While Tennessee didn’t get the result it was looking for on Saturday afternoon against Georgia, Josh Heupel and the Vols did make some progress with a high-level prospect before the game even started.
According to a report from Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Saturday, four-star linebacker Omarii Sanders is officially down to five schools: Tennessee, Miami, Georgia, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M.
The class of 2027 prospect is from Franklin Road Academy in Nashville, TN. Rivals’ Industry Rankings has the 6-foot-3 player ranked as the No. 56 player in the class, the No. 3 linebacker in the nation, and the No. 3 player in the state of Tennessee.
Tennessee has seen quite a bit of success recruiting the linebacker position in recent years. In the 2025 class, Tennessee signed impact players such as Christian Gass, Jadon Perlotte, and Jaedon Harmon. The Vols currently have 2026 commitments from four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse and four-star linebacker TJ White.
More From RTI: Former Tennessee Receiver Offers Message Of Support For Kicker Max Gilbert
According to 247Sports’ recruiting timeline, Sanders has been to Knoxville on a handful of trips for unofficial visits or recruiting events. Tennessee has built a name on establishing strong relationships on the recruiting trail, which could help it land the standout prospect from the Volunteer State.
Tennessee only has one commitment to its 2027 class so far, linebacker JP Peace, but the Vols are ramping things up with the 2026 class winding down over the next few months. The Volunteers have been courting several prospects throughout the ongoing football season and are coming off of a major recruiting weekend this past Saturday for Checker Neyland. One of those blue-chip players includes linebacker Cooper Witten, the five-star son of VFL Jason Witten.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights from Omarii Sanders at Franklin Road Academy:
