"I Was at a Loss for Words" In-State Tight End Reacts to Tennessee Offer

A 2028 tight end reacts to his recent offer from a Tennessee

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel after a college football game between Tennessee and Auburn at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Oct. 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The dominoes are starting to fall into place in Tennessee’s 2028 class. The Vols already hold an early commitment from Kaden Craft and are now looking to build around the quarterback in the class.

The Vols are looking at various pass catchers for the four-star to throw to in the future, and they recently offered an in-state tight end who could end up being a big part of the class.

That tight end is Jake Payne out of the University School of Jackson. I recently caught up with Jake to get his reaction to the offer.

Jake Payne Reacts to Tennessee Offer

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel smiles after winning a college football game between Tennessee and Auburn at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Oct. 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The three-star was in Knoxville on Saturday for a visit when he received the offer, and when the news came in that he was being offered, he could not believe it.

“I was fired up,  honestly, a loss of words from me and my dad.”

Even though he was just offered, tight ends coach Alec Ablen is starting to stand out to him as a coach.

“My relationship is really starting to build with him, especially now that I got the offer. I’ve had some great conversations with him, and Coach Cayden (offensive analyst) and I text a good amount.”

The game day experience at Neyland also stood out to Payne.

“I loved the stadium and the environment; it was insane and awesome to be a part of. It was also cool how welcoming everyone was and how I got to talk to some of the players.”

Tennessee won the game 24-14, defeating former offensive coordinator Alex Golesh’s Auburn Tigers, and Payne took a lot of notes from what he saw.

“The team is in good hands; they are young and will keep getting better. They have one of the best coaching staffs in the country, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for them.”

Payne holds offers from other SEC schools such as Mississippi State, Missouri, and Arkansas, with a lot of interest from others as well.

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