Tennessee Has Now Flipped Three Blue-Chip SEC Commits in Eleven Days

The recruiting train keeps chugging along for Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers.

After putting together a strong recruiting class during the summer, Heupel and his staff have been making headline news in the last two weeks that have direct impacts on other SEC programs.

Tennessee has now flipped three blue-chip commitments from SEC programs in the last 11 days with the news of Hezekiah Harris’s switch from Auburn to Tennessee on Monday evening.

The other two include four-star offensive tackle Kamari Blair, who flipped his commitment from South Carolina to Tennessee on Aug. 21, and five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys, who switched from LSU to Tennessee on Aug. 28.

Those three commitments, who have been the three most recent additions to the Vols’ 2026 recruiting class, have helped Tennessee spike to the No. 3 overall ranking in the country, according to 247Sports’ Recruiting Services.

Tennessee EDGE Commit Hezekiah Harris

Tennessee WR Commit Tristen Keys

Tennessee OL Commit Kamari Blair

More From RTI: Four-Star Edge Rusher Hezekiah Harris Flips Commitment From Auburn To Tennessee

These three recruitments have been extremely notable for Tennessee and its staff. They haven’t been your average commitments where a high-school prospect picks up the Tennessee cap in front of his friends and family and their schools. They’re commitments where those players had already picked other places to play in the SEC, but Tennessee kept its foot on the gas and was able to flip them away from their initial commitment. There’s recruiting, and then there’s flipping. Tennessee’s ability to flip three blue-chip SEC recruits in the last 11 days has been extremely noteworthy and something that other teams in the conference are taking note of.

Since arriving on Rocky Top, Josh Heupel has emphasized the need to develop from within. That hasn’t stopped him from taking advantage of the transfer portal where he sees fit, most recently with players such as Miles Kitselman, Star Thomas, and Joey Aguilar, but the primary focus has always been recruiting and developing from the high school scene. Heupel is now on pace to put together the best class of his Tennessee tenure so far.

Tennessee now has 25 total commits in the 2026 cycle after the additions of Harris, Keys, and Blair in the last eleven days.

Here’s a look at every member of the Vols’ Top 10-ranked recruiting class as of Monday evening:

(Rankings in order of commitment date, not rating)

EDGE Hezekiah Harris – 9/1/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Four-Star Edge Rusher Hezekiah Harris Flips Commitment From Auburn To Tennessee

 

WR Tristen Keys – 8/28/25

• 247Sports Rating: 5-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Five-Star Receiver Tristen Keys Flips From LSU To Tennessee Football

 

OL Kamari Blair – 8/21/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Tennessee Flips Four-Star In-State Lineman From South Carolina

 

ATH Salesi Moa – 7/31/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Tennessee Football Lands Commitment of Five-Star Athlete With Two-Way Potential

 

ATH Joel Wyatt – 7/28/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Four-Star In-State Athlete Joel Wyatt Commits To Tennessee Football

 

OL J.B. Shabazz – 7/11/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Tennessee Football Lands Commitment From Four-Star Offensive Tackle J.B. Shabazz Over SEC Rival

 

DB Jowell Combay – 7/9/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Three-Star Georgia Safety Commits To Tennessee Over SEC Foes

 

LB Brayden Rouse – 7/8/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Tennessee Football Earns Commitment From Top-4 Linebacker in 2026 Class Brayden Rouse

 

DB Javonte Smith – 7/8/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Tennessee Football Adds Commitment From In-State Athlete Javonte Smith to Growing 2026 Class

 

DL Darryl Rivers – 7/4/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Tennessee Football Bolsters Defensive Line With New Commitment Darryl Rivers

 

LB TJ White – 7/1/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Tennessee Football Lands 4-star Linebacker TJ White To Continue Hot Stretch on Trail

 

DL Dereon Albert – 7/1/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Four-Star Dereon Albert Talks Commitment To Tennessee, Vols Coaches ‘Keeping It Real’

 

CB Jamyan Theodore – 7/1/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Tennessee Football Lands Third Commit of the Day in In-State Cornerback Jamyan Theodore

 

CB Zay Anderson – 6/28/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Local Three-Star Recruit Commits To Tennessee Football

 

WR Legend Bey – 6/28/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Four-Star Athlete Commits To Tennessee Football Over SEC Foe

 

DL Kedric Golson II – 6/27/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Three-Star Defensive End, Georgia Legacy Commits To Tennessee Football

 

IOL Edward Baker – 6/27/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Three-Star Interior Offensive Lineman Commits To Tennessee Football

 

S Luke Thompson – 6/14/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Instate Three-Star Recruit Commits To Tennessee Football

 

S KJ McClain – 6/11/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Tennessee Adds Defensive Commit KJ McClain to the 2026 Class

 

EDGE Zach Groves – 5/21/25

• 247Sports Rating: 4-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Four-Star, Instate Edge Rusher Commits To Tennessee Football

 

EDGE CJ Edwards – 2/25/25

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Three-Star Defensive End Commits To Tennessee Football

 

OT Gabriel Osenda – 1/11/25

• 247Sports Rating: 5-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Five-Star Tennessee Football Commit ‘Done Taking Visits’ To Other Schools

 

LB Braylon Outlaw – 11/8/24

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 3-star
• Tennessee Football Commit Shuts Down His Recruitment

 

WR Tyreek King – 10/31/24

• 247Sports Rating: 3-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• Tennessee Commit Puts Up Impressive Showing at Recruiting Event

 

QB Faizon Brandon – 8/3/24

• 247Sports Rating: 5-star
• On3/Rivals Rating: 4-star
• ESPN Assesses Five-Star Tennessee Football QB Commit Faizon Brandon’s Fit With Vols