The early signing period for the 2026 class is officially over, and one thing is for sure: Tennessee came out a winner. National championships aren't won on signing day, but they can be lost.
Josh Heupel and the Tennessee football staff did a tremendous job securing a plethora of plan-A targets. It's the best class that the Vols have signed with Heupel at the helm.
The 2026 class Tennessee signed features three 5-star recruits, headlined by the signal caller from North Carolina, Faizon Brandon, the No. 2 player in the nation according to 247Sports. Heupel also brought in 14 4-stars and 11 3-stars to the 2026 class.
As a result, this class is ranked seventh in the country and third in the SEC, just behind Georgia and Alabama, the usual suspects.
Alabama was the only school in the SEC to sign more 5-star prospects, as it had four. As I stated above, Tennessee brought in the conference's top-rated quarterback, 5-star Faizon Brandon.
Georgia signed one more player than Tennessee, and if the Vols had taken another, they might have been top five in the nation and second in the SEC behind the Crimson Tide.
Tennessee also brought in a blue-chip tackle prospect in Gabriel Osenda to protect Brandon. Osenda is the highest-rated tackle to commit to an SEC school.
Tristen Keys and Legend Bey (assuming he stays committed) are two elite wideouts who will fit perfectly in the Heupel high-octane offense.
TJ white, who just won Gatorade Player of the Year in Mississippi, is the third highest rated linebacker signeee in the SEC. Heupel also brought in four front-seven players ranked inside the top 100 prospects. The front seven needed improvement, and Heupel brought in some absolute game wreckers to help Tim Banks.
Look for Tennessee to add even more firepower in January when the transfer portal opens up.
There’s no question that Tennessee brought one of the top classes in the nation. It stacks up right with the best, and Knoxville will be rocking come next fall.