The best part about the new year? College coaches are hitting the road to visit high schools to make face-to-face contact with their top targets. Tennessee has been working hard on this front, as the staff has been juggling finishing up the Transfer Portal and getting ahead on 2027 recruits.
Tennessee football gaining momentum in the race for a 4-star IMG Academy WR
Tennessee’s coaching staff has its work cut out trying to match the magic of the 2026 class. It was Josh Heupel’s best haul since arriving in Knoxville, highlighted by three 5-star recruits, including quarterback Faizon Brandon, who comes with sky-high expectations. The class was just barely ranked behind Georgia and Alabama, proving that Tennessee is recruiting with the best of them.
Landing in-state high school recruits will always be the bread and butter for Tennessee football, no matter how hard they push nationally ranked prospects in other major recruiting hotbeds. Josh Heupel's 2026 class still had nine Tennessee high school football players, emphasizing the importance of getting the top talent in the state to Knoxville. Five of the top seven players in the state signed with the Vols in the class of 2026, including 5-star Gabriel Osenda.
Heupel looks to continue this trend as he hit Hall's High School in Knoxville today to see 4-star safety Jarell Chandler on Wednesday morning.
Thanks for stopping by @coachjoshheupel 🍊@PennySmith_ @CoachHughes56 @ChadSimmons_ @TomLoy247 @AustinPriceless pic.twitter.com/WbqHBk3G4E
— Jarrell Chandler (@JarrellChandle2) January 21, 2026
4-star safety Jarell Chandler is a key target
It's great to see Heupel making the push for another in-state star, as they still will focus hard on bringing in talent from the high school ranks. Chandler is rated the No. 31 safety in the 2027 class by the 247Sports composite. There’s no question that he has an amazing offer list with Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Florida State, Indiana, and plenty more throwing their name in the mix.
Landing Chandler won’t be an easy feat at all, but there’s a lot to like about Tennessee’s chances, especially with the potential to tap into his hometown appeal and the way he could immediately become a Vol fan favorite.
It's still early on, as signing day is 11 months away for the 2027 class, but you have to smile at the fact that Heupel is putting the Vols in a position to be successful once again.