Tennessee Football players donate NIL money to Knoxville community center

Tennessee Football freshmen Travis Smith Jr. and Jaedon Harmon decided to give back with their NIL earnings, donating $5,000 each on Wednesday to the Wesley House Community Center in Knoxville. 

Wesley House is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs for youth and seniors in the Knoxville community. Wesley House in 2020 established the Emerging Needs program, providing locals with food and clothing.

“I just wake up every day and think how blessed we are to play for Tennessee football,” Harmon said in a Tennessee press release. “Thinking where I came from, some kids aren’t as fortunate as us, and they wake up and don’t even know what they are going to eat the next day. Anything to support them and help the community is what me and Trav intended to do.” 

Vols begin fall camp next week

“Just seeing kids excited about something to do for playing football makes you want to work even harder,” Smith added. “Being servants — it’s ok to help people out and help other organizations. I hope they look up to us as people who gave back, so when they are in a position once older, they can do it as well.”  

Smith, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound wide receiver from Atlanta, was a four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, ranked No. 83 overall in the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 10 wide receiver in the class and the No. 14 overall player in the state of Georgia, out of Westlake High School. 

Harmon, the 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker from Rome, Ga., was another four-star prospect in 2025. He was ranked No. 200 nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, was the No. 19 linebacker in the country and the No. 26 overall player in the state of Georgia, out of Rome High School. 

Both players enrolled at Tennessee in January and begin their first fall camp with the Vols next week.

Tennessee opens 2025 season against Syracuse in Atlanta

Tennessee opens the season on August 30 in Atlanta against Syracuse. It’s a Noon Eastern Time start on ABC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Vols host ETSU in the home opener at Neyland Stadium on September 6 (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+/ESPN+) and SEC play starts at home against Georgia on September 13 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

UAB comes to Knoxville on September 20 (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network) and the Vols go to Mississippi State on September 27 in the first SEC road game of the season. After an open date on October 4, the Vols host Arkansas (October 11) then go to Alabama (October 18) and Kentucky (October 25). 

In November the Vols host Oklahoma (November 1) and New Mexico State (November 15), go to Florida (November 22) and close the regular-season schedule at home against Vanderbilt (November 29).