Tennessee football’s top running back target in the 2026 class is set to come off the board a week from today. Savion Hiter, a five-star prospect, will announce his commitment on Aug. 19. He’ll decide between the Vols, Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia.
Hiter ranks as the No. 9 player in the country, according to 247 composite rankings. He is the No. 1 running back in the class and No. 1 player out of Virginia. He is from Mineral, Virginia, where he plays for Louisa County. 247 lists him at 5-foot-11.5 and 200 pounds as he gears up for his senior season of high school football.
“Juiced-up running back with star potential for a College Football Playoff contender given the mix of his burst, power, agility, balance and vision,” 247 Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins wrote in January. “Has dominated the combine setting (1.52 10-yard split, 4.12 shuttle, 36-inch vertical jump) and is equipped with ready-to-play mass as he’s already tipping the scales at 200 pounds. Effective as both an inside and outside runner as he’s quick to chart a course and charge forward. Fast feet allow him to side-step trouble as he frequently dances around would-be tacklers in the backfield and turns negative plays into positive plays. Core strength and a lower pad level routinely negate arm tackles while full-speed cuts make it even harder for defenders to get him on the ground, especially when he breaks through the first wave of obstacles.”
More From RTI: The ‘Good Problem’ That Tennessee’s Offense Has, As Explained by Assistant Coach
Hiter took official visits to each of his top schools over the summer. He began the stretch at Ohio State before hitting Georgia, then Michigan. He finalized his string of trips in Knoxville to see Josh Heupel and Tennessee on June 20. This is giving the Vols the final word prior to his pending commitment.
For a while now, the race has felt seemingly down to Tennessee and Michigan. Georgia and Ohio State aren’t conceding, but it’d be a bit surprising if they were able to make up enough ground to catch up to the Vols and Wolverines. There are currently no official predictions from recruiting experts at either 247 or Rivals at the moment.
However, in May, Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney settled on an early prediction. He picked Tennessee to close things out and earn the pledge of the top running back. Plenty of things can change after taking official visits, but it’s certainly a good sign to be considered the team to beat heading into the traveling. Gorney did clarify that Michigan seemed to be the top dog in the fight for a good bit of his recruitment and that Georgia made a strong push. It’s a late surge from Tennessee that has put it in this position, though.
Currently, the Vols hold 22 commitments for a class that ranks as the 10th-best in the 2026 cycle, via 247. Hiter would join No. 1 overall recruit, quarterback Faizon Brandon, offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda and athlete Salesi Moa as five-stars committed to the program in this class.
Another five-star target in interior offensive lineman Darius Gray is also set to announce his commitment in just over a week.
