Finally! It feels like forever since the last time Tennessee picked up a commitment, and the Vols have now landed one of the most prized recruits that Josh Heupel and his staff were targeting in the 2027 class. Just when people started to count the Vols out, they're right back in it.
Vegas odds signal Tennessee football is closer to Texas than many may think
Heupel got this done in big-time fashion. Tennessee just picked up a four-star in-state tight end in Malik Howard, someone the staff has made a big-time priority for a while now. 247Sports has him rated as the No. 8 tight end in the 2027 class and the No. 183 overall player in the class. The Vols beat out Notre Dame, Alabama,
Oregon and many others for the star tight end. This was a great way for the staff to kick off the biggest official visit weekend this year.
BREAKING: Four-Star TE Malik Howard has Committed to Tennessee, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 6, 2026
The 6’4 230 TE chose the Volunteers over Alabama, Notre Dame, and Oregon
“I’m staying home, Go Vols”https://t.co/3EcUEdl79I pic.twitter.com/jjAp8Pz0Kl
Tennessee lands 4-star TE Malik Howard
I love tight ends, so I love this commitment. Tennessee has done a really good job developing reliable players at the position, and Malik Howard looks like the next guy in line. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, the Navy All-American already has the size and physical tools you want. He can go up and get the football in the red zone, create yards after the catch, and contribute as a blocker. He’s the complete package at the position, and this is a commitment Tennessee fans should feel really good about.
As a junior at Oak Ridge, Howard posted 53 receptions for 778 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those are impressive numbers for a high school tight end, especially considering many future DI tight ends don’t put up huge receiving statistics at the high school level.
In 2026, Tennessee landed Luca Wolf from the NFL Academy in London, so adding a more polished player was a very big-time move from the staff. I’m interested to see what Heupel does from here. Does Tennessee add another tight end in the 2027 class, or are they done at the position? The Vols are still involved with a highly touted three-star Stanford commit, Ben Kolar, and Maryville tight end Colton Johnson, so there’s definitely a chance they add another player. At the same time, if the staff likes the long-term outlook of the room, they could always use the portal to fill any remaining needs.
Now the next step is building on this momentum and finding a way to land David Gabriel Georges. Come on, Josh, you can get it done. Let’s keep those commits rolling in.
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