Coming off an elite 2026 signing class, Tennessee football is making big moves in the 2027 cycle. This includes attempting to reel in some of the biggest fish in the class.
On Sunday, Rivals updated the recruitment of five-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews. The site listed the Vols among potential contenders. He plans to visit each, with no dates set, but Georgia, Miami and Texas A&M seem to be the ones in the best position.
Matthews is ranked as the No. 2 overall player in the class on 247 Composite. He is the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 1 player out of Florida. He is out of Fort Lauderdale, where he plays for St. Thomas Aquinas. Matthews stands at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds.
NEW: Five-Star Plus+ OT Mark Matthews names three teams most likely to receive an official visit, via @BenjaminRivals✈️
Intel: https://t.co/3uJP2nl7ku pic.twitter.com/Sr87tmbQWO
— Rivals (@Rivals) February 8, 2026
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“Athletic offensive tackle with the size, twitch and mobility to eventually anchor the left side of the line at the game’s highest levels,” 247 director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote. “Aces the eye test with a streamlined build that has been third-party verified at 6-foot-6, 265 pounds. Only going to get bigger as he’s tracking to start college before his 18th birthday. Very green from a technical standpoint and is still learning all the ebbs and flows of trench warfare, but flashes elite reactionary skills for someone of his stature and has limited issues finding leverage…”
Tennessee already holds four commitments in the 2027 class. This includes four-star tackle Princeton Uwaifo, four-star defensive lineman Kadin Fife, three-star linebacker JP Peace and three-star cornerback Kamauri Whitfield. The class is still young, though, and plenty more commitments are expected to trickle in over the next year.
The Vols are coming off an extremely strong 2026 class, as well. This was headlined by a trio of five-star prospects, quarterback Faizon Brandon, wide receiver TK Keys and offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda. The group ranks fourth in the country on 247.
