Tennessee Volunteers just saw another big shift as tight end Holden Staes announced his entry into the NCAA Transfer Portal on Thursday. The former Notre Dame transfer was a key contributor to the offense, sharing the tight end spotlight with teammates Miles Kitselman, Ethan Davis, and himself.
Speculation had already been swirling about Kitselman potentially gaining another year of eligibility, following Diego Pavia’s JUCO eligibility boost. With Staes now in the portal, it could open the door for Davis to take on a more prominent role, while the Vols’ tight end future remains strong, thanks to two incoming four-star recruits, Jack VanDorselaer and DaSaahn Brame, from the 2025 class.
While Staes’ departure is a blow to Tennessee’s offensive depth, there’s still plenty of talent on the horizon. In addition to Davis stepping up, Charlie Browder also entered the portal on Thursday morning, adding to the reshuffling. With Alec Abeln now facing a tougher challenge, the Vols’ tight end position could look very different moving forward—but the future still looks bright. Meanwhile, Kitselman’s status is still up in the air, but his potential return could be a game-changer. Stay tuned!
