Meet Zach Belyeu, the cousin of Kesean Bowman, and one of the Best Players in the 2028 Class

Kesean Bowman is one of Tennessee’s top commits in its 2027 class. The Vols beat out Alabama, Oregon, Vanderbilt, and more for the talented wideout, and he has been active on the recruiting trail to bring other stars to Knoxville.

One of those players he is trying to bring to North Cobb is Zachary Belyeu, a three-star running back in the 2028 class. The North Cobb (Georgia) prospect holds offers from all around the country, and he recently spoke to Vols on SI about where Tennessee stands with him.

Belyeu Talks Tennessee

Jul 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the class of 2028 going into their junior season, coaches are ramping up their recruitment of top prospects like Belyeu, and running backs coach De’Rail Sims is standing out to the running back.

“Coach Sims has that drive to make his running backs better. When I talk to coach Sims, he asks me how I’ve been doing and makes sure I am working on my craft every day. He also sends me motivational texts; he tells me to keep going because God has got something in store for those who work.”

Head coach Josh Heupel is also making an early impression on the rising star.

“Coach Heupel is very into making that team great again; he wants them to win that national championship.”

Belyeu continued talking about the environment of the team.

“The team gets along with each other, and I like how well they preach family.”

Belyeu did not visit Tennessee last season, but he plans to get to Knoxville sometime this fall.

He also mentioned the other schools that are recruiting him hard, naming schools such as Texas A&M, Ohio State, Georgia, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and LSU.

It is also important to note that although Belyeu now resides in Georgia, he is originally from the Volunteer State.

As a sophomore, Belyeu has rushed for over 1,000 yards in both of his first two seasons of high school football in one of the hardest classifications in the country, 6A in Georgia (now 7A). Last season, he played alongside now-Notre Dame quarterback Teddy Jerrard and Missouri offensive lineman Brandon Anderson. His North Cobb squad also has a ton of other rising prospects, so Belyeu will have a great foundation before he goes to college.

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