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The Tennessee Volunteers have experienced a deal of transfer portal drama following the conclusion of the 2024 college football season. Despite making a playoff appearance, the Vols have seen a mass exodus in the receiver room.
A handful of pass catchers have opted to leave the program, including stars Squirrel White and Mike Matthews. More hysteria arose on Sunday thanks to a post from five-star offensive lineman David Sanders Jr.
Sanders signed with the Vols in the most recent cycle. He’s been on campus for a few weeks, suiting up in practice for Tennessee during postseason prep.
On Sunday, he posted a cryptic message to his Instagram story. A reaction from the UT fanbase immediately followed.
Oh boy, here we go pic.twitter.com/DzpuhEwNPY
— zach ragan (@zachTNT) December 29, 2024
The post and accompanying emoji mirrored previous transfer announcements from now-former Tennessee players. Fortunately for the Vols, it appears to be a troll.
The transfer portal has officially closed. David Sanders isn’t going anywhere. It seems he simply wanted to get a reaction.
Sanders was considered a Top 10 player in the ’24 recruiting class. His departure would be a massive blow considering he’s yet to take a snap at his new school. That doesn’t seem to be the case in this instance.
While Sanders appears set to remain in Knoxville, the same can’t be said for a number of others. Tennessee lost 13 players to the transfer portal, including six wide receivers. Some have already selected their next destination while others continue to search.
Good vibes leading into the new year pic.twitter.com/CkpedbMy4I
— kaleb webb (@kalebwebb3) December 29, 2024
Kaleb Webb riled the Vols this week after committing to play for Maryland in 2025. A former four-star wideout, he recorded 48 receiving yards this past season.
The reasoning behind the mass exodus, specifically at the receiver position, is unclear. The WR room is looking much thinner than it did for Tennessee’s playoff matchup against Ohio State. With all of that being said, some players are making light of the situation. David Sanders chose to troll his own fanbase after a hectic transfer season.