Tennessee just got done with signing its best class under Josh Heupel. The 2026 class was ranked 3rd in the SEC and 7th in the country according to the 247Sports composite. The class features 3 5-star recruits and 10 4-stars.
One recruit in the 2026 class who is severely underrated is cornerback Javonte Smith from Jackson, Tennessee. The Vols beat out Missouri, Arkansas, and West Virginia for his signature. The 247Sports composite has him rated as a 3-star prospect, the 46th cornerback in the country, and the 19th player in Tennessee.
Why is Javonte Smith so underrated?
What I love about Smith is his versatility as a football player. Smith is going to play cornerback at Tennessee, but he's an athlete at its core. He does a great job of leveraging his speed to make plays. As a wide receiver, he makes quick cuts on his routes and is a long strider on deep balls.
To start with, as a cornerback, Smith has great use of his short-area quickness. On top of that, he uses his length and speed to make plays on the ball. He is still a work in progress on the defensive side of things, but I love his potential. Smith has excellent size for a defensive back at 6-foot and 170 pounds. His natural ball skills from offense should translate easily to corner. I wish I saw more film of him playing as a zone corner, and I would also like to see Smith getting grittier as a tackler, but that will come with time.
To make matters even more intriguing, Smith is also an outstanding kick returner. Time and time again, he's taking balls to the house on kickoffs. He truly is a do-it-all kind of guy. I love taking a few players with Smith's skillset every cycle. You need to bring in high-level athletes with versatility. After all, not every single one will work out, but the risk is worth the reward.
Tennessee fans should be really excited about him. Smith might not be a day one starter but the sky is the limit. When it’s all said and done, Smith could end up being the next great Vol.