Tennessee’s place in ESPN’s latest way-too-early rankings took a small hit on Wednesday, but Rick Barnes’ reworked roster is still sitting in a very strong spot.
Jeff Borzello moved the Volunteers from No. 6 to No. 7 in his updated Top 25, and the drop hardly changes the bigger picture: Tennessee remains one of the headline teams entering the 2026-2027 season after an offseason that completely changed the look of the roster.
The Vols went after offense in a big way through the transfer portal, adding a group loaded with scoring punch. Juke Harris arrived after averaging 21.4 points per game last season, while Terrence Hill put up 15.0, Miles Rubin 11.3, Tyler Lundblade 15.6 and Dai Dai Ames 16.9 at their previous schools.
That influx of shotmakers gives Tennessee a different feel than the defense-first teams it has been known for. The main question now is how fast all those new pieces can mesh, and Borzello noted that summer workouts open to the media have already shown steady progress.
The biggest uncertainty hanging over the roster involves former Vanderbilt transfer Jalen Washington, who is currently ruled ineligible for the 2026-2027 season after a recent court hearing. Borzello pointed to that situation directly in his breakdown:
“The Volunteers’ transfer haul in the spring was filled with high-level scorers, shotmakers and a slew of perimeter-focused offensive talent,” Borzello writes. “But the late addition of Washington gave Rick Barnes an SEC-proven big man to round out the lineup - that is, if he can play.
The Vanderbilt transfer was given a fifth year of eligibility via a lawsuit in the state of Tennessee, though the Court of Appeals stayed the temporary injunction. If Washington is ineligible, Barnes will need to turn to Loyola Chicago transfer Miles Rubin or sophomore DeWayne Brown II.”
Without Washington, Borzello projected Tennessee’s starting five as Terrence Hill, Tyler Lundblade, Juke Harris, Jalen Haralson and Miles Rubin.
Even with the slight slide, Tennessee still checks in as the third-highest SEC team in Borzello’s rankings and is one of eight league programs on the list. The Vols are behind No.
1 Florida and No. 4 Texas, but ahead of No.
10 Arkansas, No. 14 Missouri, No.
16 Alabama, No. 22 Kentucky and No.
24 Vanderbilt.
Borzello had already laid out Tennessee’s range last month, putting the Vols’ ceiling at a Final Four run and their floor at a Round of 32 exit. Tennessee has reached three straight Elite Eights, but it still hasn’t punched through to the Final Four weekend.
The Vols open the season Nov. 3 against Wofford, with preseason exhibition games set for Oct. 15 against Xavier and Oct. 20 at Duke.
In Other News...
Former Tennessee Transfers Are Turning Up In Some Awkward Places
When Tennessee turned over so much of its roster through the portal, the next step was always going to be seeing where all those former Volunteers landed. A sizable chunk stayed in the Power Four, and a notable number remained in the SEC, which is part of what makes the offseason so oddly familiar around Knoxville. The programs departures are scattered across the country now, and for Tennessee fans, the connections do not disappear just because the jerseys changed.
Peyton Lewis added another layer to that familiar feeling by showing up in a Week Zero game for Virginia, a reminder that the portal rarely keeps old ties at a distance for long. For Tennessee, the broader picture is bigger than any single move, with former players popping up in places that can feel a little awkward when the new season starts and old opponents suddenly include faces that once wore orange. [Read more 🡒]
Rick Barnes Has A Huge Recruiting Opportunity This Weekend
Tennessee is turning a football weekend into a full-court recruiting showcase, with the mens basketball staff set to host several elite prospects on official visits while the Vols have the campus spotlight. Among the visitors are five-star point guard Cayden Daughtry and four-star point guard Micah Gordon from the 2027 class, along with five-star forward Bentley Lusakueno from the 2028 class, giving Rick Barnes and his staff a chance to put the program in front of some of the nations most intriguing young talents.
The timing matters because these trips line up with football game weekends, when Knoxville is at its liveliest and the athletic department can lean into the atmosphere. Tennessee is not the only program trying to make an impression, but the Vols will also have the Lady Vols welcoming five-star point guard Cece Dennis, adding another notable recruiting stop to what could be a busy and important stretch for the school across both programs. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Is Already Chasing A Massive Lineman For Its Future
Tennessee is already looking well down the road in its offensive line recruiting, and the latest name on the board is Rex George-Taylor, a 2028 prospect from Darlington, Ga. The Volunteers extended a scholarship offer to the towering junior, who checks in at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, adding him to a growing early list that also includes offers from Cincinnati, Mississippi State and Connecticut.
George-Taylors reaction to the Tennessee offer was part of the story, but the bigger takeaway for Vols fans is how aggressively the staff is approaching future line prospects this far out. Recruiting for players still years away from signing day is all about getting in early and staying present, and Tennessee appears to have done just that, with more developments expected as his recruitment continues to build. [Read more 🡒]