There's something about Josh Heupel putting in serious work in keeping the top in-state talent home. Such is the case on Wednesday, with 4-star EDGE Zach Groves shutting down his recruitment and giving the Vols the news they were hoping for.
That's right, moments ago, the 6-4, 250-pounder announced that he'll be playing his college ball in Knoxville. Groves currently is a playmaker for East Robertson High in Cross Plains, about three hours from campus. This indeed is an exciting get for the Tennessee football staff.
4-star EDGE Zach Groves has committed to Josh Heupel and Tennessee
As Groves revealed in his commitment post, this was not an easy decision for him - far from it. However, the relationships he's been able to build with the Vols coaches have played a big role in his decision and now he's all set for a future of college ball in the SEC.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Groves is ranked four stars, the No. 25 EDGE in the country and the No. 7 prospect from Tennessee. Throughout his recruitment, the newest UT pledge picked up offers from Tennessee, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, North Carolina and many others.
Groves is all set to take his official visit to Tennessee on June 6 too. There are no other officials on the schedule for him either and the hope is now that he's committed, no other trips will be on the way for him at some point later this year.
With Groves on the board for the Vols, Heupel and Co. are up to eight known pledges for the 2026 class. The list is headlined by the two 5-star pledges: quarterback Faizon Brandon and offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda. Groves is the only 4-star commit (per the 247Sports rankings), with five 3-star pledges also on board. Also of note, Groves is the fourth in-state commit for Heupel for this class.