Tennessee football has missed out on a four-star safety target from Knoxville on the recruiting trail. Jarrell Chandler, a 6-foot-3 defensive back starring at Halls High School, has committed to Clemson instead.
Along with the Tigers, Chandler was considering the Vols, Miami and Vanderbilt. The buzz was that UT may be able to keep him at home, but Clemson made a push to secure his pledge.
Chandler is a four-star recruit, according to 247 Composite. He ranks as the No. 256 player in the country, No. 24 safety and No. 11 in the state of Tennessee. He plays for Halls High School in Knoxville and is listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds.
BREAKING: Four-Star Safety Jarrell Chandler has Committed to Clemson, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 6’3 210 S from Knoxville, TN chose the Tigers over Tennessee, Miami, and Vanderbilt
AdvertisementHe’s ranked as a Top 95 Recruit in the 2027 Rivals300 🐅https://t.co/oCHudSZFmv pic.twitter.com/3Eosl00Uuv
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 18, 2026
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According to 247, Chandler has multiple official visits set up this summer. He is scheduled to see Clemson on May 29, Vanderbilt on June 4, Tennessee on June 12 and Virginia Tech on 19. It’s currently unclear if he still plans to make each trip despite his commitment, especially the Hokies, who didn’t even make his final cut.
Chandler’s primary recruiter at Tennessee is the new co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach, Anthony Poindexter. He joins Jim Knowles in his first year as the defensive coordinator for the Vols after working together at Penn State.
Currently, Tennessee holds seven commitments in the 2027 class. This features a trio of highly-touted four-stars. Headlining is in-state wide receiver, Kesean Bowman. He is a top-50 prospect and one of the top pass catchers in the class. In-state offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo and defensive lineman Kadin Fife are also highly ranked.
Three-stars in the class are quarterback Derrick Baker, athlete Jaden Butler, in-state legacy linebacker JP Peace and defensive back Carter Jamison. Currently, this group is ranked outside of the top 30 on 247.
