The 2026 class has just been wrapped up, as Josh Heupel and company have done a tremendous job on the recruiting trail. With that being said, recruiting never ends, and Tennessee football is already in a major recruiting battle with an SEC rival for a top 2027 recruit.
Even more importantly, the prized 2027 recruit is a Tennessee Legacy. Chad Simmons of Rivals has reported that Tennessee and Alabama have emerged as the strong contenders for the talented safety Kenneth Simon II.
Alabama and Tennessee are strong contenders for 2027 4-star safety Kenneth Simon II, via @ChadSimmons_ 🐘🟠
— Rivals (@Rivals) December 9, 2025
Read: https://t.co/BYpW4HaWAr pic.twitter.com/kDxQ6OP1q6
Tennessee football is in on top safety Kenneth Simon II
Kenneth Simon II, a safety from Brentwood, Tennessee, is a pledge Josh Heupel would love to keep home. Along with Tennessee and Alabama, Simon II holds offers from Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Missouri, Florida, and several other power five schools.
The in-state product is ranked as a 4-star by the Rivals industry ranking and the ninth-rated player in the state of Tennessee. Simon II is a physical safety who isn't afraid to get his nose dirty in the box. He also possesses natural ball skills when guarding downfield. He's a guy who could play nickel or as a traditional safety at the next level. His ability to tackle really pops on tape. Vols fans would love to add a guy like Simon II to join the 2027 class.
Another layer to this story is that Kenneth Simon II's father, Kenneth Simon, was also a Vol. Simon played at Tennessee from 2002 to 2005, where he ended up becoming a seventh-round pick by the Washington Redskins. In 2005, Simon led the Vols in tackles with 86, including 4 TFLs and a sack.
In the grand scheme of things, you have to keep the top in-state talent home and bring them into Knoxville. I'm not discounting Josh Heupel, he's done a great job recruiting, but this is one Tennessee needs to win. Beating out Alabama won't be easy, but the Vols have a lot of things going for them.
Right now, Tennessee only has four commits in the 2027 class, but when the dust finally settles, Tennessee will likely be right at the top of the recruiting rankings once again.