Tennessee’s recruiting board is still moving, even if the past week came with a lighter pace than usual. The Volunteers are keeping the pressure on across multiple classes, and a few names are standing out as the ones worth watching most closely.
The biggest headline is Tennessee landing in the top 12 for five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark. The Vols are in a crowded field that also includes the Ohio State Buckeyes, LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Indiana Hoosiers, Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oregon Ducks, Clemson Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies, South Carolina Gamecocks, and the USC Trojans.
For Tennessee, that’s a major development. Clark is viewed by the staff as one of the best players in the country, and he sits near the top of the Vols’ wide receiver board.
There’s also still work being done in the class of 2027, where David "DJ" Jacobs remains a name to monitor. Jacobs is committed to Ohio State, but Tennessee has pushed hard for him and has been mentioned as a possible flip landing spot.
He was at Ohio State on Saturday, and whether he makes it to Tennessee is still unclear. If that visit happens, the Vols would have a real shot, in my opinion.
That’s the piece to keep an eye on. Jacobs has been connected to Tennessee as a possible flip candidate, and that chatter isn’t going away anytime soon.
Even with some attention still on 2027, Tennessee’s bigger recruiting push appears to be centered on the class of 2028. The Vols have plenty of targets they want to land there, including Clark, and that class is a major priority when it comes to visits and offers.
In Other News...
Tennessee Must Deal With A Familiar Threat In Georgia Tech's Backfield
Georgia Techs season opener gave Tennessee another reminder that early nonconference games can still bring a familiar-looking challenge. Justice Haynes, who has already logged stops at Alabama and Michigan before landing in Atlanta for his senior season, made his first appearance for the Yellow Jackets last week and is now set to see Tennessee this weekend. For a Vols defense getting its first real look at Georgia Tech, the backfield will feature a runner with a well-traveled resume and the kind of experience that tends to show up quickly.
Josh Heupel didnt spend much time underselling what Haynes brings. He described him as dynamic and physical, with good vision, a combination that can make a back dangerous both between the tackles and once he gets a crease. That gives Tennessee another early test in a matchup where the Vols will need to be sharp against a runner who already has a feel for high-level football and is trying to make an immediate impact in his new home. [Read more 🡒]
Kelsey Pope Put Tennessee Receivers Through A Drill Fans Need To See
Tennessees wide receivers have spent part of the offseason working through a drill that looks more like a stunt than a standard practice rep. Under receivers coach Kelsey Pope, the group has been wearing eye patches while going through catching work, a twist designed to sharpen focus and force the kind of hand-eye coordination that normal drills can take for granted. The Vols have also mixed in tennis balls, adding another layer to a routine built around tougher, quicker reactions.
Kelsey Popes approach fits into a broader tradition of coaches finding unusual ways to challenge receivers, including the Dallas Cowboys use of beekeeper masks in similar training exercises. For Tennessee, the goal is simple enough even if the method looks odd: make routine catches feel less routine before the real pressure hits. Fans may not see the payoff until the fall, but the offseason work already has a way of standing out. [Read more 🡒]
Arion Carters Return Adds Intrigue To Tennessees First Road Test
Tennessee heads to Bobby Dodd Stadium on Sept. 12 for its first road test of the season against Georgia Tech, with the matchup set for ESPN as Josh Heupel continues sorting through the early-season details that come with a team still forming its identity. One of the most notable pieces of that picture is Arion Carter, whose presence around the program has carried added weight as the Volunteers prepare for a game that will say plenty about where they stand away from home.
Heupel recently addressed the way Tennessee handled leadership during Carters NCAA suspension, noting that Carter served as the teams sole captain while sidelined. The suspension came after an agent paid for a flight during the pre-draft process, and Carter now returns with another layer of motivation, planning to donate money to cancer-related charities based on his defensive performance this season. For Tennessee, it is a reminder that this opening stretch is about more than just travel and opponent prep, with Carters return adding a personal and competitive subplot to a meaningful September test. [Read more 🡒]