With signing day in the books, Tennessee’s 2026 recruiting class is officially wrapped up. The Vols did a great job securing top talent at multiple spots like quarterback, wide receiver, and linebacker, but the one missing piece was a running back.
After losing Star Thomas and Peyton Lewis, it was always known that Tennessee was going to need a new tailback to develop behind DeSean Bishop, but the Vols hadn't secured a new back. The Vols did add Javin Gordon, a freshman from Tulane, from the portal, but adding a young 2026 guy was still something that the Vols likely needed. That was until yesterday, when Tennessee picked up an unexpected add by landing running back Will Rajecki from Canton, Georgia, on signing day.
BREAKING: 2026 3 ⭐️ running back Will Rajecki has COMMITTED to Tennessee! 🍊
— Vol Scoops (@VolScoops) February 4, 2026
The 5’11 195 RB picks Tennessee over Memphis and Kansas State and also held offers from Georgia and Vanderbilt
Rajecki officially signed with the Vols this morning
Nice late addition for the Vols 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OQzncLwXOd
Tennessee lands RB Will Rajecki
Rajecki is a three-star running back in the 247Sports composite, ranked as the No. 74 running back in the class of 2027. Don't let that ranking fool you, though, as he has some serious skill to hit the game. He ran for 1970 yards on 274 carries and scored 3-0 rushing touchdowns. Rajecki also added 26 catches for 357 yards and two scores, showing how versatile a player he is.
The thing Vols fans will love most about Rajecki is that he is a do-it-all kind of back. He isn't afraid to put his shoulder down and run a defender over. He has a tough, hard-nosed running style to his game. He adds a nice blend of speed, acceleration, and power. Plus, Rajecki has the ability to block, catch passes, and return kicks. This addition feels like a low risk high reward play for Heupel.
Not to mention, Rajecki was named a Navy All-American Bowl player in January and had offers from a lot of very good schools. Georgia, Vanderbilt, Kansas, Kansas State, and Memphis all threw their name in the mix, plus he had a few Ivy League offers.
This move could pay off big down the line for Tennessee and Heupel. With the 2027 class on the horizon, Josh Heupel will have to shift his focus to five-star back David Gabriel Georges to continue the streak of adding good running backs.