Tennessee Football Defensive Lineman Jayson Jenkins Set to Join Transfer Portal
Another Tennessee football defender is poised to make a move into the transfer portal. According to a report from 247Sports on Monday, defensive lineman Jayson Jenkins plans to transfer after spending two seasons with the Vols.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 280 pounds, Jenkins committed to Tennessee as a three-star prospect from Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, as part of the 2022 recruiting class, which ranked 12th in the final Rivals Recruiting Teams rankings. Jenkins received offers from Florida, Boston College, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and others.
He made his college debut as a freshman in Tennessee’s 2022 season opener against Ball State and then redshirted for the rest of the season. During his redshirt freshman year, Jenkins played in six games, accumulating four tackles and a tackle for loss throughout Tennessee’s 9-4 campaign. He still has three years of eligibility left.
Jenkins becomes the second member of the Vols’ defense to enter the transfer portal since the spring portal window opened last week. Linebacker Elijah Herring entered on April 15 after leading Tennessee in tackles as a sophomore in 2023. The spring transfer window remains open until April 30.
Despite these departures, the Vols completed spring practices on April 15 with a wealth of depth and experience on the defensive line for the upcoming season. Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. returns after an impressive sophomore season, while Omari Thomas and Omarr Norman-Lott, both returning starters, will anchor the interior.