Tennessee football is firmly in the mix for one of the premier defensive backs in the 2027 recruiting cycle. Semaj Stanford, a highly touted safety out of Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma, just dropped his top 12 schools-and the Vols made the cut. Alongside Tennessee, the list includes a who’s who of college football powerhouses: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Miami.
Stanford checks in at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds and is entering his senior year with a growing national profile. According to 247Sports, he ranks as the No. 84 overall prospect in the class of 2027, the No. 6 safety in the nation, and the No. 4 player in the state of Oklahoma. In other words, this is a player with real game-changing potential on the back end of a defense.
Tennessee first extended an offer to Stanford back on May 6, 2025. At the time, it was Tim Banks-then the Vols' defensive coordinator and safeties coach-who made the offer.
Since then, the coaching landscape in Knoxville has shifted. Banks has moved on to Auburn, and the Vols have brought in Jim Knowles to run the defense, with veteran coach Anthony Poindexter stepping in as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
That’s a notable change, especially for a player like Stanford, who will be looking closely at how he fits into a program’s defensive vision.
Despite the coaching turnover, Tennessee remains a serious contender. The Vols have already laid a solid foundation in their 2027 class, with four early commitments: four-star offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, four-star defensive lineman Kadin Fife, three-star linebacker JP Peace, and three-star cornerback Kamauri Whitfield. That’s a balanced start across the trenches and the defensive side of the ball, and there’s still plenty of room for the class to grow.
And if recent history is any indication, Tennessee is building something that top prospects want to be a part of. The Vols are coming off a strong 2026 recruiting cycle that saw them land 28 commitments-27 of which signed during the early period-with the class headlined by three five-star standouts: quarterback Faizon Brandon, wide receiver TK Keys, and offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda. That group finished ranked fifth nationally, a clear sign that Tennessee is gaining serious momentum on the recruiting trail.
Now, with Stanford narrowing his focus, the Vols are in position to make another big splash. He’s the kind of versatile, instinctive safety who can anchor a secondary and elevate a defense. And as Tennessee continues to reload with elite talent, adding a player of Stanford’s caliber would only strengthen their case as a rising force in the SEC.