Tennessee football is pursuing South Carolina transfer receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. in the portal and has some serious traction. According to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos, Tennessee and Texas are emerging as the top contenders to land one of the top receivers in the transfer portal.
Wells missed almost the entirety of the 2023 season with a foot injury he suffered in fall camp and re-injured in South Carolina’s loss at Georgia.
But Wells was one of the SEC’s best receivers in the 2022 season after transferring to South Carolina from James Madison. As a junior at South Carolina, the 6-foot-1 receiver 68 passes for 928 yards and six touchdowns. As a sophomore at James Madison, Wells caught 83 passes for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns.
More From RTI: Kentucky Lands Georgia Quarterback Transfer
The South Carolina transfer is the No. 6 player and No. 1 receiver currently in the transfer portal according to the 247sports transfer portal rankings.
Tennessee and Texas both makes sense for the star receiver. Both Josh Heupel and Steve Sarkisian are offensively minded head coaches whose offenses have put up massive passing numbers in their tenures as head coaches. Wells is a Virginia native who has a connection to Texas as one of his former James Madison teammates since transferred to Texas.
The Vols’ receiver situation entering the 2024 season is currently unclear. Five of Tennessee’s top six receivers from last season still have eligibility remaining though Bru McCoy was a senior and could elect to move on to professional football. There’s also the possibility for any to enter the transfer portal though none of them have to this point.
While Tennessee returns a number of pieces, the Vols lacked a true No. 1 receiver last season and Well have the potential to be just that.
