Tennessee is about to get another big recruiting stage in Neyland Stadium, and this one comes with plenty of buzz.
According to a report from Rivals on Friday morning, the Vols will host five-star defensive lineman Kellan Hall for the LSU game on Nov. 21.
That matchup is set for Tennessee’s late-season “Flex” window, so kickoff will land somewhere between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. or 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. ET.
Hall is walking into one of the rowdiest settings Tennessee has to offer, with the Vols hosting former head coach Lane Kiffin and the Tigers. It’s the kind of visit that gives a recruit a full dose of Neyland.
This trip also comes at the end of a packed run of visits for Hall, who is one of the most coveted players in the 2028 class. His upcoming schedule includes Oregon on Sep.
5, Kentucky on Sep. 12, Oklahoma on Sep.
19, Georgia on Sep. 26, Texas A&M on Oct.
3, Ohio State on Oct. 10, Michigan on Oct.
17, Texas on Oct. 31, Notre Dame on Nov. 7, and then Tennessee on Nov.
Rivals’ Industry Rankings have Hall as a five-star prospect, the No. 2 recruit in the country, the No. 1 defensive lineman in the class, and the No. 1 player from Kentucky. He plays at Christian Academy of Louisville in Louisville, KY.
The 6-foot-5, 275-pound lineman is already familiar with Knoxville. He has been to Tennessee multiple times, including an unofficial visit for the UTEP game in November 2024, an unofficial visit for the Orange & White game in April 2025, an unofficial visit for the Oklahoma game last November, an unofficial visit for training camp practice this past spring, and a Tennessee camp in June 2025.
Even with Tennessee’s defensive staff going through major change this offseason, one familiar face has remained in Hall’s orbit: Rodney Garner. The veteran defensive line coach was one of just two assistant holdovers during the staff transition, and he has stayed a steady presence through Hall’s visits and conversations with the Vols.
After Tennessee picked up four-star 2028 quarterback Kaden Craft earlier this month, Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong pointed to Hall as the program’s biggest target overall.
“Tennessee may have just landed their top offensive target today, their top overall target looks like five-star defensive lineman Kellen Hall out of Louisville,” Wiltfong said on Aug. 17.
“He’s the No. 3 player overall, the No. 1 defensive lineman. He’s going to come out later this week, and I think Tennessee’s already closer to the top of that list.
When you ask me the top schools for Kellan Hall, I look at Oklahoma, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Tennessee. Had a fantastic visit to Tennessee in May.
Loves Coach Garner, thinks he’s a legendary coach on the defensive line. And, again, Coach Heupel, that’s one of his best relationships from a head coach standpoint.”
Tennessee still has a long way to go in a race for one of the class’s most prized commitments, but the Vols appear to have been in the mix for a while now. That kind of consistency matters with a recruit like Hall.
247Sports’ Gabe Brooks described Hall this way in an evaluation last year: “Major talent with impressive catalog of two-way experience, physical tools, athleticism, football pedigree, and multi-sport background (basketball),” 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks wrote about Hall in an evaluation last year. “Owns snaps at a variety of DL spots and multiple OL positions. Displays advanced body control and reactive quickness in myriad situations… Potential high-major talent on either side of the LOS with a particularly high developmental ceiling on defense.”
Now Tennessee gets another crack at making its case, with Neyland Stadium and a heated LSU night in November serving as the backdrop.
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