Recruiting buzz at a fever pitch for red-hot Tennessee

Coming off undoubtedly its biggest win in the past two decades over Alabama last weekend, Tennessee has as much momentum on the recruiting trail as anyone in the country.

When Josh Heupel took over the Volunteers prior to the 2021 season, a once-proud program had been reduced to an SEC and national punching bag under former head coaches Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt. The Vols suffered embarrassing defeats at the hands of Florida, Alabama and Georgia in Heupel’s first season a year ago, but a 7-6 finish gave some hope of an upward trajectory. On the recruiting trail, the Vols were already ahead of schedule, though.

Tennessee closed with the No. 15 class in the 2022 On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings, highlighted by commitments from On3 five-star EDGE James Pearce, four-star defensive lineman Tyre West, and On3 top-75 prospects Joshua Josephs and Kaleb Webb.

Where the Vols have really made hay though, is with recruits in the 2023 and 2024 classes, who are bearing witness to the program’s best start to a season since winning the national championship in 1998. Led by five-star quarterback commit Nico Iamaleava, the No. 2 player in the On300 rankings, Tennessee sits at No. 14 in the team rankings, with a very legitimate chance to bring home its first top-10 class since 2015.

“By midseason last year, I was hearing from recruits how different it was there,” On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons said. “That staff quickly makes the recruits feel at home and part of the family. And that gets them in the door. With the way the staff recruits, and now how they’re playing, it has pushed them up the list for top recruits that they maybe wouldn’t have been in on previously.

…The winning has created the buzz this year, and a that is a big attraction, but there is more to it than the 7-0 start. It’s the environment at Neyland Stadium for big games, how personable the coaches are, and the support each recruit sees and feels they will get there.”

Top 2023 targets still in play for Tennessee

With a ton of wind at their back right now, Tennessee has made some headway in recruitments that it previously lost out on or at least wasn’t a top contender. Led by Iamaleava, the Vols continue to pursue four-star Ohio State wide receiver commit Carnell Tate, who they hoped would get on campus for an unofficial visit last weekend. That trip didn’t happen, but Tennessee won’t be out of it until ink hits paper in December.

On3 five-star Concord (N.C.) defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs might’ve been the most important prospect the Vols had on campus over the weekend as they battle Alabama and Georgia for him. It was his second trip to Knoxville in as many months, and both have left a big impression on him.

“I really like the energy, there’s always good vibes throughout every time I’m down there,” he told Simmons in September. “Game days are just an unbelievable experience, so all of that plays a big role. … With the direction they’re going right now, I’d definitely say they’re one of those teams to me. I feel like they’re up there with them.”

The Vols now hold a slight lead in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) as Hobbs heads to Alabama (this weekend) and Georgia (Nov. 5) for official visits before an expected decision.

Four-star Phenix City (Ala.) Central EDGE Tomarrion Parker has also emerged as one of Tennessee’s most wanted recruits in this cycle after decommitting from Penn State earlier this fall. Clemson sits as the major contender to land him, but Parker said after his visit that the trip helped the Volunteers a lot in where they stand.

Kahuku (Hawaii) Skyridge four-star EDGE Tausili Akana is another name to keep an eye on as the 2023 cycle winds down. He has already taken three official visits and has a fourth set to Texas A&M, but says that Tennessee and Auburn are battling to get his final visit prior to a decision.

2024 class could be a special one

As much success as Tennessee is having in the 2023 class, the 2024 cycle could be even better. Off to a hot start with three commitments already, the Vols are trending for a few more after getting a number of elite junior recruits on campus last weekend.

“Kids want to play for a winning program. But this staff has now had two cycles to get to know them and learn about the person, the families, etc,” said Volquest.com’s Eric Cain. “Heupel and staff were so far behind the eight-ball in spring of 2021 with the 2022 cycle that I didn’t think they had a fair shot at some talented in-state prospects.

…The state is loaded with some really good 2024s and 2025s, and this staff has spent a lot of time getting them on campus and pitching what the University of Tennessee is all about under their regime. That goes a long way. The biggest thing for those kids is that they keep coming back. Junior Days, camps, game days—they are here and that’s huge. “

Four-star Nashville Lipscomb Academy cornerback Kaleb Beasley, at one time considered a heavy Notre Dame lean, is set to announce his commitment on Friday with the Volunteers considered the strong favorites in the On3 RPM. Should he choose Tennessee, he would give them a third four-star commit in the 2024 class and push the Vols up to No. 6 in the early 2024 consensus team rankings.

Four-stars Boo Carter, Edwin Spillman — the younger brother of Tennessee 2023 commit Nate Spillman — are two more coveted prospects who are already trending in the Vols’ direction.

“A lot of times a year ago, recruits would say they are interested in what Tennessee is building and what it could be under Heupel down the line,” added Cain. “Now, they are seeing those wins play out on the field and the offense showing it is one of the best in the country.”