Tennessee football put together the best signing class yet under Josh Heupel in the 2026 cycle. The Vols signed 28 players, including multiple new commitments and flips. UT lost just one verbal commit, as well, four-star athlete Salesi Moa.

So, how does Tennessee’s group rank across the country? Ultimately, it’s one of the better classes in college football, no matter the recruiting service you pick. On 247, it’s up to the No. 3 class, while on Rivals, it’s at No. 9. Both 247 Composite and Rivals Industry have it at No. 7.

Here’s a closer look at the class as a whole and individual signees.

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Class Ranking

247

• No. 3 nationally
• No. 1 SEC
• Breakdown:
  • 3 five-stars
  • 11 four-stars
  • 13 three-stars
  • 1 unrated

 

247 Composite

• No. 7 nationally
• No. 3 SEC
• Breakdown:
  • 2 five-stars
  • 14 four-stars
  • 11 three-stars
  • 1 unrated

 

Rivals

• No. 9 nationally
• No. 4 SEC
• Breakdown:
  • 0 five-stars
  • 13 four-stars
  • 15 five-stars

 

Rivals Industry

• No. 7 nationally
• No. 3 SEC
• Breakdown:
  • 2 five-stars
  • 13 four-stars
  • 13-three-stars

 

Signees

Faizon Brandon, Quarterback

247sports: Five-star, No. 2 player, No. 2 quarterback

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 34 player, No. 4 quarterback

ESPN: Five-star, No. 9 player, No. 3 quarterback

Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina

Date he committed: August 3, 2024

Who the Vols beat out: LSU, Alabama, North Carolina State

 

Tristen Keys, Receiver

247sports: Five-star, No. 10 player, No. 2 receiver

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 39 player, No. 7 receiver

ESPN: Five-star, No. 10 player, No. 1 receiver

Hometown: Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Date he committed: August 28, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Flipped from LSU

 

Gabriel Osenda, Offensive Tackle

247sports: Five-star, No. 24 player, No. 5 offensive tackle

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 183 player, No. 20 offensive tackle

ESPN: Four-star, No. 163 player, No. 19 offensive tackle

Hometown: Clearwater, Florida (attends Baylor School in Chattanooga)

Date he committed: January 11, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina

 

TJ White, Inside Linebacker

247sports: Four-star, No. 41 player, No. 4 inside linebacker

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 72 player, No. 5 inside linebacker

ESPN: Four-star, No. 105 player, No. 9 inside linebacker

Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi

Date he committed: July 1, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Florida State, Auburn, Mississippi State

 

Joel Wyatt, Athlete

247sports: Four-star, No. 61 player, No. 4 athlete

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 124 player, No. 11 athlete

ESPN: Four-star, No. 66 player, No. 4 athlete

Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Date he committed: July 28, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Vanderbilt, Oklahoma

 

Brayden Rouse, Inside Linebacker

247sports: Four-star, No. 81 player, No. 7 linebacker

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 143 player, No. 7 linebacker

ESPN: Four-star, No. 129 player, No. 10 linebacker

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Date he committed: July 8, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Texas, Alabama, Michigan

 

Carter Gooden, Edge Rusher

247sports: Four-star, No. 90 player, No. 13 edge rusher

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 149 player, No. 14 edge rusher

ESPN: Four-star, Unranked nationally, No. 40 edge rusher

Hometown: Marion, Massachusetts

Date he committed: December 3, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Flipped from UCLA

 

Kamari Blair, Offensive Tackle

247sports: Four-star, No. 110 player, No. 12 offensive tackle

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 137 player, No. 16 offensive tackle

ESPN: Four-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 35 offensive tackle

Hometown: Clarksville, Tennessee

Date he committed: August 21, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Flipped from South Carolina

 

Legend Bey, Receiver

247sports: Four-star, No. 149 player, No. 7 athlete

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 140 player, No. 4 athlete

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 24 athlete

Hometown: Forney, Texas

Date he committed: December 3, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Flipped from Ohio State

 

Zach Groves, Edge Rusher

247sports: Four-star, No. 206 player, No. 23 edge rusher

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 41 edge rusher

ESPN: Four-star, No. 270 player, No. 29 edge rusher

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Date he committed: May 21, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Southern Cal and Ole Miss

 

Jordan Carter, Edge Rusher

247sports: Four-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 28 defensive lineman

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 51 edge rusher

ESPN: Four-star, No. 57 player, No. 8 edge rusher

Hometown: Douglasville, Georgia

Date he committed: December 3, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Georgia Tech, Texas and Auburn (Texas A&M decommit)

 

Dereon Albert, Defensive Tackle

247sports: Four-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 34 defensive lineman

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 58 defensive lineman

ESPN: Four-star, No. 296 player,  No. 24 defensive lineman

Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi 

Date he committed: July 1, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Mississippi State, North Carolina

 

Zaydyn Anderson, Cornerback

247sports: Four-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 16 cornerback

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 166 player, No. 23 cornerback

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 25 cornerback

Hometown: Greenville, Tennessee

Date he committed: June 28, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Cincinnati, Toledo

 

Tyreek King, Receiver

247sports: Four-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 53 receiver

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 86 player, No. 12 receiver

ESPN: Four-star, No. 51 player, No. 7 receiver

Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee

Date he committed: October 31, 2024

Who the Vols beat out: Alabama, Auburn, Michigan

 

Hezekiah Harris, Edge Rusher

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 31 edge rusher

Rivals/On3: Four-star, No. 148 nationally, No. 18 edge rusher

ESPN: Four-star, No. 137 nationally, No. 16 edge rusher

Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama

Date he committed: September 1, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Flipped from Auburn

 

Kedric Golston II, Defensive Lineman

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 48 edge rusher

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 50 edge rusher

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 12 inside linebacker

Hometown: Ashburn, Virginia

Date he committed: June 27, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Georgia, Rutgers, Virginia Tech

 

CJ Edwards, Edge Rusher

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 51 edge rusher

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 95 edge rusher

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 77 edge rusher

Hometown: Metuchen, New Jersey

Date he committed: February 25, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Michigan, Boston College, Duke

 

Darryl Rivers, Defensive Lineman

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 56 defensive lineman

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 41 defensive lineman

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 76 defensive lineman

Hometown: Powder Springs, Georgia

Date he committed: July 4, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Rutgers

 

Javonte Smith, Cornerback

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 48 cornerback

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 70 cornerback

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 49 cornerback

Hometown: Jackson, Tennessee

Date he committed: July 8, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Arkansas, Missouri, West Virginia

 

Jowell Combay, Safety

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 53 safety

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 52 safety

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 53 safety

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Date he committed: July 9, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Wisconsin

 

KJ McClain, Safety

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 62 safety

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 59 safety

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 61 safety

Hometown: West Orange, New Jersey

Date he committed: June 11, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Michigan State

 

JJ Finch, Defensive Lineman

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 89 defensive lineman

Rivals/On3: Four-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 30 defensive lineman

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 62 defensive lineman

Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana

Date he committed: December 3, 2025

 

Edward Baker, Interior Offensive Lineman

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 58 interior offensive lineman

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 179 interior offensive lineman

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 62 interior offensive lineman

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Date he committed: June 27, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Ole Miss, Arkansas

 

Luke Thompson, Safety

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 50 safety

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 44 safety

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 33 safety

Hometown: Franklin, Tennessee

Date he committed: June 14, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Arkansas State, Connecticut, MTSU

 

Jamyan Theodore, Cornerback

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 80 cornerback

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 108 cornerback

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 68 cornerback

Hometown: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Date he committed: July 1, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Wisconsin, Louisville, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

 

Nic’Quayvion Simmons, Defensive Lineman

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 155 defensive lineman

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 85 defensive lineman

ESPN: Not ranked

Hometown: Columbus, Georgia

Date he committed: December 2, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Mississippi State, Colorado

 

Luca Wolf, Tight end

247sports: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 90 tight end

Rivals/On3: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 74 tight end

ESPN: Three-star, Not ranked nationally, No. 12 tight end

Hometown: Austria (via NFL Global Academy in London)

Date he committed: November 2, 2025

Who the Vols beat out: Flipped from Cal

 

Logan Foley, Punter

247sports: Not ranked

Rivals/On3: Not ranked

ESPN: Not ranked

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Date he committed: December 3, 2025