Tennessee football has long signed some of its best out-of-state prospects from Georgia. Josh Heupel and the Vols have dipped into the Peach State again to add one of the top defensive line prospects in the state.
The Vols have earned the commitment of three-star defensive lineman Darryl Rivers to its 2026 recruiting class. The Powder Springs, Georgia, prospect is ranked as the No. 60 defensive lineman in the country, the No. 56 player in the state of Georgia, and the No. 7 defensive lineman in Georgia.
247 Sports' Hudson Standish is impressed with Rivers' size and skill, saying, "[Rivers is a] massive interior defensive line prospect with favorable measurables hovering around 6-foot-4.5, 270 pounds with 35-inch arms.
"Primarily works as a five-technique and 4i at the prep level, but likely slides inside to 3-tech at the next level. Shows some suddenness in the trenches and has the mass required to take on double teams at the next level.
"Possesses initial knock-back strength and can use his long levers to hold offensive linemen in place before discarding. Some stiffness in the hips, but makes up for it with a hot motor and better-than-expected redirection for a player his size. Owns the physical tools to develop into a potential multi-year contributor and possible impact player."
Rivers chose the Vols over several Power 4 programs, including Auburn, Baylor, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and Rutgers.
He has made four official visits this summer, with what I would expect would be his top four schools. He began the summer with a visit to Rutgers after receiving an offer in May, followed by visits to Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and most recently, Tennessee. Two weeks after his official visit to Rocky Top, he has committed to the Vols.
Tennessee now has the No. 14 recruiting class in the country, with five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon and five-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda headlining the class.