Tennessee is set to host a transfer running back, according to a source cited by On3. Duke’s Star Thomas is scheduled to visit Knoxville on Thursday.
In 2024, Star Thomas played in 12 games for the Blue Devils, recording 213 carries for 871 yards and seven touchdowns. He also contributed in the passing game with 20 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown. With Cameron Seldon transferring to Virginia Tech, the Volunteers now have an open slot in their running back rotation.
Tennessee is also set to lose leading rusher Dylan Sampson to the 2025 NFL Draft after an impressive 2024 season, where he amassed 1,491 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Returning for the Volunteers is Peyton Lewis, a former four-star recruit who showed promise as a true freshman. Lewis finished his debut season with 339 yards and three touchdowns, offering glimpses of his potential in Knoxville.
“Kind of built him throughout the course of training camp as far as the physical part of the game, and for a young guy, he’s really mature, really consistent in how he practices, and because of that, he’s just continued to grow throughout the course of the season,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said about Lewis during the season.
Before his time at Duke, Star Thomas transferred from New Mexico State, where he accumulated 1,173 rushing yards and nine touchdowns over two seasons with the Aggies. In 2023, he earned second-team All-Conference USA honours after rushing for 653 yards on 112 carries, averaging an impressive 5.8 yards per attempt and scoring four touchdowns that season.
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors’ decision to approve blanket waivers for an extra year of eligibility to former junior college transfers allows Star Thomas a final year of college football. Thomas began his collegiate career at Coffeyville Community College, where he rushed for over 100 yards twice and played a key role in securing the 2021 KJCCC Conference Championship.
