Carter Gooden Climbs the Rankings as Tennessee Reloads for a Critical 2026 Season
Tennessee fans have plenty to be excited about-and Carter Gooden just gave them another reason to believe the future is bright in Knoxville. The four-star edge rusher made a massive leap in the final 2026 Rivals300 rankings, vaulting from No. 149 all the way up to No.
- That’s a 75-spot jump-one of the biggest rises in the entire class-and it speaks volumes about the kind of potential Gooden brings to the Vols’ defense.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Gooden isn’t just a top-100 riser-he’s the No. 1 player out of Massachusetts, the No. 17 edge rusher nationally, and ranks No. 125 overall in the 2026 class. He officially enrolled at Tennessee on January 26, becoming a key part of a top-10 recruiting class that’s helping keep the Vols firmly in the national conversation. Tennessee finished No. 10 in the country in the final team rankings and landed at No. 7 overall in the composite rankings.
This kind of recruiting momentum is exactly what head coach Josh Heupel has been building toward. Even after a season that had its share of ups and downs, Tennessee managed to stay competitive-despite the late and unexpected loss of quarterback Nico Iamaleava to UCLA in the spring transfer window. That could’ve derailed a less resilient program, but Heupel and his staff kept the ship steady.
Now, the Vols are reloading, not rebuilding. And Gooden is the kind of player who can help elevate a defense that struggled to get off the field last season.
That unit will have a new voice in 2026, as Jim Knowles takes over the defensive coordinator role from Tim Banks. Knowles had a tough go at Penn State last year, but just two seasons ago, he was widely regarded as one of the top defensive minds in college football during his time at Ohio State.
If he can recapture that form, players like Gooden could thrive in his system.
Gooden’s rise in the rankings isn’t just a nice headline-it’s a sign that Tennessee is landing and developing talent that can compete at the highest level. He’s long, athletic, and disruptive off the edge-traits that are tailor-made for a modern SEC defense. And under Knowles’ guidance, there’s real potential for him to become an impact player early in his college career.
For Tennessee, the big-picture goal remains the same: get back into the College Football Playoff conversation. That’s a tall order in an SEC that still runs through Georgia and Texas, but beyond those two powerhouses, the field is wide open. Tennessee has been in the mix before-and with a hungry roster, a top-10 recruiting class, and a renewed focus on the defensive side of the ball, they’re positioning themselves to be right there again.
The frustration with last season’s defense is well-documented. But with new leadership, a fresh influx of talent, and a coaching staff that’s proven it can navigate adversity, Tennessee has a real shot to take a step forward in 2026. Gooden’s rise is just one piece of the puzzle-but it’s a big one.