You can't keep everyone in the transfer portal era, and the Tennessee Vols lost a pretty good one this past offseason.
On3 released its mid-season All-American team on Tuesday and a couple of current Tennessee players made the first team.
A former Vol who transferred away from Tennessee last offseason also made the first team.
Vols running back DeSean Bishop and defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam were both named midseason All-Americans by On3.
Former Tennessee offensive lineman Lance Heard, who transferred to Kentucky in January, was also named a first-team All-American.
"One of Will Stein's priorities in building Kentucky's roster was finding an elite left tackle, and the Wildcats were able to pluck Heard away from Tennessee in the transfer portal," noted On3's Chris Low. "The 6-6, 325-pound senior has started at three different SEC schools after beginning his career at LSU and is a key reason Kentucky is tied with Georgia atop the SEC standings with three wins over nationally ranked teams."
Heard is playing like an early-round NFL draft pick this season. He's certainly a player that would've made Tennessee a better team this season, but the Vols weren't willing to "overpay" him to be the team's starting right tackle this fall.
Instead, Heard received a big payday from Kentucky to be the Wildcats' starting left tackle.
While Heard is obviously a talented player who could've helped the Vols in 2026, it's worth pointing out that Tennessee's offensive line has played well the last couple of weeks. So sure, Heard was a loss, but Tennessee's offensive line is finding its way with the guys who chose to be Vols.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Former Vol who transferred away from Tennessee after the 2025 season named a mid-season All-American
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