Tennessee missed on talented 4-star EDGE right before scheduled official visit

It has been a great week and a half for Josh Heupel and the Tennessee staff. They have erased a lot of doubt about Tennessee’s ability to put together a really strong recruiting class. After a successful weekend, they followed it up by flipping Kenneth Simon III, a legacy recruit, from SEC rival Alabama. They also landed a four-star offensive lineman from Virginia right out of James Franklin’s backyard. The staff has now set the foundation for the Vols to finish with a very strong class, and that's significant after a slow start.

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However, not to rain on the parade, but the Vols did get some bad news this weekend. Four-star edge rusher Elijah Guertin, one of Tennessee’s top targets, committed to Penn State during his visit.

This one does hurt, as Tennessee never really got its shot with the Rhode Island edge rusher. Guertin was scheduled to visit Knoxville next week, but that visit is likely off the table now. That’s what makes this loss sting the most, as Tennessee never got the opportunity to show Guertin why Knoxville would have been a great fit for him. Matt Campbell has done a really solid job so far in Happy Valley, and the Nittany Lions now have a top-ten class.

What's next for Tennessee after Elijah Guertin's commitment?

Now that Guertin is off the board, Tennessee has a bit of a dilemma at edge rusher. Right now, the Vols don't have an edge commitment in the class, and with only one more official visit weekend remaining, their options are starting to narrow.

One player to watch is in-state edge rusher Antwan Jackson from Collierville, who will be on campus next weekend. Jackson has already visited Alabama, Ole Miss, and Missouri. Tennessee still has some work to do in this recruitment, but if the Vols knock his visit out of the park, they could put themselves firmly back in the race for the four-star pass rusher.

On the other hand, although Tennessee should add a few more edge rushers to the room, Rodney Garner has done a really good job recruiting the position overall. Perhaps if there is one position coach to put all your faith in, it's Garner. Plus, Tennessee has also shown a willingness to spend on edge rushers from the portal, as it did with Chaz Coleman.

The Vols also signed three highly regarded edge rushers in the 2025 class: CJ Edwards, Hezekiah Harris, and Zach Groves. There is already plenty of young talent in the room, which should help ease concerns about missing out on Guertin.

With not many options left on the board, Tennessee will have to keep an eye out for late risers during their senior seasons. Plenty of prospects, especially in the trenches, are late bloomers, so it never hurts to identify a player who is tearing it up in the fall and get involved in his recruitment.

There's no reason to panic, but losing Guertin increases the urgency at edge rusher. Tennessee still has options, yet Heupel and Garner will need to identify a few more answers before signing day.

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