Tennessee has landed the commitment of graduate transfer tight end McCallan Castles. Tennessee’s first transfer portal addition announced the news via Twitter on Wednesday evening.
Very excited to announce my commitment to Tennessee! #GBO🍊 pic.twitter.com/K67pBjTy4Q
— McCallan Castles (@McCallanCastles) December 7, 2022
Castles began his college career at California before transferring to UC-Davis and now finds himself on Rocky Top for his final year of eligibility.
Castles barely played at Cal, catching one pass for 15 yards as a true freshman. The South Lake Tahoe, California, native has spent the past three seasons at UC-Davis where he has been a main fixture in the Aggies’ passing game.
The tight end has produced over 730 receiving yards combined in the past two seasons along with six touchdowns.
The 6’5″ tight end earned All-Big Sky Conference First Team honors for his production in the shortened 2020 season, that was played in Spring 2021 due to COVID-19. In addition, Castles won the team’s Jim Ferrier Award for Most Outstanding Transfer. Castles followed his sophomore campaign with an All-Big Sky Second Team selection for his efforts in his junior season. The South Tahoe High School product caught 27 passes and was second on the team with 363 receiving yards along with four scores.
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Castles is an all-around athlete, as he played offense and defense in high school, along with track & field, basketball and baseball. Castles’ athleticism and solid production at the college level has led to some interest from NFL scouts, so the new Vol’s final season will be one to keep tabs on.
Tennessee with an interesting transfer pickup: UC Davis tight end McCallan Castles.
Castles, who began his college career at Cal, has very much been on the radar for NFL scouts. At least some viewed him as a possible Day 2 draft pick entering the year.https://t.co/hjfcSdrmZR
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 7, 2022
Castles joins a Tennessee tight end room that has some question marks entering next season. Tennessee’s primary tight end in 2022, Princeton Fant, has no years of eligibility remaining. Jacob Warren has a year of eligibility remaining, but Tennessee’s co-starting tight end went through Senior Day activities last month. Tennessee will also be without Miles Campbell next year, as the upcoming sophomore entered the transfer portal late last week.
If Warren does not return, Hunter Salmon will be the only returning tight end with a catch in his collegiate career. The other tight ends currently on Tennessee’s roster are Charlie Browder and Titus Rohrer. The Vols will also have four-star freshman Ethan Davis on the roster next year.
Castles’ commitment provides some needed depth for Tennessee at the position, and it gives the former Aggie an opportunity to potentially put together his most productive season in his final year of eligibility.
