Early Evaluations Defining Tennessee's 2026 Recruiting Class

The Tennessee Volunteers have prided themselves on identifying top talent ahead of the curve and recruiting accordingly. Thus far, their 2026 class has been defined by that.

College football evolves by the week. The transfer portal, staggering NIL developments, an expanded College Football Playoff, and conference realignment have convoluted a sport once revered for its simplicity. These changes have seeped into the high school recruiting world in more ways than one as each program scrambles to find "their way" of recruiting.

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel has been as traditional as you can on the recruiting trail. The Vols are one of a handful of programs that are still committed to highlighting culture and history, long-term development, and authentic relationships. The truth of the matter is they'll win and lose many prospects because of these philosophies, but they've created real guardrails that define what a Tennessee football player is.

An essential part of their approach is early evaluations. Obviously, recruits rapidly change and evolve throughout their formative high school years. You can't perfectly predict what a high school sophomore will look like in three to four years, but you can certainly try to figure it out. That process requires an extensive and serious commitment to getting out on the road during evaluation periods, frequently hosting prospects on campus, and doing as much homework as you can.

Tennessee's 2026 recruiting class is a perfect example of how vital the early evaluation can be. Grimsley High School quarterback and class gem Faizon Brandon has blossomed into a national star over the past 18 months, carrying five-star status on three major recruiting sites. However, he wasn't always that. Tennessee hosted him last June for their "Night at Neyland" camp and immediately jumped Brandon to the top of their board. They pushed their chips in for him when they had other options on the board, but felt comfortable because they had done their homework.

Tennessee's three current in-state commits are Knoxville Catholic wide receiver Tyreek King, Donelson Christian Academy tight end Carson Sneed, and Baylor School offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda. They got the trio to campus early and often in their recruitment and had their foot on the gas from day one in each recruitment. Each chose to make early decisions and commit to Tennessee and are now becoming national recruits in their own right.

Hoover High School defensive lineman Tyson Bacon committed to the Vols on October 21, 2024. He was their third commitment in the class and went under the radar for months. After a strong showing at an Under Armour All-American camp in Atlanta and an eye-opening junior season, Bacon now hears from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and USC.

William Amos Hough wide receiver Tyran Evans, Pike Road linebacker Braylon Outlaw, and Saint Joseph edge rusher CJ Edwards round out their current class. They hail from North Carolina, Alabama, and New Jersey but still felt enough love from Tennessee to commit early.

Now, all of these recruitments appear far from finished outside Brandon. Anyone can flip in today's game, and some may argue getting recruits into the boat early could only incentivize them to decommit in the future. While that could be true, many of these prospects routinely reaffirm their pledges to Tennessee because they identified them before others. Investing in people carries weight, especially early.

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