ESPN names the best fit for Tennessee Vols transfer linebacker Elijah Herring

Tennessee Vols junior linebacker Elijah Herring entered the NCAA transfer portal earlier this week. 

Herring, a former three-star recruit, led the Vols in tackles last season while playing in place of injured starting linebacker Keenan Pili (Pili suffered a season-ending injury in UT's season-opening win against Virginia). Herring totaled 79 tackles and one sack while filling in for Pili. 

Entering the 2024 season, Herring was going to be pushed into a backup role for the Vols with no guarantee of playing time. He's entering the portal in search of more consistent playing time. 

Herring is scheduled to visit Colorado this week. Penn State is also showing interest in the former Vol. 

ESPN, however, thinks that Clemson would be the best transfer fit for Herring. 

From ESPN: Herring is a tackling machine and a pressure player who can be used as a blitzer. Clemson is thin and inexperienced at middle linebacker with Kobe McCloud and incoming freshman Sammy Brown in the mix. McCloud has 16 career tackles and is undersized. The outside linebackers, Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz, are excellent, and Herring could shore up the inside. Clemson loves to get into some exotic pressure packages with the linebackers, which is right up Herring's alley. The Tigers would just have to start pursuing transfers to get him. Clemson is the only Power 5 school that hasn't signed a transfer this offseason.

As ESPN noted, Clemson doesn't really dabble in the transfer market much. So it would be out of character for the Tigers to pursue Herring -- especially if the former Vol is searching for any sort of NIL deal.