In recruiting, the wins feel great because ultimately you lose a lot more than you win, and the Vols have found themselves in that spot.
Overall, the class has come together really nicely over the past couple of weeks. Tennessee has flipped the script from a concerning outlook to an optimistic one in just a short span of time.
Tennessee is already making a big impression on one of the best in-state 2028 recruits
However, that doesn't mean all the bad news has gone away. Tre Geathers, a three-star linebacker from Charlotte, announced his commitment today, and unfortunately, he won't be playing in Knoxville. Geathers committed to Florida despite taking an official visit to Tennessee on June 5.
LB Tre Geathers commits to Florida over Georgia, Miami, Tennessee, South Carolina, and others. pic.twitter.com/GKGgfd8yNf
— David Soderquist (@Hightop_Dave) June 18, 2026
Tennessee misses out on 3-star LB Tre Geathers
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as Tennessee has had three-star linebacker JP Peace committed since last summer. Over the weekend, the Vols also flipped four-star legacy linebacker Kenneth Simon II from Alabama, so missing out on Geathers isn’t the biggest deal in the world.
With two commits already and Tennessee bringing in TJ White and Brayden Rouse in 2026, two top-100 four-stars, the long-term outlook of the room is arguably the deepest and most talented in Knoxville. I wouldn’t be surprised if William Inge, Tennessee’s linebackers coach, shuts down recruiting for any more linebackers in the class.
Not to mention, with the transfer portal, missing out on high school linebackers is one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to find a good replacement. It’s not like missing out on an offensive tackle or an edge rusher, where it gets expensive quickly and takes longer to develop.
Jim Knowles’ scheme doesn’t exactly prioritize linebackers either. Obviously, Tennessee still runs a nickel base with two linebackers on the field, but they are not the focal point. Yes, they still need to be solid and help in the run game and in coverage, but the safeties are the biggest X-factor in Knowles’ system.
Geathers did have Georgia after him as well, and Kirby Smart does a great job of finding and developing talent, so he’s likely a very good player. That’s why missing out on him does hurt some. Nevertheless, the outlook of the linebacker corps should give Vols fans a lot of confidence.
Perhaps Heupel and Tennessee fans could be kicking themselves down the line if he ends up being the next great SEC linebacker, but for right now, the decision to not put a full-court press on Geathers makes sense.
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