Ole Miss Proving to be a Thorn in Tennessee's Side on the Recruiting Front

Two Tennessee targets committed elsewhere, with another predicted to join them.

Brentwood's Turner Weber (22) upends Brentwood Academy's Braylen Bedford (8) during a TSSAA high school football game at Brentwood Academy on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Brentwood, Tenn. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tennessee currently only holds one commit in its 2028 class. The Vols are targeting many players around the country to fill up the class, in hopes of landing another top-10 class. While Kaden Craft is holding down as the first commit in the class. Tennessee has a lot of big recruiting weekends coming up, including this Saturday for the Texas game.  

Unfortunately for the Vols, Ole Miss has proven to be a thorn in their side on the recruiting trail. The Rebels defeated LSU in a thrilling matchup last Saturday, and their success over the weekend has prompted two of Tennessee's biggest targets in the class of 2028 to commit to Ole Miss.

Tennessee Misses on Giovanni Tuggle and Braylen Bedford

Giovanni Tuggle, sophomore, DB, Winder-Barrow one of our top 20 area football players poses for a portrait at his high school. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

First, four-star safety Braylen Bedford committed to Ole Miss on Monday. He plays at Brentwood Academy in Tennessee, but is originally from Mississippi.

He was at the Ole Miss-LSU game on Saturday. Tennessee was a finalist for Bedford, along with Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

Then, Giovanni Tuggle, another four-star safety, committed to Ole Miss on Wednesday. The Georgia native had informed me on Friday that Tennessee was in his top five, but he has decided to go in a different direction following his game-day visit to Oxford on Saturday.

He was originally planning on visiting Tennessee for the Alabama game in a few weeks.

Another Tennessee Target Expected to End Up in Oxford

Baylor's Antwaun Adams (1) receives a pass for a touchdown against Brentwood Academy during the first half at Baylor in Chattanooga, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As if Ole Miss couldn’t do any more damage to Tennessee’s recruiting class, Rivals has logged a prediction for the Rebels to land another Tennessee prospect in Antwaun Adams, who is also from Mississippi.

The four-star receiver at the Baylor School has gone viral, not just because of how talented he is on the football field, but also because of his nickname: “cornbread.” If he does, in fact, commit to Ole Miss, it would be a huge loss for Tennessee, especially being out of the state of Tennessee.

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