Tennessee football isn’t wasting any time. Fresh off signing 27 players in a loaded 2026 class, Josh Heupel and his staff are already shifting focus to the 2027 cycle - and one name to circle early is Chase Johnson, a rising star at cornerback with serious national buzz.
Johnson, a four-star prospect out of Emanuel County Institute in Swainsboro, Georgia, just dropped his top 10 schools, and the Vols made the cut. They’re joined by Miami, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Kentucky, Florida State, Florida, and Georgia - a who’s who of southern programs, all vying for one of the most coveted defensive backs in the class.
Ranked No. 175 nationally and the No. 20 cornerback in the cycle by 247Sports, Johnson is already pushing 30 scholarship offers. That kind of attention doesn’t come by accident.
He’s long, athletic, and plays with the kind of confidence you want in a lockdown corner. Simply put, he’s the type of prospect who can anchor a secondary and change the dynamic of a defense.
Tennessee’s already made some inroads here. Johnson visited Knoxville twice before this past season - first for the Orange & White Game, then again for the Big Orange BBQ at the end of May.
Those visits matter. Getting a player of Johnson’s caliber on campus multiple times this early is a sign of mutual interest, and the Vols are clearly making him a priority.
As for the 2027 class, Tennessee is off to a solid start. They’ve got four commitments in the fold, headlined by in-state offensive lineman Princeton Uwaifo, who ranks No. 110 nationally and carries a four-star rating.
Joining him are three-star prospects Kadin Fife (DL), Kamauri Whitfield (CB), and JP Peace (LB). It’s still early, but that group is already good enough to land Tennessee at No. 13 nationally in 247’s class rankings.
That momentum comes on the heels of a monster 2026 class. Heupel just signed the No. 5 group in the country, including a trio of five-star talents. Even with the late loss of four-star athlete Legend Bey, the Vols are bringing in a deep, dynamic group that should keep the talent pipeline flowing into Knoxville.
The bottom line: Tennessee is recruiting like a program that expects to contend. Chase Johnson is the kind of player who fits that vision - a blue-chip corner with SEC-ready traits and a growing list of suitors. The Vols have positioned themselves well, but the race is just getting started.