Tennessee football has landed its share of international talent under Josh Heupel through the prep ranks. The Vols are now looking to reel in one of the best players from overseas in the 2027 class, Neff Giwa.
The 6-foot-8 offensive tackle prospect from Ireland has set his commitment date. He’ll be picking between Tennessee, Miami, South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas on Sunday, March 29, according to Hayes Fawcett.
Giwa has a background in rugby before he transitioned to football. According to Fawcett, he has posted a 4.88 40-yard dash time with 37-inch arms. He also played soccer, basketball and track and field growing up.
Now, he’s sharpening his skillset as an offensive tackle to play college football.
This is Neff Giwa from Tipperary, and he’s going to play in the NFL some day. pic.twitter.com/abArLQ2pI9
Advertisement— Jimmy English (@thejimmyenglish) March 26, 2026
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According to 247, Giwa is a three-star prospect. 247 Composite has him at No. 2,424 in the country, No. 191 at offensive tackle and No. 10 in the Republic of Ireland. However, 247 has him in the 2026 class, though it appears he will be classifying as a 2027 recruit instead.
“Former rugby player with exceptional physical features that will head to college without having ever played a snap of American football,” 247 director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote. “…Caught the attention of Power Four coaches with workout footage where he flashes an explosive lower half, but will need major technical work before he’s ready for any type of trench warfare. Should be viewed as a developmental project with a unique story that’s going to need to soak up any and all coaching in a short amount of time, especially at his age.”
Tennessee is off to a strong start in the 2027 cycle. So far, UT has landed five commitments in the class. The Vols boast four-star offensive lineman Princeton Uwaifo as the headliner, with four-star Kadin Fife also in the boat. However, Fife is apparently back in the evaluation process after defensive staff changes.
Three-stars quarterback Derrick Baker, legacy linebacker JP Peace and in-state athlete Jaden Butler are also committed. More commitments are expected to roll in throughout the offseason as the class heats up, though.
