Tennessee Excelled In One Particular Recruiting Aspect With the 2025 Class

Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel hauled in the 10th-ranked recruiting class in the nation in 2025, according to On3 Sports’ team rankings.

The Volunteers welcomed 25 total signees with two five-star prospects, 14 four-star prospects, and nine three-star prospects.

Overall, Tennessee posted the ninth-highest blue-chip ratio at 64%, which is taken from the number of four and five-star prospects that a program signed in a particular recruiting cycle.

While Tennessee did well with a top ten status overall, the Vols’ particularly excelled with the wide receivers that they’re bringing in.

On3 has Tennessee’s three signees as the No. 4 wide receiver group in the nation behind only Georgia, Texas, and Florida.

Tennessee’s three receivers from the 2025 class, Travis Smith, Radarious Jackson, and Joakim Dodson, are all ranked as four-star prospects from On3.

Top 2025 WR Classes according to the On300 rankings⚡️https://t.co/9xMvXThJST pic.twitter.com/avo5eqGc1p

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) February 6, 2025

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The Vols will have four new receivers this spring, though. Tennessee also added former four-star wide receiver Amari Jefferson through the transfer portal this offseason after the former Chattanooga native spent just one season with Alabama.

Tennessee’s incoming crop of receivers comes to Knoxville at an opportunistic time. The Vols lost starters Bru McCoy and Dont’e Thornton after the season while a slew of backups and starter Squirrel White all left Tennessee through the transfer portal. The Vols retained Chris Brazzell, Mike Matthews, and Braylon Staley through the winter portal period.

With all of the turnover in Tennessee’s receiver room, the new additions to the Vols’ roster will find chances to compete as early as training camp this spring.

RTI’s Ryan Schumpert recently gave his early depth chart projections during winter workouts and listed Jefferson and Smith as No. 2 backup receivers. Ryan’s also got Dodson as the No. 3 receiver in the slot and Jackson as a No. 3 receiver behind Matthews and Jefferson:

Receiver

1. So. Mike Matthews
2. Rs-Fr. Amari Jefferson
3. Fr. Radarious Jackson

Slot Receiver

1. Rs-Fr. Braylon Staley
2. So. Boo Carter
3. Fr. Joakim Dodson

Receiver

1. Sr. Chris Brazzell
2. Fr. Travis Smith
3. Rs-Fr. Amari Jefferson

Check out RTI’s full Tennessee football early depth chart projections here.