Tennessee football is coming off a major win on the recruiting trail, locking down a consensus top-10 class for 2026. Now, Josh Heupel and his staff are wasting no time turning the page to 2027 - and one of their biggest targets is already drawing national attention: five-star offensive tackle Caden Moss.
Moss, out of Jackson Academy in Mississippi, is one of the premier linemen in the country. Ranked No. 15 overall in the 2027 class and the No. 4 offensive tackle according to the 247 Composite, Moss is the top-ranked player in the state of Mississippi - and he’s got a who's who of college football programs chasing him.
Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU, Ohio State, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee are all in the hunt. And while early buzz suggests Alabama may have the inside track, Tennessee has a few cards to play.
One of the more intriguing angles in Moss’s recruitment is the Vols’ recent connection to his high school. Tennessee already signed two of Moss’s former Jackson Academy teammates in the 2026 class - four-star linebacker TJ White and four-star defensive tackle Dereon Albert.
That kind of pipeline can matter. Relationships, familiarity, and trust go a long way in the recruiting world, especially when it comes to high-caliber talent like Moss.
Moss made two visits to Knoxville this past season, attending Tennessee’s home matchups against Georgia and Oklahoma. While both games ended in losses for the Vols, the game-day experience still left an impression. Recruits often talk about the energy in Neyland Stadium, and Moss was no exception - the atmosphere, the fan base, and the vision for the program still resonate, even when the scoreboard doesn’t.
Tennessee was one of the first major programs to offer Moss, extending a scholarship back in May 2024. That early interest could pay dividends, especially as the Vols continue to build out their offensive line under Heupel and position coach Glen Elarbee. The staff has made it clear they’re prioritizing trench play, and Moss fits the mold of the kind of anchor they want protecting the quarterback for years to come.
As for the broader 2027 class, Tennessee is off to a solid start. The group currently includes four commitments and ranks No. 13 nationally, per 247Sports.
Leading the way is in-state offensive lineman Princeton Uwaifo, a four-star prospect ranked No. 110 in the country. He’s joined by three-star defensive lineman Kadin Fife, cornerback Kamauri Whitfield, and linebacker JP Peace.
It’s early, but Heupel’s staff is laying the groundwork for another strong class - and adding a talent like Caden Moss would be a major statement. The competition is fierce, but Tennessee’s mix of early involvement, program momentum, and personal connections could keep them in the conversation until the very end.