A key member of Tennessee’s 2014 recruiting class is headed to Cal.

Vic Wharton, a four-star receiver who helped coach Butch Jones recruit some of his peers to Knoxville, caught five passes for 64 yards and one touchdown during his true freshman season.

Wharton is one of three receives to transfer from Tennessee this offseason, joining sophomore Ryan Jenkins and junior Drae Bowles. It isn’t a surprise move — Jones announced the news last month.

The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Wharton, who caught a pass for 49 yards in the TaxSlayer Bowl, will have to sit out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer rules and will have three years to play three seasons for the Bears.

It’s never good news to lose a young four-star player, but the Vols have all sorts of depth at receiver, one of the deepest groups in the country, and just signed composite four-star receiver Preston Williams.

If Wharton wants to give himself the best chance to be a No. 1 or No. 2 guy, he probably made the right move.