Tennessee’s 2028 board keeps getting more crowded, and the latest 247Sports Top247 update shows just how early the Vols have gotten in on this class.
On Wednesday, 247Sports rolled out its midseason refresh for the 2028 rankings, and a batch of Tennessee targets - plus the Vols’ lone commitment, quarterback Kaden Craft - showed up on the list. Some are already familiar faces around Knoxville, others are prospects Tennessee has been pushing for months, and a dozen in-state players made the cut as well.
Here’s where some of the most notable Vols targets landed in the updated Top247:
TE Braxton Rein, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Previous 247Sports ranking: No. 44 overall prospect, No. 2 tight end
Updated 247Sports ranking: No. 76 overall prospect, No. 2 tight end
Rein, originally from Georgia and now at Baylor School in Chattanooga, has been on Tennessee’s campus multiple times since the Vols offered him a little more than a year ago. His most recent visit came Sept. 26, when he watched Tennessee play then-No.
1 Texas. More than 30 schools have offered him.
OL Bryce Smalls, Severn, Md.
Updated 247Sports ranking: No. 78 overall prospect, No. 4 interior offensive lineman
Tennessee offered Smalls in July 2025, and he was in Knoxville on April 11 for the spring-ending Orange and White Game. Tennessee has a family connection here, too: both of his parents were students at the school. More than 25 programs have offered him.
DL Ayden Woodruff, Brentwood, Tenn.
Previous 247Sports ranking: No. 83 overall prospect, No. 9 defensive lineman
Updated 247Sports ranking: No. 89 overall prospect
Woodruff spent his early high school years at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin before moving to Ravenwood High School earlier this year. Tennessee got involved more than a year ago, offering him during his visit for the Vols’ “Big Orange BBQ.”
OL Nation Farmer, Bradenton, Fla.
Updated 247Sports ranking: No. 91 overall prospect
Farmer’s path has already taken him from Cherokee High School in Canton, Ga., to IMG Academy, and Tennessee made its move in late May after he turned heads at the Vols’ first camp of the year. The lone prediction on the 247Sports Crystal Ball points to Tennessee as the early favorite.
WR Maximus Curry, Franklin, Tenn.
Previous 247Sports rating: No. 137 overall prospect, No. 19 wide receiver
Updated 247Sports ranking: No. 135 overall prospect, No. 21 wide receiver
Curry, who plays at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, picked up his Tennessee offer in early June 2025 after a strong camp showing. He was back in Knoxville on March 31 for a spring practice and returned again May 30 for the Vols’ “Big Orange BBQ.”
DL Dawson Jacobs, Roswell, Ga.
Updated 247Sports ranking: No. 141 overall prospect, No. 16 defensive lineman
Jacobs is the younger brother of five-star Class of 2027 edge rusher DJ Jacobs, who is committed to Ohio State. The younger Jacobs has already made several trips to Tennessee, including Sept. 26 for the Texas game, and received an early offer from the Vols in October 2024.
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Heupel has not said who will start against Alabama, and that silence has only sharpened the attention around the decision. A film analyst has already made the case for MacIntyre to keep the job based on what he showed against Arkansas, but with Alabama next on the schedule, Tennessee does not have much time left to settle on its answer. [Read more 🡒]
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The project goes beyond a quick cameo, too, with Manning involved throughout the track rather than just popping in for a spoken line. For Tennessee fans, it is the kind of crossover that fits the moment: a familiar face, a rivalry game and a new tune aimed squarely at the buildup before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes the situation worth watching is the cast around Bowman, including his high school quarterback Crew Jenkins and Ole Miss commits who are part of the effort to sway him. Tennessee has held onto the commitment for now, but with Early National Signing Day still ahead, this is one of those recruiting stories that could keep developing before the Vols get to lock everything in. [Read more 🡒]