Josh Heupel rights major wrong with 4-star legacy flipping from Bama to Tennessee

It was back in early May when touted linebacker Kenneth Simon II broke countless Tennessee hearts by committing to Kalen DeBoer and Alabama. Despite that happening in deflating fashion, come on, Josh Heupel was not going to go down without a fight, as the Vols never stopped pushing to eventually land him.

Key Tennessee commit silences flip rumors in major win for Josh Heupel

Well, that sensational news just came in. Per Hayes Fawcett, the in-state 'backer indeed has shut things down once again, this time flipping his verbal pledge from the Crimson Tide to the Vols. There was some buzz of late that this could happen, and it's no question a gigantic recruiting win for Heupel and his staff:

Kenneth Simon II flipping from Alabama to Tennessee is major news for Josh Heupel

Now this is how you make a splash out on the recruiting trail. Simon's dad Kevin was a linebacker for Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. When the youngster originally picked Alabama over Tennessee and many others, it was a gut punch that people were not ready for. How on earth could Heupel let a Vols legacy pick an SEC rival like this?!

Thankfully, Heupel was able to right this wrong, and DeBoer no question can't be too happy about things. Per the 247Sports rankings, the 6-2, 210-pounder is ranked four stars, the No. 9 linebacker in the country, No. 6 player out of Tennessee, and No. 144 playmaker nationally for the entire 2027 class. He's a big-time talent.

Throughout his recruitment, the new Tennessee commit picked up more than 20 offers, but this always felt like it was going to come down to either the Crimson Tide or Vols. Luckily, Heupel never took his foot off the gas, and Simon realized that Knoxville is the best place for him to call home for his college career.

This is also important for Heupel because he always wants to keep the best players from Tennessee from playing for other schools. Simon is a standout for Brentwood Academy, which is a little under three hours away from Knoxville. With Simon's dad being a former Vol too, it was a no-brainer for UT to not give up.

Could this latest news also help the momentum continue to grow in the efforts to land 5-star running back David Gabriel Georges? DGG just took his official visit to Tennessee, and while Ohio State has been considered a heavy favorite for a little while, it seems like the Vols have made up some ground. Georges is a superstar for the Baylor School in Chattanooga. Maybe Heupel can sell him on playing for the Vols the same way he did to reel in Simon?

That's all unknown at this time, but it certainly can't hurt. While we wait for more news to come in on Georges, the Tennessee faithful can go ahead and celebrate Simon deciding to trade a future Bama jersey for a Tennessee one. He'll look to follow in his dad's footsteps in being a head-turning player in the SEC, and he'll be doing so for the Vols.

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