Tennessee football has made tight end a bigger part of the offense since 2024, leaning more heavily into 12 personnel and putting a premium on finding playmakers at the position. That makes the Vols’ latest recruiting cut worth watching: Jevyn Severson, one of the top tight ends in the country, has included Tennessee in his top 16.
The list also features Penn State, LSU, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Duke, Illinois, Missouri, SMU, Alabama, Iowa State and UCLA.
“Where is home?
Thanks to everyone at this point in recruitment all the coaches and people and all the other schools that have been interested in me. @SteveCaric @Liamdouglass99 @BrockHinkel @MadridBoysHoops @adamgorney @TomLoy247 @AllenTrieu @Andrew_Ivins pic.twitter.com/gj9I79NgVj
- Jevyn Severson 4⭐️ (@JevynSeverson) September 19, 2026”
Severson is ranked No. 61 nationally by 247, along with being the No. 3 tight end and the No. 1 player in Iowa. He plays at Madrid High School in Madrid, Iowa.
At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Severson already brings the kind of frame schools want at the position, and he does more than line up at tight end in high school. He works on both sides of the ball, while also competing in basketball and track and field.
247 director of scouting Andrew Ivins described him this way: “Budding tight end that checks off box after box,” 247 director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote. “Has gotten valuable snaps on both sides of the ball. Displays the ideal flexibility and short-area quickness for a Y-TE projection.”
Tennessee does not have a commitment in the 2028 class yet, but it does already have a tight end pledge in the 2027 group. That commitment belongs to in-state prospect Malik Howard of Oak Ridge, who checks in as the No. 185 player in the cycle and the No. 8 tight end on 247.
In Other News...
Tennessees Auburn Game Will Look Very Different At Neyland
Saturdays matchup with Auburn is going to have a different look at Neyland Stadium, and Tennessee has leaned all the way into the throwback feel. The Volunteers announced they will wear the Neyland Legacy version of their Smokey Grey alternates, a uniform set built around historical touches like a leather-style helmet, stencil number font and other nods to Gen. Robert Neyland and his impact on the program and the stadium that bears his name.
The field will carry the theme, too, with a vintage interlocking UT logo at midfield in place of the usual Power T. It is the kind of game-day detail that gives an already significant SEC matchup a little extra atmosphere, especially with ESPN carrying the broadcast and Neyland Stadium serving as the backdrop for a tribute that ties the present-day Vols to one of the most important figures in school history. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Got A Faizon Brandon Scare At The Worst Time
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Brandons status only looked better when Tennessee released its initial SEC Student Athlete Availability Report for Auburn and his name was not on it, a strong sign the staff expects him to be available. Josh Heupel also said Brandon was healthy and ready to play, which should calm the immediate worry, even if the episode served as a reminder of how quickly the position can change for a young quarterback. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Walks Into A Tennessee Team With Something To Prove
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Auburn arrives with its own stake in the conversation, and the Tigers have enough recent momentum to make this more than a nostalgic reunion. Alex Golesh has Auburn playing with purpose, and Byrum Brown gives the offense a capable pilot as they walk into Knoxville looking to prove they belong in the SEC picture. For Tennessee, the challenge is simple enough to say and hard to solve: clean up the issues from last week, protect home field, and make sure a revived rivalry does not become the backdrop for another uneasy afternoon. [Read more 🡒]