Tennessee linebacker commit Brayden Rouse is in Neyland Stadium for the Vols’ home opener against ETSU on Saturday afternoon.
Rouse is in Knoxville just one day after he helped Kell High School find a 42-28 win over Wheeler High School in the Georgia 4A Division on Friday night.
The 6-foot-2 linebacker is Tennessee’s highest-rated defensive commitment in the 2026 class. The Vols won a huge recruiting battle for the blue-chip prospect by beating out Alabama, Michigan, and Texas in early July.
247Sports’ Composite Rankings have Rouse listed as a four-star prospect, the No. 87 player in the class, the No. 4 linebacker in the nation, and the No. 10 player from the state of Georgia.
“Rangy second-level defender who can flow downhill and strike ball carriers as well as he can drop into coverage and operate in space,” 247Sports’ Hudson Standish wrote about Rouse in a June evaluation. “Hovering around 6-foot-2.5, 220 pounds and has played meaningful snaps at LB, EDGE, S, WR, and TE. Immense three-phase production at the GHSA 4A level, made a noticeable leap on the defensive side of the ball as a junior. Active and instinctive pursuing the football, will make plays sideline-to-sideline and evade blockers in space with ease.”
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No. 22 Tennessee will host in-state foe ETSU in a rainy game from Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Vols are heavy favorites in the game. Tennessee began the season with a strong 45-26 win over Syracuse last Saturday in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for live, on-site coverage of the game from Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
