Tennessee football has recruited running backs well under Josh Heupel, landing top names and identifying under-the-radar talent. However, in 2026, the Vols missed on top target Savion Hiter and may go without landing a player at the position in this cycle. This puts some additional pressure on the 2027 class. In that effort, Tennessee is now inside the top-five for four-star back Tranard Roberts, according to Rivals.
Roberts listed the Vols, Michigan, Ohio State, Miami and Auburn as his finalists. This is not the first time he’s released a top-five list, though. In August, his five were Michigan, Ohio State, Auburn, Washington and Florida. However, the Huskies have seemingly dropped out of the race, and the Gators’ strong chances were squashed after firing Billy Napier.
This late surge is certainly a solid sign for Tennessee’s odds to land the back. The Vols aren’t late to the party, either. UT initially offered Roberts back in May of 2024, making it one of the first 10 schools to offer him. It was also in his top-10 schools list, which he released earlier in his recruitment.
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Roberts ranks as the No. 208 overall recruit in the country, according to 247 composite rankings. He holds four-star status on the composite and is considered the No. 16 running back in the class and No. 19 player out of Florida.
Roberts started his high school career at Williston High in Florida, where he played on varsity as a freshman. For his sophomore season, he transferred to IMG Academy, where he played in nine games and posted 300 rushing yards and four touchdowns, according to 247. Now, Roberts is playing for The Villages Charter in Florida for his junior campaign.
UT currently holds two commitments in the class. One is legacy linebacker, JP Peace, grandson of Phillip Fulmer and son of Robert Peace. The other is cornerback Kamauri Whitfield. Both are three-star prospects.
Tennessee is also in the mix for top-10 recruit Cooper Witten. He is a linebacker prospect out of Texas and the son of former Vol star Jason Witten. Another name to keep a close eye on is five-star running back David Gabriel Georges out of Baylor School in Chattanooga.
