Tennessee Football Named as Team to Watch For Standout Safety Transfer

The Vols will compete for one of the better players in the nation at the safety position.

Nov 8, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions safety King Mack (16) intercepts the ball during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers have been quick to make some moves when it comes to the staff and the players that they want to join them for this next and upcoming season, as the Vols have the chance to land many high-level prospects in the transfer portal.

The Tennessee Volunteers mostly need to land some defensive help out of the portal. The Vols have a lot of different players that they are already targeting, and they have already started to circle some positions that they need the most out of the many position groups.

There are many different players that has started to be targeted for one of the positions, which is the safety position. A position that will be coached by a new coach and a position that is one of the groups with razor-thin depth for the Vols at this time. Tennessee landed its new safeties coach, who will not only be the safeties coach but also the co-defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Volunteers. He will work alongside Jim Knowles, who was hired from the same staff, and is a guy who has a long resume of putting together successful defenses. The safeties coach, Anthony Poindexter, has already started to make some moves with the safeties in the portal. He is even looking at potentially bringing in one of his guys, which seems to be a real possibility, as the Vols have been named as the team to watch.

King Mack Linked to Tennessee Football

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) catches a pass in front of Penn State Nittany Lions safety King MacK (16) and cornerback Audavion Collins (2) during the NCAA football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 1, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That player is King Mack. Mack is a very talented safety from the state of Florida, as he attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School (one of the better high school programs in the state of Florida). He would transfer to the Alabama Crimson Tide following a season with Penn State, and after he would make his way back to the Penn State Nittany Lions out of the transfer portal. He is now back in the transfer portal for the third time and has the chance to find a new home that will treat him well. The first school that comes to mind is the Tennessee Volunteers. A program that he has been linked to, but his coach is now at. This would be a home run for the Vols, as he is rated as a top-90 prospect and the 8th best safety according to Rival/On3. Mack finished this season with 58 total tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception at the safety position.

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