Tennessee lands commitment from elite transfer portal tight end

Tennessee made a huge addition in the transfer portal on Friday evening.

The Vols picked up a commitment from former Notre Dame tight end Holden Staes. He picked the Vols over several other top programs, including Georgia, Washington and Oklahoma.

Staes shared his commitment with On3’s Hayes Fawcett:

BREAKING: Former Notre Dame TE Holden Staes has Committed to Tennessee, he tells @on3sports

The 6’4 240 TE chose the Vols over Georgia, Washington, & others

One of the Top TEs in the Portal ??https://t.co/WkHsl9XNHK pic.twitter.com/d8k4exXp7t

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 15, 2023

Staes was Notre Dame’s backup tight end behind Mitchell Evans in 2023. However, he made a big impression throughout the year as a receiving option in the Fighting Irish’s offense. His best game came against NC State back in September when he went for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns in a big win over the Wolfpack.

For the season, Staes caught 15 passes for 176 yards and 4 touchdowns. He played in 22 games for the Fighting Irish over the past 2 seasons.

Staes will arrive in Knoxville with 2 years of eligibility remaining. He was a 4-star prospect when he signed with Notre Dame in the class of 2022. He’s originally from Atlanta, Georgia.

Staes is Tennessee’s first transfer portal addition so far this offseason.