Josh Heupel just got a clear deadline to sway elite in-state LB away from Alabama

Josh Heupel needs some wins on the recruiting trail, as he went all of April without a single commitment in the Class of 2027. Tennessee has found itself in the top choices of a few recruits, but hasn't been able to seal the deal when it came to their commitment.

Now, the Volunteers are in the top choices of another top recruit, four-star linebacker Kenneth Simon II, but Tennessee is battling fellow SEC schools Georgia, Ole Miss, and Alabama. Simon has been given the Crystal Ball to Alabama, and officially set his commitment date for May 11, giving Heupel a timeline to try and land the top recruit.

Simon is a Tennessee native, which should give the Volunteers an advantage, but with the recruiting hot streak that Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has been on, it's a tough battle. It feels like this race really comes down to the Crimson Tide and the Volunteers, and Heupel needs to find a way to pull ahead.

The Brentwood, Tennessee native is ranked as the No. 132 player in the Class of 2027, the No. 7 linebacker in the class, and the No. 6 player in the state of Tennessee, according to 247Sports.

Josh Heupel looking to add to already defensive-heavy 2027 recruiting class

Kenneth Simon II would be a great addition to the 2027 recruiting class at Tennessee, which is already pretty defensive-heavy. Out of the six commits, half of them are on the defensive side of the ball, and there is already a linebacker commit.

Simon could join three-star commit JP Peace, who has been with the Volunteers since June of 2025. One would also think that Tennessee has an advantage here with Simon's father, Kevin Simon, playing for the Volunteers when he was in college back in the early 200s. This is going to go down as a battle, though, that will be a bit embarrassing for Heupel if he loses.

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