Four-star offensive tackle J.B. Shabazz released his top three including Tennessee football on Saturday night while also announcing his upcoming commitment date. Shabazz is down to a top group that includes Ohio State, South Carolina and Tennessee and will announce his college commitment on July 11.
Shabazz ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 321 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. The 6-foot-7, 295-pound prospect also ranks as the No. 30 offensive tackle and the No. 16 player in the state of North Carolina in the 2026 recruiting cycle.
The massive offensive tackle took official visits to all three of his final contenders as well as North Carolina, North Carolina State and Penn State. Shabazz official visit to Tennessee is his only visit to Knoxville while the four-star recruit has also taken three total visit to South Carolina.
The only registered crystal ball prediction on 247sports, from Big Spur’s JC Shurburtt, predicts Shabazz to commit to South Carolina football.
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A standout at East Forsyth High School, Shabazz helped lead the Eagles to a 13-1 record during his junior season. Tennessee football has heavily recruited the state of North Carolina under head coach Josh Heupel. A number of standout Vols were blue-chip recruits from the Tar Heel state including James Pearce Jr and Daevin Hobbs.
The Vols signed five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr from Charlotte in the 2025 recruiting cycle and their top rate commit in the 2026 recruiting cycle is five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon from Greensboro.
Tennessee football’s 2026 recruiting class currently contains 17 commits including from a pair of offensive linemen in five-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda and three-star interior offensive lineman Edward Baker.
The Vols’ 17-commit recruiting class currently ranks No. 15 nationally and No. 6 in the SEC according to the 247sports team rankings.
