Where Tennessee Targets Rank In 247Sports 2026 Rankings
While Tennessee is primarily focused on the 2024 and 2025 cycles, college staffs are always aware of future talents. The class of 2026 projects as another impressive batch of prospects, and the Vols already are in on a few major talents. They have offered 89 prospects in the class, already one of the higher marks among college football programs. On Wednesday, 247Sports released their initial rankings for the group, which gives us even more information on these evaluations.
The early headlines in the state will be about blue-chip quarterback Jared Curtis. The rising sophomore checks in as the No. 2 overall prospect, second to Georgia quarterback phenom Julian Lewis. Curtis was the runner-up for Tennessee's "Mr. Football Award" during his freshman season after racking up 2,766 total yards of offense and 34 touchdowns. He holds early offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, and Tennessee. The aforementioned Lewis has discussed making an early college decision - if he does, Curtis would jump to the top of everyone's board. Even without Lewis deciding, the Vols are high on Curtis and already got him on campus several times.
Tight end Kendre Harrison is another early headliner. The North Carolina pass catcher flashed at the Elite 11 in Los Angeles, California, earlier this summer and doubles as the No. 18 basketball prospect in ESPN's 2026 Basketball Rankings. He tallied 17 catches for 263 yards and five touchdowns in his freshman season and has planned three game visits for this fall: North Carolina, Penn State, and Tennessee. Harrison will be in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the Vols' game against the Georgia Bulldogs, another primary competitor for Harrison, who grew up admiring former Georgia tight end Darnell Washington.
Other than those two, things are early for the rest of the class. However, there are names to know. Virginia running back Savion Hiter is the No. 1 tailback in the cycle and recently visited Rocky Top on July 28, 2023. Utah quarterback Helaman Casuga left town with an offer earlier this summer after dazzling the staff with his unique arm talent and west-coast mechanics. Inside linebacker Tyler Atkinson is one of the most physically imposing evaluations in the class. The Grayson High School defender is 6-2 and 190 pounds with elite lateral agility - he's been to Tennessee twice already. In-state tight end Carson Sneed already has a crystal-ball forecasting him to the Vols and has been high on them for months.
Inside linebacker Rodney Colton Jr. got minted as the No. 90 overall player after an interesting freshman season at Newnan High School. Colton plays aggressive and fast, matching what Tennessee wants in that room. He confirmed to Volunteer Country that Tennessee is in his top group of suitors and should be a national recruit moving forward. Two more names to monitor are California corner Brandon Lockhart and New England defensive end Preston Carey. Lockhart is the No. 1 corner in the class, and Tennessee wants to get him on campus. The coaching staff also has made Carey an early priority, as head coach Josh Heupel was the first person to greet him on an unofficial visit earlier this summer.
- No. 2: Jared Curtis, QB (Nashville, Tenn.)
- No. 5: Kendre Harrison, TE (Reidsville, N.C.)
- No. 6: Jackson Cantwell, OT (Nixa, Mo.)
- No. 21: Tyler Atkinson, ILB (Loganville, Ga.)
- No. 23: Savion Hiter, RB (Woodberry Forest, Va.)
- No. 65: Samari Matthews, CB (Cornelius, N.C.)
- No. 69: Helaman Casuga, QB (Provo, Ut.)
- No. 75: Faizon Brandon, QB (Greensboro, N.C.)
- No. 87: Carson Sneed, TE (Nashville, Tenn.)
- No. 90: Rodney Colton Jr., ILB (Newnan, Ga.)
4-star OT Jackson Cantwell during football practice in Nixa, Missouri, on July 18, 2022. (Photo by Nathan Papes of the Springfield News-Leader)
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