Between 247 and 247 Composite rankings, Tennessee football owns the pledges of four five-star prospects in the 2026 class. Quarterback Faizon Brandon, recently flipped wide receiver Tristen Keys, offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda and athlete Salesi Moa all have earned the coveted status.
Brandon and Keys stand in a class of their own, though. Brandon is the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation on 247’s rankings and the No. 7 prospect in the composite. Keys sits at No. 4 on 247 and No. 6 in the composite. He is the top-ranked receiver in both.
Being such highly-ranked prospects in the composite has placed both Vol commits in an elite club. In 247’s list of top commitments in program history, which uses composite rankings, both are inside the top 10. With the addition of David Sanders Jr., a former five-star recruit who will start for the Vols as a freshman on the offensive line this year, that projects to be three of the top recruits ever on one team.
It is worth noting that 247 has only tracked recruits back to 2000. This means that some of the top players to ever don the orange and white aren’t included on the list. The first that comes to mind is Peyton Manning, who surely would’ve been considered one of, if not the top, recruits in his cycle if the rankings dated back that long instead.
With that said, here’s the list, which features four Josh Heupel Era commitments in the top 10.
More From RTI: Tennessee Football Jumps Into Top 10 Recruiting Rankings After Flipping Tristen Keys
- RB Bryce Brown, Class of 2009, 0.9992 rating
- S Eric Berry, Class of 2007, 0.9986 rating
- QB Nico Iamaleava, Class of 2023, 0.9981 rating
- OT David Sanders Jr., Class of 2025, 0.9973 rating
- DL Khalil McKenzie, Class of 2015, 0.9972 rating
- RB Gerald Riggs Jr., Class of 2002, 0.9970 rating
- WR Tristen Keys, Class of 2026, 0.9969 rating
- OT Mike Munoz, Class of 2000, 0.9960 rating
- RB Jabari Davis, Class of 2001, 0.9958 rating
- QB Faizon Brandon, Class of 2026, 0.9957 rating
- CB Demetrice Morley, Class of 2005, 0.9952 rating
- OT Darnell Wright, Class of 2019, 0.9943 rating
- IOL Brandon Jefferies, Class of 2002, 0.9934 rating
- S O.J. Owens, Class of 2000, 0.9932 rating
- WR Da’Rick Rogers, Class of 2010, 0.9927 rating
- EDGE Jordan Ross, Class of 2024, 0.9924 rating
- IOL Trey Smith, Class of 2017, 0.9920 rating
- LB Kevin Simon, Class of 2001, 0.9910 rating
- IOL Jason Respert, Class of 2000, 0.9902 rating
- QB Casey Clausen, Class of 2000, 0.9896 rating
- WR Robert Meachem, Class of 2003, 0.9890 rating
- WR Mike Matthews, Class of 2024, 0.9882 rating
- IOL Sean Young, Class of 2000, 0.9878 rating
- WR James Banks, Class of 2002, 0.9878 rating
- RB Cedric Houston, Class of 2001, 0.9878 rating
Bolded names indicate members of the 2026 class, italicized names indicate current members of Tennessee’s 2025 roster
