Tennessee added its first summer commitment to the 2026 class on Wednesday with three-star safety KJ McClain, the first defensive back in Josh Heupel’s upcoming group.
The class, headlined by five-star quarterback commit Faizon Brandon, now has nine total commits as the summer begins to heat up on the recruiting trail.
No matter the service, Brandon is looked at as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation and is 247’s top overall player in the class. The North Carolina native committed to Tennessee in August 2024 and has been the cornerstone piece of the Vols’ class ever since.
Offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda was a high-level recruit when he committed to Tennessee back in January, but has seen his ranking rise since his pledge to the Vols. 247Sports now has Osenda as a five-star prospect while On3 and Rivals have him as a high four-star. Brandon and Osenda make up two of Tennessee’s five offensive players in the class, alongside four-star WR Tyreek King, four-star TE Carson Sneed, and three-star WR Tyran Evans.
Tennessee has four total commits on the defensive side of the ball after McClain’s announcement on Wednesday. The Vols’ top defensive commit is four-star EDGE rusher Zach Groves, continuing Tennessee’s impressive streak of finding and landing pass rushers on the recruiting trail. Groves sits on the defensive side of the ball alongside three-star safety KJ McClain, three-star EDGE CJ Edwards, and three-star LB Braylon Outlaw.
The industry-wide recruiting rankings are still in fairly early stages, considering all the movement that’s still to come over the next six months leading into early signing day. Still, though, the rankings differ quite a bit when looking at the top three recruiting leaders in the industry.
More From RTI: Tennessee Reportedly Hosting Talented SEC Commit This Weekend
Here’s a look at where Tennessee’s 2026 recruiting class lands in 247Sports, On3 Sports, and Rivals ranking services at the start of the summer:
- Overall Rank: No. 31
- SEC Rank: No. 7 (Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU, Arkansas, Texas, Vanderbilt)
- Average Rating: 91.42 (one 5-star, four 4-stars, four 3-stars)
- Overall Rank: No. 12
- SEC Rank: No. 5 (LSU, Georgia, Texas A&M, Alabama)
- Average Rating: 90.48 (one 5-star, four 4-stars, four 3-stars)
- Overall Rank: No. 22
- SEC Rank: No. 6 (Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU, Arkansas, Texas)
- Average Rating: 3.67 stars (one 5-star, four 4-stars, four 3-stars)
