Tennessee Vols transfer portal target was watching Nico Iamaleava closely during Citrus Bowl

The Tennessee Vols have already made a few additions to their roster via the NCAA transfer portal and a few more could be on the horizon as the offseason gets underway. 

One player in the portal that Tennessee has been connected to recently is Texas A&M transfer wide receiver Evan Stewart. 

Stewart is a former five-star recruit who was rated as the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2022 recruiting class. He caught 91 passes for 1,163 yards and six touchdowns during his two season with the Aggies. 

Florida State, Oregon, Tennessee, and USC are the programs that have been connected to Stewart. 

According to On3's Pete Nakos, Stewart wanted to see how Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw the ball in the Citrus Bowl as he continues to mull his decision. 

"Sources had indicated that Stewart wanted to see how the future Tennessee starter threw the ball and Iamaleava delivered," reported Nakos on Tuesday. 

It doesn't sound like Stewart, however, is anywhere close to making a decision. 

One thing that could complicate Tennessee's pursuit of Stewart is Bru McCoy's pending decision. McCoy has another season of eligibility left and the Vols would obviously love to have the former five-star wide receiver back for the 2024 season. 

McCoy, who suffered a season-ending leg injury against South Carolina, is a terrific perimeter blocker. And he can be a go-to option for Nico on third downs. 

If McCoy returns, it will give Tennessee a wide receiver room that includes Squirrel White, Dont'e Thornton, Kaleb Webb, Chas Nimrod, Nathan Leacock, Mike Matthews, and Braylon Staley. 

Stewart could still join the Vols in that scenario, but it could push one of the Vols' current wide receivers toward the transfer portal. 

Suffice it to say, Stewart is the kind of talent that an elite program shouldn't turn away.