This recruiting run that Josh Heupel is on - yeah, it's something that Tennessee football fans everywhere are loving. In the past week, the Vols have added seven new commits for the 2026 class and even more pledges could be on the way later this month.
Not long ago, Tennessee's recruiting class was ranked No. 55 in the country by 247Sports. We don't have to tell you that's no longer the case. On Tuesday, 4-star linebacker TJ White and 4-star defensive lineman Dereon Albert, both from the Jackson Academy in Mississippi, pledged to UT.
On top of that, 3-star cornerback Jamyan Theodore also committed about an hour later. With White and Albert on board, Tennessee jumped up to the No. 13 class in the country. Now that Theodore is in the mix too, the Vols are ranked No. 12 for the 2026 class. That's just awesome news.
Tennessee football currently holds the No. 12 recruiting class in the country
With White, Albert and Theodore all giving the Vols their commitments, the class is up to 16 verbals. Tennessee is no question building a ton of momentum and the staff is still high on the list for several additional elite prospects.
The list obviously includes 5-star running back Savion Hiter and 5-star wide receiver Tristen Keys. There's been a bit more buzz surrounding Keys of late, but he remains committed to LSU. Recently, Keys said that his final decision will be coming soon - Tennessee, Miami and Texas A&M are still working to flip him.
As for Hiter, ranked the No. 1 RB, it's starting to feel like his recruitment is going to come down to either Tennessee or Michigan. He took visits to both schools this spring, getting a first-hand look at what life might be like for him over the next 3-4 years should he choose either the Vols or Wolverines.
Tennessee 5-star commit Faizon Brandon is working overtime to recruit Keys too, which the UT faithful are hoping will be enough to change his mind. We're not sure what might happen with Keys and Hiter, but what we do know is that Heupel has been on fire landing recruits of late. Don't be surprised to see more guys grab a seat at the table soon too.