Brandon “Slim” Leavell is done looking around.
The Tennessee commitment from the 2027 class said in an Instagram post that he is shutting down his recruitment, sticking with the pledge he made to the Vols on May 18, 2026. Leavell had picked Tennessee over Florida and Clemson, and despite continued interest from other programs, he’s no longer considering other options.
Leavell is listed as a three-star athlete and projects to defensive back. On 247 Composite, he checks in as the No. 519 recruit in the country, the No. 32 athlete and the No. 22 player in Tennessee. He plays at Goodpasture Christian School in Madison, Tennessee.
His main recruiter at Tennessee is co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Anthony Poindexter. Leavell’s most recent trip to Knoxville came for his official visit on May 22.
He took other official visits as well while weighing his decision, including trips to Clemson, NC State and Florida.
Tennessee now has 16 commitments in its 2027 class, a group that ranks No. 43 nationally and No. 14 in the SEC on 247. The Vols’ defensive back haul already includes four-star safety Marcus Jones, three-star safety Jaden Butler, three-star cornerback Dylan Haley and three-star cornerback Carter Jamison.
The in-state pipeline has been a major part of the class, too. Tennessee commitments from the state include four-star wide receiver Kesean Bowman, four-star linebacker Kenneth Simon II, four-star tight end Malik Howard, four-star offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, three-star safety Butler, three-star linebacker JP Peace and three-star wide receiver DaYon Cooper. The Vols are also trying to land in-state five-star running back David Gabriel Georges before the end of the month.
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