We are a month away from Tennessee's spring practices, which are a valuable time to get 2027 prospects on campus and potentially set up a summertime official visit to Knoxville. Josh Heupel and the Tennessee staff have been working hard on the recruiting trail, making contact with many of the top prospects in the nation.
The Vols currently have four commits and will look to add even more as we head into the summer. In the meantime, Heupel is focusing on building strong relationships with targets, especially players from Tennessee and the Southeast. Josh Heupel has always been known as an ace recruiter; he's brought multiple five-star recruits to Tennessee year after year and makes sure to prioritize top talent.
This time around, Heupel is aiming to flip a rival’s top commit. That’s right, Tennessee is making a strong push to land Alabama commit Nash Johnson, a cornerback from Powder Springs, Georgia. Johnson is a three-star, but don't let that ranking fool you; he has plenty of the top programs chasing after his commitment, including Auburn, Miami, and Florida.
NEW: Alabama CB commit Nash Johnson is trending away from the Crimson Tide, @ChadSimmons_ reports👀
— Rivals (@Rivals) March 4, 2026
Two teams are pressing the hardest…
Intel: https://t.co/pSAMtp80sa pic.twitter.com/8llX177Xht
Tennessee is looking to flip Alabama committ Nash Johnson
Recruiting in the NIL era is extremely fluid, so even though Johnson is an Alabama verbal, things could very well change, and it sounds like they will. Tennessee has plenty to sell him on. For starters, the Vols have the potential to feature two first-round cornerbacks in Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood in April's NFL Draft. Plus, the defense is now under Jim Knowles, who has a track record that speaks for itself. He has won national championships, and he's produced high-level talent in college and the NFL.
Digging deeper, completing the flip will be a challenge with plenty of SEC programs and Miami taking a swing at the Alabama commit. Miami flipped a couple of Vols commits in the 2026 cycle, and the Vols have had their fair share of recruiting battles with Florida, Auburn, and, of course, Alabama over the years. If Heupel can pull this one off, it will be a huge win for Tennessee and hopefully spark a chain reaction of commitments.