Tennessee is currently trying to build off an amazing 2026 class, with the Vols completely dominating the official visit season. Tennessee is red-hot on the recruiting trail, and with one more visit weekend left, they are looking to capitalize.
However, future recruiting can sometimes get lost in the shuffle, but not this time for Josh Heupel and Tennessee, as they’ve hosted several big-time 2028 prospects as the summer has begun.
Why the noise around Josh Heupel and Tennessee football in 2026 is overblown
One of the elite athletes on campus was 6-foot-6, 286-pound tackle Nation Farmer, who according to VolsQuest, Tennessee’s On3 site, was impressed on his first trip to Knoxville. Farmer is a four-star tackle ranked as the No. 71 player in the 2028 class and the No. 8 offensive tackle overall, making him a big-time target for Tennessee in the class of 2028.
Top-100 OT Nation Farmer impressed by first look at Tennesseehttps://t.co/CMZlTbtb2y
— Volquest Staff (@Volquest_On3) June 16, 2026
Josh Heupel is working hard on the 2028 class starting with Nation Farmer
Heupel making 2028 players a priority this early is something worth noting. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being one of his best classes, especially if Tennessee can put together a good year on the field this fall. Getting players like Farmer, who will draw a lot of attention at IMG Academy, on campus early is a big win. Heupel and the staff will need to keep chipping away at his recruitment.
Farmer already holds offers from several major programs, including Georgia, Texas A&M, Michigan, Oregon, and Penn State, among others. Tennessee will have to keep pushing in his recruitment, but the Vols are off to a strong start in positioning themselves early.
What I like most about Farmer’s game is his run blocking, which at this stage is more advanced than his pass protection. He is athletic enough to be a puller, and he plays nasty when he gets his hands on a defender. He has the physicality to get gritty and drive defenders into the dirt. He still plays a little high and could improve his hand placement, but overall there’s a lot to like about him as a prospect, which explains his long list of big-time offers.
In the meantime, Tennessee doesn’t have any 2028 commits yet, but I would be shocked if someone doesn’t light the candle early on. We saw it in the 2027 class with JP Peace committing last June, so it’s possible an early domino could get things rolling.
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