Tennessee football landed its first commitment in the 2027 recruiting cycle Monday when Knoxville native JP Peace committed to Josh Heupel and his staff.
I’m 100% committed to the University of Tennessee!!! #GBO @Vol_Football @coachjoshheupel @WilliamInge1 @CoachTimBanks @samspiegs @ChadSimmons_ @AustinPriceless @5StarPreps @GregBiggins @On3Recruits @Rivals @LamarBrown15 @BC0027 @JamieHolbrook99 @CharlesPetrone @matt_ray_ pic.twitter.com/U2q19oLa9Z
— JP Peace (@JPPeace08) June 16, 2025
Peace is the son of former Tennessee linebacker Robert Peace and the grandson of legendary Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer. Tennessee offered Peace last month and the linebacker chose the Vols over offers from Florida State, Kentucky, Virginia Tech and others.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker plays his prep football at Knoxville West helping lead the Rebels to a 9-4 record and a birth in the 5A State Quarterfinals before falling to Sevier County. Knox West has been one of East Tennessee’s best programs in recent years, frequently making deep playoff runs and winning the 2022 and 2023 5A State Championship.
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A prospect in the 2027 recruiting cycle, Peace is unranked according to mosr major recruiting sites. That’s not odd at this stage in the recruiting cycle, however. 247sports has ranked just 247 players in the 2027 class at this point. Rivals ranks Peace as a three-star recruit.
Robert Peace played linebacker at Tennessee from 2000-2003 where he combined to play in 37 games and totaled 164 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and three sacks. His best season came during his 2003 senior campaign where he totaled 103 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass deflections and a forced fumble.
Fulmer was Tennessee’s head football coach from 1992-08 where he led the Vols to SEC Championships in 1997 and 1998 as well as the 1998 National Championship. The Vols made it back to Atlanta and the SEC Championship game again in 2001, 2004 and 2007 but have still yet to win the SEC Championship since the win over Mississippi State in ’98.
A Winchester, Tennessee native, Fulmer played offensive line for the Vols from 1968-71 and also served as Tennessee’s athletic director from 2017-21. Fulmer’s two major hires as athletic director were Jeremy Pruitt and Kellie Harper. Men’s golf coach Brennan Webb was Fulmer’s best hire.
