Ohio State defensive back Andre Turrentine announced he is transferring to Tennessee on Monday morning.
Committed..⭐️🍊 pic.twitter.com/56bsz15Ata
— ANDRE TURRENTINE ✨ (@KingATIII) May 2, 2022
The commitment comes just one week after Turrentine entered the transfer portal and fills a major need for the Vols’ defense.
Tennessee’s secondary is looking to replace the production of 2022 NFL Draft selections Alontae Taylor and Theo Jackson. The pair of Tennessee natives bolstered a thin Vols’ secondary last season and with the duo off to professional football, Tennessee needs players to step up.
Tennessee secondary coach Wille Martinez was without his full group this spring as a number of defensive backs missing all 14 practices due to injury.
Turrentine didn’t play in his freshman season in Columbus and will have four years of eligibility remaining after redshirting last fall.
The Nashville native was a standout recruit in the class of 2021, ranking as the 169th best player in the nation and fourth best player in the state of Tennessee according to the 247sports composite rankings.
Turrentine played at Nashville’s Ensworth School and committed to Ohio State early in the 2021 cycle as talks never heated up between the safety and then Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
The 6-foot defensive back ranked as the nation’s 9th best safety coming out of high school, but has the ability to play both corner and safety. Tennessee returns both starting safeties from last season’s team.
Tennessee is looking to replace Theo Jackson’s production at the STAR position last season and Turrentine has the skillset to fill the role.
Josh Heupel and his staff haven’t been overly active to date in the transfer portal, landing Florida offensive lineman Gerald Mincey, Georgie Tech defensive back Wesley Walker and UCF tight end Charlier Browder.
The transfer portal is expected to calm down with the April 30 deadline to enter the portal and receive immediate eligibility past. Still, there’s plenty of players in the portal and Tennessee could look to bolster its roster at a number of position.
