Tennessee fans looking for an early recruiting fix have a solid one on Saturday, when a Battle Ground Academy group loaded with top Vols targets takes the field on national TV.
The Volunteers are still building out boards across several classes, and while the 2027 group is nearly wrapped up, the 2028 and 2029 cycles are already a priority. This matchup doesn’t include a Tennessee commit, but it does feature three prospects the Vols are heavily involved with and very much want to keep tracking.
The headliner is Maddox Porter, who is being talked about as arguably the best underclassman wide receiver in the country. Tennessee isn’t backing off here.
Porter is a 6'2 receiver in only his second season of high school football, and the upside is obvious even now. He already carries every major offer, and he’s the kind of player who will draw plenty of eyes from Vols fans on Saturday.
Another receiver to keep close tabs on is Maximus Curry. At 5'10, he’s regarded as one of the best route runners in Tennessee and profiles as a strong slot option for the Vols in the 2028 class.
Curry remains a major in-state target, and while Tennessee is firmly in the mix, other schools - including Vanderbilt - could make things interesting. He’s a high four-star prospect and has plenty of attention coming his way.
Then there’s Koehn Dial, the massive offensive lineman from Battle Ground Academy who brings a different kind of intrigue. At 6'8, Dial is a major physical presence with legit Power 4 offers, and Tennessee would love to land him for its 2028 offensive line haul. He’s already a four-star prospect and is pushing toward five-star territory, making him one of the more important names to watch in this game.
For fans wanting a preview of football just two weeks before kickoff for the Vols, here’s the setup for Saturday’s contest:
Game Day: Saturday, Aug 22, 2026
Game Time: 1:30 PM EDT
Watch: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN App
Where: Fairhope, Alabama
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Tennessee Scrimmage Put One Key Vols Battle Back In Focus
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Faizon Brandon also flashed the running ability that can add another layer to Tennessees offense, but the job still appears unsettled at right tackle. Ory Williams and Jesse Perry remain locked in a competition there, and it is the sort of battle that can quietly shape how smooth everything else looks once the season starts. For now, the Vols have a few encouraging signs and at least one starting-caliber decision still waiting to be made. [Read more 🡒]