Similar to James Pearce Jr., many Tennessee football fans hoped that standout running back Dylan Sampson would return for one final season with the Vols in 2025. That won’t happen, though, because both Sampson and Pearce are headed to the NFL.
While Tennessee has lots of talented running back talent for next season, the room lacks experience and senior leadership. Could Duke’s transfer running back, Star Thomas, change that? According to various sources, UT has invited Thomas for an official visit. This is a significant recruiting weekend for Heupel and his crew.
Duke RB Transfer Star Thomas is on an official visit to Tennessee.
Thomas was originally a member of the 2020 class, but he chose to attend JUCO after high school. He subsequently played two years at New Mexico State before joining with Duke, where he had a strong season last fall. In 2024, the 6-0, 210-pounder ran for 871 yards and seven touchdowns.
While adding Thomas would be beneficial to the offence, replacing Sampson’s performance will be practically impossible for the Tennessee ground game. Last season, Sampson accomplished extraordinary things for the Vols and Heupel.
The running back finished with 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns, setting several program records in the process. Many folks across the state are still upset because Sampson was not a finalist for the Doak Walker Award.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that he was great to watch with the ball in his hands, earning him the SEC Offensive Player of the Year award. Sampson will be missed, but the starting position is wide available for someone to take. If Thomas signs with the Vols, he might be in great position to land that place.
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