Tennessee Football EDGE Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

This Tennessee Vols EDGE rusher decides it is time to enter his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Emmanuel Okoye inside Neyland Stadium | Emmanuel Okoye

The Tennessee Volunteers have the chance to become one of the better teams in the offseason, but in order to do that, they will have to need to make some moves and keep the players that they can on the roster, especially the ones who have the chance to play.

Tennessee has already lost some of its talented prospects. One of the players that they lost is on the defensive side of the football, and was once listed as a freak athlete, but at the same time was listed as a prospect who would be a project player. That player is Emmanuel Okoye, who is one of the better players in terms of size and muscle mass at the EDGE position. Okoye has had experience playing both tight end and EDGE, but only seen the field as an EDGE with the University of Tennessee.

Okoye has been one of the expected names to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal from the Vols roster, as he was likely going to be in the middle of the depth chart yet again, which would be the fourth year in a row that this would be the case. You can't blame a talented prospect like Okoye for entering the transfer portal, because he could have left a long time ago for the same situation. It is also likely that a large majority of the fanbase wants to see him succeed after sticking it out with the orange and white.

Here is what he had to say in his farewell message to VolNation.

Emmanuel Okoye Announces His NCAA Transfer Portal Decision

Nov 29, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

"DEAR VOL NATION, After a lot of prayer and reflection, I've decided to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. Tennessee has been home for the past three years, and my time here has been filled with highs, lows, lessons, and growth that I'll carry with me forever. I'm beyond grateful for the coaches who believed in me, pushed me, and treated me like family, as well as my teammates who became my brothers. Wearing the Power T was an honor I'll never take for granted. WITH 3 YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY REMAINING, I'm ready for the next chapter of my journey, one where I can continue to grow as a player and a man. Thank you to Vol Nation for the unwavering support and love. FOREVER GRATEFUL," Emmanuel Okoye stated when making his post on X.

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