Tennessee has been in pursuit of LSU commit and 2026 five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys this summer. There have been numerous reports regarding Keys’ commitment status over the past few months, with Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Miami all making a push for the LSU commit.
In late July, Rivals’ Chad Simmons reported that Tennessee is viewed as “LSU’s top competition heading into the season.” He also noted that the communication between Keys and Tennessee has remained “strong.” And while Keys still holds both the Volunteers and Aggies as “warm,” the Volunteers are the team “to watch closely” in the race.
Nearly a month later, Josh Heupel’s team looks to still be keeping its foot on the gas.
Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong reported on Monday that Tennessee is LSU’s “biggest threat” when it comes to flipping Keys, with Texas A&M, Miami, and other teams working hard to stay alive in the race. One recent piece of news could play an interesting, positive role for Tennessee, though.
Tennessee announced a new 10-year partnership with Adidas last week, which will take place next summer when the Vols’ current deal with Nike expires. The Volunteers will return to the three-stripes brand for apparel and uniforms starting on July 1, 2026.
Keys recently signed his own NIL deal with Adidas in June. The deal doesn’t prevent him from signing with a school that uses another brand, but he will be a NIL athlete representative for Adidas regardless.
Wiltfong’s report on Monday states that “the Adidas deal with Tennessee has also caused a stir with Keys being an Adidas athlete himself.”
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It’s always important to note the LSU side of things when talking about the latest reports around Keys. The Tigers certainly aren’t just sitting on their hands, hoping and praying that Keys makes it to signing day. They’re actively doing everything they can to keep their guy in their own recruiting class.
“On the flip side of that, Keys remains in regular contact with the LSU staff and outside of the normal recruitment of a high-profile commit still keeping the communication lines warm with other programs, there doesn’t seem to be much concern around Baton Rouge,” Wiltfong writes.
The Hattiesburg, MS, native is ranked as a blue-chip five-star prospect in the class of 2026 cycle. Rivals’ Industry Rankings currently have him as the No. 7 overall player in the nation, the No. 1 wide receiver in the class, and the top-ranked player from the state of Mississippi.
Keys has all the talent to be a game-changing player for a power SEC team at the next level. The 6-foot-2.5, 185-pound receiver is a do-it-all player with the ability to make plays in space in the short-to-intermediate range and take the top off the defense with the long ball.
One ongoing narrative that holds weight is that each report states how strong the communication is between Tennessee and Keys. That includes the coaching staff, such as Josh Heupel, Joey Halzle, and Kelsey Pope, but it also includes current Tennessee commitments such as five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon. The Volunteers have touted some great relationships in the 2026 recruiting cycle and are hoping that can sway Keys into the flip.
U know where home is bro‼️#GBO 🍊 https://t.co/UGcQ8LcZ9A
— Faizon Brandon (@faizon_brandon) June 27, 2025
