The Tennessee Volunteers appear to be on the verge of bolstering their offensive line through the college football transfer portal. While the official transfer window is closed, players from teams like Notre Dame and Ohio State have a five-day period following the national championship to enter the portal. Tennessee is trending toward securing a commitment from Sam Pendleton, a former Notre Dame left guard who started the first seven games of the 2024 season.
According to On3.com’s Pete Nakos, Pendleton, who entered the portal with a “do not contact” tag, has scheduled an official visit to Knoxville. Such a tag often indicates that a player already has a preferred destination in mind. Nakos shared his prediction that Pendleton will choose Tennessee, writing:
“Hours after entering the transfer portal on Wednesday morning, Notre Dame offensive lineman Sam Pendleton scheduled a visit to Tennessee. The redshirt freshman arrives in Knoxville on Thursday for a visit with the Volunteers. With three years of eligibility remaining, I’ve logged a prediction for Pendleton to land at Tennessee. Tennessee was a player in Pendleton’s high school recruitment and is now on track to land him out of the transfer portal.”
Pendleton, a highly regarded interior offensive lineman, was a top-100 recruit in the 2023 class. His addition would provide the Vols with a significant boost, bringing experience and talent fresh off Notre Dame’s deep run in the College Football Playoff. With three years of eligibility left, Pendleton could be a cornerstone for Tennessee’s offensive line in the years to come.
