Tennessee LB Arion Carter makes decision on 2026 season
By David Wasson
Published:
The saga of Arion Carter appears to have gone full circle, as the Tennessee linebacker is apparently staying put in Knoxville for the 2026 season.
Carter announced on social media that will be returning to the Volunteers for the upcoming season, ending a journey that initially saw him declare for the NFL Draft and then enter the transfer portal. He will have one season of eligibility remaining.
Carter initially declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft following a three-year run at Tennessee that saw him record 161 total tackles, 13½ tackles for a loss and 1½ sacks in 31 career games. Carter also has notched an interception and nine passes defended to go with a forced fumble and was voted to the 2025 coaches All-SEC Second Team.
But Carter informed Tennessee on Jan. 16 that he wasn’t going to the NFL Draft and instead entered the transfer portal on the final day it was open – with early speculation he would land at either Alabama or Texas A&M.
Carter turned in a stellar 2025, leading the Vols with 76 total tackles, including six tackles for loss and 1½ sacks. That came on the heels of a 2024 campaign in which he had 68 tackles, 6½ tackles for loss and an interception.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
