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Tennessee lands productive Idaho State WR transfer Ian Duarte

Wg0vf-nP_400x400by: Keegan Pope01/25/26bykeeganpope

Tennessee has added another key piece to its receiving room for 2026, securing a commitment from Idaho State wide receiver transfer Ian Duarte. On3’s Pete Nakos and Steve Wiltfong reported the news on Sunday.

The 5-foot-10, 176-pound receiver has caught 93 passes for 1,025 yards and six touchdowns over the last two seasons, establishing himself as one of the top wideouts in the Big Sky Conference. A redshirt sophomore, Duarte had his breakout season in 2024 hauling in 47 receptions for 504 yards and 3 touchdowns over 11 games.

He finished the season averaging 10.7 yards per catch and contributed nearly 15 percent of the team’s total receptions.

Duarte returned to the Bengals in 2025 and hailed in 46 passes for 521 yards and three scores to help lead one of the most prolific pass offenses in the FCS.

Now he’ll take his talents up to the SEC, where Tennessee is looking to fill out a receiver room around young quarterbacks George MacIntyre, Ryan Staub and Faizon Brandon.

Tennessee returns major skill position talent in 2026

The Vols are set to return two of their top three leading receivers from a year ago in Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews. The duo combined for 121 catches, over 1,600 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago. Beyond that though, the receiver room is very young, highlighting the need for an experienced transfer like Duarte.

Tennessee is also set to return leading rusher DeSean Bishop, who topped 1,000 yards and scored 16 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2025. He, along with the talented wideout trio, will be counted on to help ease in a new starting quarterback — whether it’s MacIntyre, a redshirt freshman; Brandon, a true freshman; or Staub, who comes to Knoxville by way of Colorado.

The latter appeared in five games as junior in Boulder, completing 55 percent of his passes while throwing for 427 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.

All three are expected to battle this spring — and potentially into the fall — to replace Joey Aguilar, who spent one season at Tennessee and led the sixth-ranked scoring offense in the country in 2025.