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Tennessee football has its quarterback, but it needs wide receivers to bring out the best in UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar.
The transfer portal is open through April 25, and UT is trying get new receivers from it.
That’s not to say that the cupboard is bare. Chris Brazzell returns as a productive receiver. Mike Matthews is a former five-star recruit. Coaches like the upside of Braylon Staley at slot receiver.
But the Vols are projected to have only seven receivers on the 2025 roster, and they're mostly inexperienced. More talent and depth are needed.
Here are three receivers that UT is vying for (or should consider) in the portal.
Marion has what Tennessee needs: Playmaking ability in the open field.
He’s a solid receiver with 44 catches for 562 yards over the past two seasons at BYU. But most notably, he’s an all-purpose threat.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Marion had five rushing TDs on jet sweeps and creative runs from wide receiver in 2023-24. And he was a first-team All-American as a kick returner last season, breaking a 96-yard TD against Utah and a 100-yard TD against Arizona State.
He started his career at UConn. His best season was as a freshman in 2021, when he had 28 receptions for 474 yards and five TDs.
Marion, an Atlanta native, reportedly is considering Tennessee, Arizona State, Colorado, Miami and SMU among others.
Hurry is looking for his third school in four years. He leveled up from Weber State (2022-23) to San Jose State (2024), and now he’s looking to take another step.
Hurry, a 6-2, 194-pounder from Palmdale, California, had 28 catches for 482 yards and two TDs at San Jose State last season. He caught the game-winning TD against Stanford and made the No. 3 play on ESPN's SportsCenter with a fourth-quarter reception against Washington State.
Hurry posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he has received scholarship offers from Tennessee, Baylor, Florida State, BYU, Miami, South Florida, Louisville and West Virginia.
This may be a long shot because Pena is reportedly seeking about $2 million in NIL money.
Then again, the Vols should have a little extra money to spend after dropping quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s NIL contract for the more affordable Aguilar. Perhaps that could at least get UT’s foot in the door.
Pena is coming off an All-ACC season at Syracuse. He had 84 receptions for 941 yards and nine TDs. The 6-foot, 184-pounder is a New Jersey native.
Penn State is considered the frontrunner. But if the price drops, Tennessee may join in.
UT needs to add a wide receiver because it had only seven on scholarship projected for the 2025 roster.
Brazzell is the most experienced with 29 receptions for 333 yards and two TDs last season. Matthews had seven receptions for 90 yards and two TDs as a freshman. Staley had three catches for 21 yards in four games as a freshman.
No other UT receivers have made a catch in college. Alabama transfer Amari Jefferson took a redshirt last season, and he was limited by a 2024 injury during spring practice.
Freshmen Travis Smith and Radarious Jackson, both four-star recruits, enrolled in January and participated in spring practice. Freshman Joakim Dodson, a three-star recruit, will enroll this summer.
JOEY AGUILAR How he impacts Tennessee QB competition, Jake Merklinger
UT must replace its top three receivers from last season.
Dont’e Thornton and Bru McCoy are preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, and Squirrel White transferred to Florida State.
Reserves Chas Nimrod (South Florida), Kaleb Webb (Maryland), Nathan Leacock (Purdue) and walk-on Nate Spillman (Charlotte) also transferred in a mass exodus of receivers that left the Vols short-handed.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football WR transfer portal targets for QB Joey Aguilar
Continue reading...
The transfer portal is open through April 25, and UT is trying get new receivers from it.
That’s not to say that the cupboard is bare. Chris Brazzell returns as a productive receiver. Mike Matthews is a former five-star recruit. Coaches like the upside of Braylon Staley at slot receiver.
But the Vols are projected to have only seven receivers on the 2025 roster, and they're mostly inexperienced. More talent and depth are needed.
Here are three receivers that UT is vying for (or should consider) in the portal.
Keelan Marion, BYU
Marion has what Tennessee needs: Playmaking ability in the open field.
He’s a solid receiver with 44 catches for 562 yards over the past two seasons at BYU. But most notably, he’s an all-purpose threat.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Marion had five rushing TDs on jet sweeps and creative runs from wide receiver in 2023-24. And he was a first-team All-American as a kick returner last season, breaking a 96-yard TD against Utah and a 100-yard TD against Arizona State.
He started his career at UConn. His best season was as a freshman in 2021, when he had 28 receptions for 474 yards and five TDs.
Marion, an Atlanta native, reportedly is considering Tennessee, Arizona State, Colorado, Miami and SMU among others.
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TreyShun Hurry, San Jose State
Hurry is looking for his third school in four years. He leveled up from Weber State (2022-23) to San Jose State (2024), and now he’s looking to take another step.
Hurry, a 6-2, 194-pounder from Palmdale, California, had 28 catches for 482 yards and two TDs at San Jose State last season. He caught the game-winning TD against Stanford and made the No. 3 play on ESPN's SportsCenter with a fourth-quarter reception against Washington State.
Hurry posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he has received scholarship offers from Tennessee, Baylor, Florida State, BYU, Miami, South Florida, Louisville and West Virginia.
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Trebor Pena, Syracuse
This may be a long shot because Pena is reportedly seeking about $2 million in NIL money.
Then again, the Vols should have a little extra money to spend after dropping quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s NIL contract for the more affordable Aguilar. Perhaps that could at least get UT’s foot in the door.
Pena is coming off an All-ACC season at Syracuse. He had 84 receptions for 941 yards and nine TDs. The 6-foot, 184-pounder is a New Jersey native.
Penn State is considered the frontrunner. But if the price drops, Tennessee may join in.
You must be registered for see images attach
Who Tennessee football has at wide receiver
UT needs to add a wide receiver because it had only seven on scholarship projected for the 2025 roster.
Brazzell is the most experienced with 29 receptions for 333 yards and two TDs last season. Matthews had seven receptions for 90 yards and two TDs as a freshman. Staley had three catches for 21 yards in four games as a freshman.
No other UT receivers have made a catch in college. Alabama transfer Amari Jefferson took a redshirt last season, and he was limited by a 2024 injury during spring practice.
Freshmen Travis Smith and Radarious Jackson, both four-star recruits, enrolled in January and participated in spring practice. Freshman Joakim Dodson, a three-star recruit, will enroll this summer.
JOEY AGUILAR How he impacts Tennessee QB competition, Jake Merklinger
Why Tennessee is short-handed at wide receiver
UT must replace its top three receivers from last season.
Dont’e Thornton and Bru McCoy are preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, and Squirrel White transferred to Florida State.
Reserves Chas Nimrod (South Florida), Kaleb Webb (Maryland), Nathan Leacock (Purdue) and walk-on Nate Spillman (Charlotte) also transferred in a mass exodus of receivers that left the Vols short-handed.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football WR transfer portal targets for QB Joey Aguilar
Continue reading...
