Tennessee Target Samari "Smoke" Matthews Talks Recruitment And Ties To Faizon Brandon

Samari Matthews updates his recruitment and more with Tennessee on SI

Samari “Smoke” Matthews /

The Vols have been attacking the 2026 recruiting cycle extremely hard as they already have two commits. Those commits are in-state tight end Carson Sneed and No. 1 QB and player in the nation Faizon Brandon.

With the 2025 class starting to wrap up this means the 2026 class is now up to bat. The Vols have already been looking to land multiple players including Samari “Smoke” Matthews. Matthews is a William Amos Hough High School four-star cornerback from Cornelius, North Carolina. He is also a former teammate of Faizon Brandon.

Matthews caught up with Tennessee on SI to detail his current recruitment.

“Recruiting is going well. I’m just taking it day by day. It can sometimes be overwhelming, but luckily I have my family that helps me through the process,” Smoke Matthews stated to Tennessee on SI. A few schools have already started to stand out for Matthews. “Clemson, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio State, Penn State, Alabama, Florida State, VTech and UNC. I’m still far from choosing a school right now.”

Tennessee is getting a visit in October as the talented prospect is hopeful for a great experience. “They are pretty high on my list. I hope to have a great visit on October 19th, when I visit.“

The talented prospect did go on to talk about his relationship with Brandon. “Me and him have talked with a good friend of mine Faizon Brandon. We grew up playing on the same youth team. We talked before, but nothing too serious on committing to Tennessee.”

The prospect hasn’t put a date out yet but does have a timeline of commitment. “I don’t have an official date but I plan on committing during the summer before my Senior year.”

Other Tennessee News:

• Tennessee Moves Into Top Five of AP Poll After Oklahoma Win
• Offensive Grade Report: Tennessee Vs Oklahoma
• Tennessee Defeats Oklahoma 25-15 On The Road
  

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