Five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys committed to LSU back in March, but that hasn’t stopped Tennessee from staying in pursuit of the highly-touted prospect.
The Vols have hosted Keys on several occasions throughout his recruitment, including a huge recruiting weekend on June 13 that allowed Keys to meet up with five-star Tennessee quarterback commit Faizon Brandon, four-star linebacker commit TJ White, four-star athlete commit Legend Bey, and plenty more.
The Vols’ commits have also been active in publicly stating their desire to flip Keys to Tennessee’s 2026 class. And you need some of that in today’s day and age. Brandon has posted about it on X, WR commit Tyreek King gave a sales pitch during a recent interview, and Tennessee linebacker commit Brayden Rouse even directly called out Keys as the top guy he’s going after following his commitment last Tuesday.
Tennessee fans have had their eye on this recruitment and potential flip opportunity for a while now, and a new report this week is adding even more fuel to the fire.
While speaking with Josh Newberg on his show for On3 Sports, Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons gave Tennessee fans a reason for optimism – while also giving LSU fans a punch to the gut in the process.
“I keep hearing from people, ‘Chad, if you’re a betting guy, take the field over LSU in the end for Tristen Keys,'” Simmons said. “We know LSU is going to work really hard, and they’re going to have to, to keep him in this class through December and get him signed, but Tennessee is definitely one to watch for Tristen Keys as well. Look, Tennessee, like you said, they’re hot, they’re smokin’ this summer, they’d love to add a few more pieces in the coming weeks.”
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Nothing is definitive, and this is the world of recruiting, after all. Anything could change. But that report suggests that Tennessee isn’t backing off and is keeping its foot on the gas when it comes to trying to flip the highly touted LSU commit.
According to On3’s Industry Rankings, Keys is listed as a five-star prospect, the No. 5 recruit in the class, the top-ranked receiver in the 2026 cycle, and the top-ranked player from the state of Mississippi.
“A potential game-wrecker on the outside that can attack all three levels and constantly challenge defenses,” 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins wrote in a November evaluation for Keys. “Pairs elite ball skills together with dynamic route running, superior athleticism and a long-levered frame. Creates separation with his suddenness and will break off defensive backs with snappy cuts.”
After a red-hot summer recruiting stretch that’s seen Tennessee add 11 commits in the last three weeks, the Vols’ 2026 recruiting class currently sits at No. 13 overall in On3’s team rankings. A flip from Keys would go a long way in sending Tennessee rocketing up the rankings, but there’s still a lot of work to be done in order to make that happen.
Some will see Simmons’ statement as a reason for optimism, while others will still hold reservations, given that Keys is still committed to LSU. Both sides are fair. Either way, it shows that Tennessee is still running the race. We’ll see if Josh Heupel can beat out Brian Kelly and some of the other top contenders to the finish line.
“If you’re a betting guy…take the field over LSU for Tristen Key in the end”@ChadSimmons_ says Tennessee is working hard to FLIP the No. 1 WR in America 🍊
MORE: https://t.co/UCpCrMJvLc pic.twitter.com/qqhjKVknkS
— Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) July 10, 2025
