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Tennessee football lands Michigan DB TJ Metcalf from transfer portal
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- Tennessee football lands Michigan DB TJ Metcalf from transfer portal
Michigan defensive back TJ Metcalf will transfer to Tennessee football , according to numerous reports, giving new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles the versatile veteran he needs in his secondary.
Metcalf has been a starter in the SEC at Arkansas and the Big Ten at Michigan.
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He has logged 37 career games over three seasons and has one season of eligibility remaining. And he has 129 tackles, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and 11 pass breakups in his career.
Metcalf can play safety and nickelback. He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention at Michigan mostly playing nickelback, and that's where the Vols might need him the most. Tennessee must replace Jalen McMurray (NFL draft) and Boo Carter (transferred to Colorado), who both played Star position, what UT calls its nickelback.
However, the safety position is critical in Knowles' defensive scheme, so Metcalf could be utilized there.
In the 2025 season, Metcalf had 58 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, one interception and one fumble recovery at Michigan.
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The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder is from Birmingham, Alabama. He was a three-star prospect when he signed with Arkansas in the 2023 class.
Tennessee has added 11 players from the portal: Metcalf, Tulane edge rusher Jordan Norman , Kansas State safety Qua Moss , LSU offensive tackle Ory Williams , Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee , Louisville kicker Cooper Ranvier and Oklahoma State wide receiver Gavin Freeman . The Vols also got defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam , linebacker Amare Campbell , edge rusher Chaz Coleman and safety Dejuan Lane , all out of Penn State .
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com . X, formerly known as Twitter @AdamSparks . Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe .
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TJ Metcalf, Michigan DB, transfers to Tennessee football
