Football notes: Tennessee adds LB, loses OT to portal

Tennessee officially announced the addition of 18 newcomers on Monday, welcoming in the bulk of the class of 2022 signees. Four-star quarterback Tayven Jackson, four-star defensive tackle Tyre West and four-star offensive lineman Addison Nichols headline the additions, as each get set to take on spring practice with Josh Heupel’s staff.

The Volunteers also announced a few transfers that we knew about, along with a new name. Linebacker Jackson Hannah has joined the roster, coming over as a preferred walk-on from Nebraska. Tennessee has a numbers issue at the position, and adding another body will obviously help them get through the spring smoother while boosting depth for the fall.

Hannah is out of Nashville, playing high school football at MBA. The 6-3, 220 pound linebacker has three years of eligibility left, and is a former top 500 overall prospect. He played in all 12 games for Nebraska this season on special teams duty.

Elsewhere on the Tennessee roster, offensive tackle Chris Akporoghene has entered the transfer portal. The former three-star recruit just finished up his third season with Tennessee after signing with Jeremy Pruitt back in the 2019 class. Akporoghene is listed as a graduate-transfer and should have three seasons left to play, wherever he lands.

Tennessee also lost Cade Mays to the NFL Draft this offseason, leaving Dayne Davis and Jeremiah Crawford as potential replacements. The Volunteers are set to return the other four starters up front, which is a nice luxury for Heupel entering year two.

The Vols will also add Addison Nichols, Mo Clipper and Brian Grant into the offensive line mix from the 2022 class, along with Florida transfer Gerald Mincey.