Tennessee football’s 2026 class is gaining serious momentum. On Tuesday, the Vols picked up the commitment of four-star linebacker TJ White. He ranks as the No. 86 player in the country and No. 5 linebacker according to 247’s rankings.
This comes on the same day that UT reeled in the commitment of his teammate, Dereon Albert. Both defenders play at Jackson Academy out of Jackson, Mississippi, with Albert up front on the defensive line. He is a four-star, as well, ranking as the No. 184 recruit and No. 28 defensive lineman on 247.
Including Albert, this marks six commitments for the Vols since a strong stretch on the trail began on Friday, June 27. With in-state target Jamyan Theodore also coming off the board today, things could continue to swing in the Vols’ direction on the trail.
White picked Tennessee over SEC foes Auburn and Mississippi State along with ACC powerhouse Florida State. He held additional offers from the likes of Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Wisconsin among others.
This summer, White was able to take an official visit to all four of his finalists. He began the stretch at Auburn on May 30 before heading to Florida State the following weekend.
He took his official visit to Tennessee on June 13 among other top targets for the Vols. He capped things off at Mississippi State, but the Bulldogs getting the last say wasn’t enough to swing him away from Knoxville.
Had a great time at Rocky Top this past weekend, me and my family enjoyed it.@coachjoshheupel @WilliamInge1 @CoachTimBanks @CoachForrestL @CoachORourke @CoachBrautigam pic.twitter.com/3IivwUVBox
— Theron “TJ” White Jr (@TjWhite1_) June 19, 2025
More From RTI: ‘Avalanche of Orange’: This Neyland Stadium Promo Will Have You Fired Up For Football in Knoxville
White also took unofficial visits to see Tennessee in April and this past October.
This is the second linebacker commitment for William Inge’s position group at Tennessee. White joins three-star Braylon Outlaw out of Pike Road, Alabama, on the unit in the 2026 class.
The Vols now own 15 commitments in the cycle. According to 247’s rankings, this is good for the No. 13 class in the country. The top commits include a pair of five-stars in quarterback Faizon Brandon and offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda.
