Tennessee had a gargantuan NCAA transfer portal haul Saturday, receiving commitments from former West Virginia offensive lineman Donovan Haslam, former Tulane running back Javin Gordon, former Michigan cornerback Tevis Metcalf, former South Alabama tight end Trent Thomas, and former Appalachian State safety DJ Burks.
Just like that, the Volunteers went from 10 arrivals via the portal to 15, and the influx may not be over.
The 6-foot-3, 346-pound Haslam played in all 12 games this past season for the Big 12’s Mountaineers, seeing time at both guard spots and at left tackle. He started the last five games, including West Virginia’s 45-35 road upset of No. 22 Houston on Nov. 1.
“Committed and 100% locked in,” Haslam posted Saturday morning on social media. “I’m proud to announce my commitment to the University of Tennessee. Let’s work.”
Though the portal’s 15-day window closed Friday night, there will continue to be announcements through Wednesday due to universities having 48 business hours to process the various entries and with Monday being Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a national holiday. On3.com reported Saturday that 3,256 Football Bowl Subdivision scholarship players entered the portal during the window that began Jan. 2.
Haslam is from Perry, Georgia, and began his career at Austin Peay. He played in 10 games for the Governors in 2022 and two in 2023, receiving a redshirt year. He then played all 12 games in 2024, including nine as the starting left tackle.
Though he has only one remaining season of eligibility, Haslam has more than 1,200 career snaps and can provide depth at multiple spots up front for the Volunteers.
“They say they need a guard, and they need somebody who can move some people,” Haslam told 247Sports.com. “They feel like I can be the piece to the puzzle and I guess get it started up front.”
The 5-10, 200-pound Gordon rushed 128 times for 516 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and five touchdowns as a freshman for the Green Wave, who reached the College Football Playoff before losing at Ole Miss 41-10. He is from Toccoa, Georgia, and visited Knoxville on Thursday.
“They say that I’ll fit right in,” Gordon told 247Sports.com. “They want me to come in, work, keep my head down, have a little 1-2 punch with (DeSean) Bishop and get this thing back to the playoffs.”
Metcalf is the younger brother of TJ Metcalf, who was a Michigan safety this past season and had previously signed with Tennessee during this portal window. The younger Metcalf is a 5-10, 198-pounder from Birmingham, Alabama, who tallied three tackles and a forced fumble as a sophomore for the Wolverines.
The Vols had been seeking another tight end after Jack Van Dorselaer entered the portal, and they got one with South Alabama’s Thomas, a 6-5, 254-pounder from Mobile. Thomas had four catches for 34 yards this past season as a redshirt sophomore.
Burks is a 6-foot, 200-pounder who played at Maryville High School and will have one year with the Vols. At App State this past season, he had 73 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Meanwhile, former Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter, who revealed on Dec. 12 that he would be declaring for the NFL draft and bypassed the Music City Bowl loss to Illinois, withdrew from the draft pool and entered the transfer portal. Since his departure, the Vols added former Penn State linebacker Amare Campbell to accompany the returning likes of Jadon Perlotte, Edwin Spillman and Jeremiah Telander.
Carter did lead the Southeastern Conference in tackles this past season with 7.6 per game.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.