Local four-star tight end Malik Howard released a top six including Tennessee football on Monday afternoon. The Vols joined Alabama, Miami, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt in Howard’s top group following the conclusion of his junior season.
Howard ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 188 player in the 2027 recruiting class according to the 247sports composite rankings. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound prospect ranks as the No. 11 tight end nationally and the No. 8 overall player in the state of Tennessee.
247sports own rankings are slightly higher on Howard, ranking him as the No. 151 player and No. 8 tight end in the 2027 cycle.
Howard is a standout at Oak Ridge High School in East Tennessee. The blue-chip recruit helped lead the Wildcats to a 9-1 regular season record. Oak Ridge’s season came to a close earlier than expected when Science Hill upset the Wildcats in the first round of the TSSAA playoffs.
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Tennessee tight end’s coach Alec Abeln took in Oak Ridge’s season-ending loss against Science Hill during the Vols’ second open date as Tennessee prioritizes the four-star recruit in the 2027 recruiting cycle.
The Vols’ 2027 recruiting class currently contains three commits including from four-star Murfreesboro offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo. Tennessee has yet to land a tight end yet and that will be a position of need in the class. The Vols do not have a tight end committed in the 2026 recruiting class after three-star Carson Sneed flipped to North Carolina back in August.
Josh Heupel and his staff did land two tight ends in its 2025 recruiting class with both Jack Van Dorselaer and DaSaahn Brame playing roles for Tennessee this season.
Tennessee’s three commit 2027 recruiting class currently ranks No. 15 nationally and No. 6 in the SEC according to the 247sports team rankings.
