It's getting to that point in the summer where some of the top prospects in the country are getting ready to shut down their respective recruitments. The long list includes 5-star offensive lineman Darius Gray, who is a big fan of what the Tennessee football team is doing on and off the field.
Over the weekend, the touted offensive lineman revealed his list of finalists, with the Vols making the cut. Tennessee is joined in his Top 5 by South Carolina, Clemson, LSU and Ohio State. Yup, that's a loaded list of powerhouses still in it to land the elite playmaker.
For the 2025 class, Tennessee was able to sign 5-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr., who is ready to start on the outside this fall. However, Sanders is helping Josh Heupel out with the recruiting efforts too. Right after Gray announced his Top 5, Sanders made it clear who he thinks the youngster should commit to:
GBO 🍊 https://t.co/IVwNxNz7wm
— David Sanders Jr. (@DavidLSandersJr) July 13, 2025
5-star OL Darius Gray has included Tennessee football in his Top 5
Just a simple 'GBO' from Sanders has sent quite the message to the rest of the country. Keep in mind that Tennessee is already making quite the splash up front for the 2026 class, as 5-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda is already on board.
Last week, 4-star lineman J.B. Shabazz also committed to the program. Things are only going to be made sweeter for Heupel and the offense if Gray, one of the top uncommitted players in the country, decides that he wants to call Knoxville home for the next 4-5 years too.
Earlier this offseason, Sanders made some headlines when he put in some work to make the official visit memorable for 5-star wide receiver Tristen Keys - he also showed quarterback Faizon Brandon plenty of love too, which still has people talking.
Sanders is yet to play in a game for the Vols, but he's already winning over the fanbase. If the Vols are able to sign BOTH Keys and Gray, the first-year tackle will surely be given some credit for that. Gray is starting to get close to making his final decision. With Sanders in his ear, it could help Tennessee come out on top of this monster recruiting battle.