The Tennessee Vols appear to have a strong chance to land an important player through the transfer portal at a position of need in Notre Dame transfer offensive lineman Sam Peterson. The former Irish lineman is reportedly set to visit Knoxville on Thursday.
However, after Thursday’s transfer portal news, one has to wonder if he’ll be the only ex-Irish lineman to get a look from Josh Heupel.
Notre Dame offensive lineman Rocco Spindler is also entering the portal, per On3 Sports. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Spindler is someone who could give the Vols – or wherever he ends up – a capable and experienced starting option at guard. Over the last two years, Spindler started 23 games for the Fighting Irish – 10 in 2023 and 13 last season. He was solid in pass protection in 2024, allowing just 10 QB pressures and no sacks in 402 pass blocking snaps. His 70.3 run blocking grade was second best among Notre Dame’s regular offensive line starters.
Spindler was a top 100 prospect in high school in the 2021 class out of Clarkston, Michigan. He was ranked the consensus #3 interior offensive lineman in the nation per 247 Sports.
There’s no doubt the Vols have a need for multiple starting interior offensive linemen, with Cooper Mays and Javontez Spraggins both out of eligibility and Andre Karic’s status for 2025 dependent on obtaining a waiver from the NCAA and thus very much up in the air.
As such, Heupel and his staff are surely working to try to close the deal with Peterson on Thursday. If so, it’ll be interesting to see if his former Irish teammate Spindler will don the same uniform as Peterson again in 2025.
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By Craig Smith
Craig covers the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Volunteers for A to Z Sports. Formerly of SB Nation, Bucs Report, and ESPN Radio Tampa Bay. His experience covering the NFL dates back to 2008.
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