'I would never even transfer from Tennessee' - Former 4-star recruit who's had limited chances makes strong statement about Vols

A former highly-touted recruit who is entering his redshirt sophomore season left no doubt how he feels about playing for the Tennessee Vols.

Vols tight end Ethan Davis was rated by 247Sports as the No. 7 tight end in the 2023 recruiting class. Davis arrived in Knoxville a couple of years ago with a significant amount of hype, but he's received limited opportunities during his first two seasons at Tennessee, catching just 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns so far in his career.

Despite the limited production, Davis has never considered transferring from Tennessee.

"I knew after the season ended they weren't going into the portal (for a tight end)," said Davis on Wednesday. "And I knew it was ultimately going to come down to -- I mean, if Miles (Kitselman) ended up leaving, it would have just been me and Holden (Staes).

"But that was a conversation that we had as soon as the season ended. And Miles ended up coming back, so Holden ended up leaving (Staes transferred to Indiana). And, I mean, this is my home. This is where I want to play football at. I would never even transfer from Tennessee, regardless of the circumstances."

Davis' patience should pay off as the Georgia native is poised to play a key role in the Vols' offense in 2025.

"I'm super confident," said Davis when asked about his confidence entering the 2025 season. "The world will see. And I'm confident in that."

"Football IQ, for sure," added Davis when asked where he's improved the most. "Football IQ, size, strength. I mean, everything overall -- just because I had a great offseason, [added] a lot of speed, put on a lot of muscle mass. And then, like I just said, diving into football as a whole. Learning fronts, defenses, and stuff like that. It's a game changer on the field, because once you know your job like the back of your hand, you're able to play with a different type of confidence."

Davis is a dynamic athlete who can create mismatches in the passing game thanks to his unique size and speed combination. It'll be interesting to see if he can take advantage of his opportunity in 2025 and enjoy a breakout season for the Vols.