Two RBs to Know Following Peyton Lewis Transferring From Tennessee Football

Two names that fans will need to know in the running back room following Tennessee football running back Peyton Lewis announcing that he will likely enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

De'Rail Sims | Tennessee Athletics/Youtube

Peyton Lewis leaving the Vols leaves Tennessee fans questioning how the room will look next season. However, there are two names that Tennessee fans need to know when it comes to the running back room, as these two could have a huge role with the Vols. Here are two names that fans need to know when it comes to the running back room entering the year 2026.

Daune Morris

Sep 20, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Daune Morris (19) runs the ball against the UAB Blazers during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Daune Morris is wrapping up his true freshman season, and he is now the slotted third-string back following Lewis ' announcement that he intends to enter the transfer portal and to depart from the Tennessee program. Morris is an in-state kid who has seen some playtime this year, with the majority of his recent reps coming from the punt return factor of the game following the departure of Boo Carter. Morris has become a top player for the future for the Tennessee Vols at the running back position, as he has shown plenty of flashes this season. Morris is a guy who is from the state of Tennessee, as he played high school football for Oakland High School (the same high school that Joel Wyatt signed to Tennessee football from earlier this month). He also played at Red Bank High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before the transfer that landed him in Murfreesboro.

As of now, he would be the second-string back for the Vols next season. This is because of them losing Star Thomas due to eligibility loss. He will be playing behind DeSean Bishop, who locked down his No. 1 RB role with the Vols during the season.

Justin Baker

Justin Baker

Justin Baker has the chance to be really good in the orange and white, but there were little to no reps for the prospect in this season with the Vols. He is someone who has a lot of power when running the ball and will be more of a power back for the Vols. This makes him a great pair with Morris, who is typically the better back when it comes to catching the ball out of the backfield; however, Baker is definitely the preferred back when it comes to being a 4th and inches situation.

Baker has been with the Vols for one season, and he is someone who had a lot of reps in high school with one of the better teams in the nation, as he played for Buford High School. This is a state championship-winning program this season, and when he was there, it was one of the better teams in the nation by far. Baker has plenty of potential and will be a name that fans need to watch.

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