UCF receiver Ryan O’Keefe entered the transfer portal Monday afternoon, 247sports Chris Hummer first reported.
O’Keefe has one year of eligibility remaining after being one of UCF’s top receivers in recent years. The 5-foot-10 receiver has ties to Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel. Heupel recruited O’Keefe to Central Florida and coached him his first two years in Orlando.
Heupel’s efforts to bring O’Keefe to Orlando has been extremely beneficial for UCF. O’Keefe has totaled over 700 yards a five touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.
O’Keefe has one year of eligibility remaining.
The Austin, Texas native caught 73 passes for 723 yards five touchdowns a season ago. However, O’Keefe isn’t only effective as a pass catcher. The slot receiver’s tallied just shy of 500 rushing yards in the last two seasons including 222 yards on 23 carries a season ago.
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Tennessee isn’t in desperate need for receiver help in the transfer portal but it could be beneficial nonetheless. Cedric Tillman is off to the NFL and Jalin Hyatt may not be far behind. Tennessee receivers Jimmy Calloway and Jimmy Holiday each entered the transfer portal last week.
O’Keefe has had plenty of success at UCF and has connections to Heupel which makes him an obvious candidate for Tennessee. The one flaw is O’Keefe is a slot receiver who checks in at 5-foot-10. One of Tennessee’s best returning receivers — Squirrel White — is also a 5-foot-10 slot receiver. Getting both on the field at the same time is unlikely.
O’Keefe isn’t the only receiver Tennessee could pursue in the portal. Tennessee offered Mississippi State transfer Rara Thomas and reached out to Missouri transfer Dominic Lovett.
Keep up to date with all of Tennessee’s transfer portal action here.
