In the final hours before the early signing period begins on Wednesday, Tennessee has reportedly landed a three-star defensive prospect to the 2026 class. According to a report from Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett, Tennessee has officially picked up a commitment from class of 2026 defensive lineman Nic’Quayvion “Nuk” Simmons.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound prospect from Carver High School in Columbus, GA, chose the Vols over Jeff Lebby’s Mississippi State program. According to a report from Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, Simmons informed head coach Josh Heupel of his decision on Sunday, after his official visit to Knoxville concluded.
Simmons’ addition to Tennessee’s 2026 recruiting class now makes for 24 total commitments. The Vols are still in play for a handful of other targets before signing day on Wednesday, so be on the lookout for that number to continue increasing.
According to Rivals Industry Rankings, Simmons is a three-star prospect in the trenches. He comes in as the No. 161 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 177 overall player from the state of Georgia.
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On3 Sports’ recruiting profile on Simmons states that he had 54 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, and seven sacks during an 11-game season with Carver this year.
Tennessee is making it clear that stocking up on defensive linemen is a priority for this recruiting class. Whether it’s depth or impact players, the Vols are making a strong push to add to the trenches. Simmons is Tennessee’s seventh defensive line commit, alongside four-star DT Dereon Albert, three-star lineman Kedric Golston II, three-star lineman Darryl Rivers, three-star EDGE Zach Groves, three-star EDGE Hezekiah Harris, and three-star EDGE CJ Edwards.
Rivals’ has Tennessee listed as the 10th overall team in the 2026 rankings. But with so much movement expected to come in the next 24 hours, for Tennessee and other programs, that ranking could easily be in flux. Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for complete coverage leading up to and on signing day on Wednesday.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights that Nic’Quayvion “Nuk” Simmons will bring to Tennessee’s table:
