Tennessee quietly adds underrated cornerback in big recruiting win for Josh Heupel

If you're a Tennessee fan, you've got to be pumped about this. Tennessee has picked up another commitment from its big official visit weekend. Going into the visits, the Vols hadn't landed a commitment since the official visit season began, and Tennessee has now landed three commitments from this weekend. That quietly matters a lot for Josh Heupel and his staff.

Tennessee is pulling out all the stops for David Gabriel Georges, with help from a Vols legend

Flowery Branch, Georgia, product Dylan Haley made it official late Saturday night, committing to Tennessee after visiting Ole Miss on May 29 and the Vols this weekend. The three-star cornerback is a rangy, athletic defensive back with a solid frame at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. He has a strong set of tools and is a nice pickup for the staff. There's still work left to do in the 2027 class, but Tennesse is gaining steam.

CB Dylan Haley commits to Tennessee

Even more importantly, in Jim Knowles’ scheme, you can never have too many good defensive backs. With Haley in the mix, Tennessee adds another player who has all the athletic traits you want in a cornerback while also possessing a high ceiling. Knowles loves smart cornerbacks, and on Haley’s film, you can see multiple high-football-IQ plays. There’s a lot to like about this addition.

This is a clear sign that Heupel and the staff haven’t lost their magic touch when it comes to recruiting. They beat out Ole Miss, who the Vols lost Marvin Nguetsop to. Sure, they had a very slow start to the summer, but now they have all the momentum in the world, and it’s only Monday. There’s plenty of reason for optimism that the Vols could land another player from this weekend, even if it happens a little further down the road. Players like David Gabriel Georges, Ta'Shawn Poole, and Kenaz Sullivan all still have more visits scheduled, but each could ultimately end up in Tennessee’s class.

Zooming out and looking at the overall class, Tennessee now has 12 commitments, including four four-star prospects. Plus, just reading the tea leaves on social media, the Vols have positioned themselves very well with several other big-time players who visited this weekend. Tennessee has built a good core for the class, and with a few more high-end additions, this could end up being a sneaky good recruiting haul. It might have more three-stars than one would like, but that's okay. There's plenty of time to get some big-time players in the mix.

Heupel has proven he can find diamonds in the rough. Ty Redmond was a three-star recruit and made an impact as a true freshman. Rickey Gibson III and Jaylen Wright were also three-star prospects. That’s what makes this notable. While Tennessee recruits at a high level, the staff isn’t afraid to mix in some three-star players. And that’s okay, because they’ve repeatedly shown they can identify and develop talent from that group.

It wouldn’t be shocking if we see another commitment come out of this big weekend. Tennessee has already landed three players from this visit, and the buzz around the program is only getting stronger as commitments continue to roll in. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before the next one pops.

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