Tennessee football has had immense success recruiting at the wide receiver position under head coach Josh Heupel and passing game coordinator Kelsey Pope. However, it appears this year may go without a five-star signing at the position.
On Sunday, five-star receiver Eric McFarland III narrowed down his finalists to just three schools ahead of his upcoming commitment on June 28. However, the Vols weren’t on the list, with Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M being named instead.
McFarland is coming off a recent official visit to Tennessee, as well. He was on campus on May 22, but it appears UT couldn’t do enough to stay alive in the hunt for his talents.
NEWS: Five-Star WR Eric McFarland is down to Florida, Georgia, and Texas A&M, he tells me for @Rivals
He’s set to announce his college decision on June 28thhttps://t.co/3UJux12kBx pic.twitter.com/8YAVrOWNlx
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 7, 2026
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McFarland stands at just 5-foot-8, but has proven to be one of the best athletes in the class of 2027 after reclassifying up a year. He ranks as the No. 25 player in the nation, via 247 Composite. He’s also the No. 5 wide receiver and No. 4 player from the state of Florida. He currently plays for IMG Academy out of Bradenton, Florida.
Tennessee has signed five-star receivers in two of the last three classes. In 2024, the Vols inked Mike Matthews, who started as a sophomore and projects to be a key piece of the offense this upcoming season. This past 2026 cycle, Tennessee signed TK Keys, who will compete for a role within the offense as a true freshman.
Currently, Tennessee owns 11 commitments in the cycle. This includes four-star receiver Kesean Bowman. The group is good for the No. 38 class in the nation and holds a trio of four-star commits on 247.
One Response
May be a 5 star on paper but not good enough to be a Vol.