis underwent minor shoulder surgery after he enrolled in January.

Heupel said Seldon’s rehab schedule would determine whether the Vols consider adding a transfer running back.

If they do not, former Karns standout DeSean Bishop would serve as the backup, at least until Seldon returns to full health. Power back Khalifa Keith also would be in the mix.

Bishop, a redshirt freshman, missed last season due to an injury. And Keith had only 11 carries for 24 yards as a freshman. Plus, shoulder injuries can have nagging effects on running backs, so Seldon and Lewis aren’t guaranteed to make an immediate impact.

In the portal, UT would need a veteran running back who could be a backup to Sampson without disrupting the group or costing too much NIL money. That’s a small needle to thread.

Offensive guard for yet another option

It’s hard to imagine that UT wouldn’t have enough options to choose from at left guard. But it’s still a possibility for various reasons.

Andrej Karic started early last season after transferring from Texas. But he struggled and then suffered an injury, which held him out of spring practice.

Jackson Lampley played well in the first two starts of his career to finish last season. But there’s a question of whether the fifth-year senior is a solid starter or a serviceable backup.

The same can be said for Dayne Davis, a veteran backup tackle who moved to guard this spring.

Redshirt freshman Shamurad Umarov also moved from tackle to guard to try to fill the vacant starting spot. And redshirt freshman Vysen Lang could slide to guard, but he spent all spring trying to show he can be Cooper Mays’ backup at center.

UT could add another option at guard. But he likely would carry the same uncertainty as the players currently in the competition.

Replacing players who enter portal

There’s a scenario in which UT loses enough players at a position in the portal that it needs to replenish for depth purposes.

No UT players have announced their intention to enter the portal. But it’s plausible that a few could do so because it’s evident that they’ve faded on the depth chart or been passed by newcomers.

Wide receiver or defensive back could be positions to watch.

In the winter portal window, UT added three transfers in the secondary, and they all appear to be in the rotation.

At wide receiver, Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell, five-star freshman Mike Matthews and four-star freshman Braylon Staley made strong first impressions in spring.

If multiple players at the same position enter the portal, UT might have to be in the market to replace them sooner than later.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Tennessee football will – or won’t – add players in the transfer portal