2026 Board - Heading into February

[89 VOLS grad]

But “most” kids don’t. At least not at Tennessee. That’s where we’ve gained a little ground on others. Teams like Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, etc. have former 4* & 5* recruits transferring out every year. The guys we have transferring out are mostly former 3*s. We really don’t lose many compared to others. And we’ve kept our highest ranked recruits from transferring. This is where a 10th ranked class can become a top 5 class…because many of the guys who made the classes above you highly ranked transfer out before playing there, while you maintain your best recruits and cull out the bottom of the class. We’ve done that.

Well, I am not trying to be negative. But, the teams recruiting between 11-20 are definitely going to benefit from the portal more than the top 10. The top 10, espeically top 5, will lose more to portal when they have too many 4-5 stars on their roster. Probably about half of a star studded roster is going to see the field enough to get noticed. Studs don't want to sit on the sidelines watching others getting bigger NILs and better chances of nice NFL contracts and signing bonuses. If I were Heupel, I would rather have a team that gets less portals and keeps more than half of all the 4 and 5 star talent that my staff and I recruited just for the schemes my OC and DC have in place!!!

Think about it! Lots of guys that transfer once are going to transfer again because they don't have the skills, work ethic, good attitude, and mental drive to beat out other guys on a roster. So, it is likely they may not help your team either. I would rather have the studs that allow you to mold them and will work hard to beat out another player on my roster!

 

[NighthawkVol]

Well, I am not trying to be negative. But, the teams recruiting between 11-20 are definitely going to benefit from the portal more than the top 10. The top 10, espeically top 5, will lose more to portal when they have too many 4-5 stars on their roster. Probably about half of a star studded roster is going to see the field enough to get noticed. Studs don't want to sit on the sidelines watching others getting bigger NILs and better chances of nice NFL contracts and signing bonuses. If I were Heupel, I would rather have a team that gets less portals and keeps more than half of all the 4 and 5 star talent that my staff and I recruited just for the schemes my OC and DC have in place!!!

Think about it! Lots of guys that transfer once are going to transfer again because they don't have the skills, work ethic, good attitude, and mental drive to beat out other guys on a roster. So, it is likely they may not help your team either. I would rather have the studs that allow you to mold them and will work hard to beat out another player on my roster!

That’s kind of my point. And I don’t think that’s a negative.

The portal equalizes because it takes more from a top 5 recruiting class than from an 11-20 recruiting class. Tennessee has done a great job of keeping its top recruits out of the portal, so the guys that “made their ranking” so to speak, actually stay and develop, whereas many who “made the ranking” of some of those top 5 classes have left, effectively bumping their quality down.

If Tennessee is losing Chas Nimrods to the portal, while Alabama is losing Caleb Downses to the portal, we’re gaining on them.

Look at Georgia’s and Alabama’s recruiting classes the last 4 years. How many 4-5 star recruits left after their 1st or 2nd seasons? A lot.

 

[jvols1999]

That’s kind of my point. And I don’t think that’s a negative.

The portal equalizes because it takes more from a top 5 recruiting class than from an 11-20 recruiting class. Tennessee has done a great job of keeping its top recruits out of the portal, so the guys that “made their ranking” so to speak, actually stay and develop, whereas many who “made the ranking” of some of those top 5 classes have left, effectively bumping their quality down.

If Tennessee is losing Chas Nimrods to the portal, while Alabama is losing Caleb Downses to the portal, we’re gaining on them.

Look at Georgia’s and Alabama’s recruiting classes the last 4 years. How many 4-5 star recruits left after their 1st or 2nd seasons? A lot.

Well said and I agree. It’s the “they can no longer stack talent like they used to” theory that is certainly playing itself out. We will (hopefully) get there eventually and in the meantime we need to be winning at a level that then allows us to get elite players at a “discount” like OSU/UGA are and Bama did with Saban.

 

[VawlIn]

Calling BS. I care how it turns out. We have real potential of a top 5 class.

We’ve said the same thing this time of year since the 2022 class and it never comes to fuition

 

[Adam Sandler]

We’ve said the same thing this time of year since the 2022 class and it never comes to fuition

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

You can call BS all you want, I've said this before lol

I don’t care that much about HS recruiting anymore. Most kids will just transfer.

High school recruiting is very important. The portal is where you plug in your losses. We have signed 4 in the portal this year. You sign 25 or more on signing day. You can’t compete year in and out without good signing classes. Facts! GBO

 

[volunator]

Hasn't Brandon Anderson pulled his commitment?

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

That’s kind of my point. And I don’t think that’s a negative.

The portal equalizes because it takes more from a top 5 recruiting class than from an 11-20 recruiting class. Tennessee has done a great job of keeping its top recruits out of the portal, so the guys that “made their ranking” so to speak, actually stay and develop, whereas many who “made the ranking” of some of those top 5 classes have left, effectively bumping their quality down.

If Tennessee is losing Chas Nimrods to the portal, while Alabama is losing Caleb Downses to the portal, we’re gaining on them.

Look at Georgia’s and Alabama’s recruiting classes the last 4 years. How many 4-5 star recruits left after their 1st or 2nd seasons? A lot.

Just shows that our push for talent with character has worked so far. Name our blue chip portal loses after the immediate post Pruitt flight.

 

[VawlIn]

Just shows that our push for talent with character has worked so far. Name our blue chip portal loses after the immediate post Pruitt flight.

Depends what you consider “blue chip” Jordan Matthews, Cam Seldon, Nathan Leacock, Kaleb Webb, Chandavian Bradley, Tayven Jackson, and Addison Nichole were all composite 4 stars or better that left. Conyer, Jalen Smith, and Justin Williams Thomas were all ranked as a 4 star on at least one recruiting site too. I can name almost double that amount of recruits that didn’t or haven’t yet met expectations that could very well be gone by the spring portal window too. This staff simply hasn’t done a very good job at recruiting. They’ve signed some big time names and won some big recruiting battles, but outside of Dylan Sampson the DL is the only position group where we’ve been able to evaluate, sign, and develop players into NFL caliber talent. Boo flashed signs of potential and probably should be playing offense instead of defense, but he got absolutely abused in our two biggest games of the season, and likely won’t make some massive jump as a DB because he’s having to learn another position this offseason

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Depends what you consider “blue chip” Jordan Matthews, Cam Seldon, Nathan Leacock, Kaleb Webb, Chandavian Bradley, Tayven Jackson, and Addison Nichole were all composite 4 stars or better that left. Conyer, Jalen Smith, and Justin Williams Thomas were all ranked as a 4 star on at least one recruiting site too. I can name almost double that amount of recruits that didn’t or haven’t yet met expectations that could very well be gone by the spring portal window too. This staff simply hasn’t done a very good job at recruiting. They’ve signed some big time names and won some big recruiting battles, but outside of Dylan Sampson the DL is the only position group where we’ve been able to evaluate, sign, and develop players into NFL caliber talent. Boo flashed signs of potential and probably should be playing offense instead of defense, but he got absolutely abused in our two biggest games of the season, and likely won’t make some massive jump as a DB because he’s having to learn another position this offseason

How many departures were aggressively pursued to stay by our staff? Fit is fit. How many with blue chip level production next stop? Got to be some real losses I would think.

For sure we have had some portal pickups that provided serious value add. Bru, Pili, and McCoy for starters.

A total portal net would be an interesting study.

 

[jvols1999]

Depends what you consider “blue chip” Jordan Matthews, Cam Seldon, Nathan Leacock, Kaleb Webb, Chandavian Bradley, Tayven Jackson, and Addison Nichole were all composite 4 stars or better that left. Conyer, Jalen Smith, and Justin Williams Thomas were all ranked as a 4 star on at least one recruiting site too. I can name almost double that amount of recruits that didn’t or haven’t yet met expectations that could very well be gone by the spring portal window too. This staff simply hasn’t done a very good job at recruiting. They’ve signed some big time names and won some big recruiting battles, but outside of Dylan Sampson the DL is the only position group where we’ve been able to evaluate, sign, and develop players into NFL caliber talent. Boo flashed signs of potential and probably should be playing offense instead of defense, but he got absolutely abused in our two biggest games of the season, and likely won’t make some massive jump as a DB because he’s having to learn another position this offseason

Go touch some grass

 

[Adam Sandler]

Go touch some grass

It isn’t always greener

 

[SoilVol]

With 2024 game/campus visits and now January 2025 UVs in the books, figured it was a good time to set the 2026 board for going forward. There's a roughly monthlong dead period that extends into early March after next weekend, so the next big visit weekends will come during spring practice. After that there will be Orange Carpet Day 2025, and then OVs.

Therefore this board is just a start and will be added to and further refined. But here's how I see it as of now. I'm sure I've left some guys off so please feel free to let me know.

IOL
Pupungatoa Gatoa (OV 6/20)

Should be "Katoa" right?

Also, where the starz at?! I only care about starz!

 

[jvols1999]

It isn’t always greener

I mean it's just a patently insane position to take

 

[89 VOLS grad]

That’s kind of my point. And I don’t think that’s a negative.

The portal equalizes because it takes more from a top 5 recruiting class than from an 11-20 recruiting class. Tennessee has done a great job of keeping its top recruits out of the portal, so the guys that “made their ranking” so to speak, actually stay and develop, whereas many who “made the ranking” of some of those top 5 classes have left, effectively bumping their quality down.

If Tennessee is losing Chas Nimrods to the portal, while Alabama is losing Caleb Downses to the portal, we’re gaining on them.

Look at Georgia’s and Alabama’s recruiting classes the last 4 years. How many 4-5 star recruits left after their 1st or 2nd seasons? A lot.

UT isn't gaining on any of the top 5-10 college teams by being out recruited every year allowing those teams to stock up with better players than UT. UT getting the ones that can't get on the field at other places isn't allowing UT to catch up with those teams talent wise. I don't know why you are anyone would think that is the case. Those top 5 recruiting classes that Bama, Georgia, and OSU has EVERY YEAR doesn't allow all their studs to get on the field. So, the ones that can't beat out the top studs go to the portal because they just pick up better studs yearly! While the teams outside of the top 5 or top 10 get the leftovers in the portal that can't help the teams above them in talent!