Tennessee Football Received Good News This Weekend on Projected $415,000 Star WR
The Tennessee Volunteers have had some recent challenges with their roster at wide receiver. Tennessee already has its eyes on a 2026 playmaker to bolster their offense in the future. The Vols did not see any of its receivers emerge in the 2024 season. Dont’e Thornton led the way with 661 receiving yards on 26 receptions, scoring six touchdowns. Both Thornton and Bru McCoy are headed to the NFL draft after running out of eligibility. On top of their exits, the Volunteers have seen Squirrel White transfer to the Florida State Seminoles, while Nathan Leacock (Purdue Boilermakers) and Nate Spillman (Charlotte 49ers) also departed for new programs. But Tennessee did hang on to a five-star recruit in Mike Matthews after he withdrew his name from the transfer portal last month, and the Volunteers could add another five-star at receiver to the mix in the 2026 college football recruiting rankings. Tristen Keys (Hattiesburg, Miss.), the top-ranked wideout and fifth overall player in the 2026 cycle, per On3’s industry rankings, will visit with Tennessee next month. Keys told On3.com that he will visit the Volunteers on March 10.
That is part of an extremely busy schedule for Keys, who will also visit the LSU Tigers (March 18), Texas A&M Aggies(March 29) and Michigan Wolverines (April 5).
On3, which gives Keys a NIL valuation of $415,000, rates Ole Miss as the favorite to land Keys and keep him in his home state. The Rebels are given a 30.6% shot of getting Keys’ commitment, with the USC Trojans second at 20.3%.
Tennessee may, therefore, have a lot of persuading to do to give their 2026 roster a huge boost, but Keys’ visit is at least welcome news as the Vols aim to cure their ills at receiver.
Tennessee AD offers ‘correction’ to Pete Thamel’s reporting on Nebraska series cancellation
Friday, University of Tennessee, Knoxville athletic director Danny White chimed in on ESPN’s Pete Thamel’s report on X about the cancellation of the Volunteers’ planned games in 2026 and 2027 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, saying it was Nebraska’s move, and the Volunteers were “very disappointed” by it.
In fairness to Thamel’s reporting, even that X post included, “A driver of the move was Nebraska wanting eight home games in 2027 when they expected reduced stadium capacity because of renovations.” So White can certainly offer a “correction” that it wasn’t “Tennessee and Nebraska” canceling the series, but the initial post did convey the sense that Nebraska was behind it.
But more than an actual reporting correction of significance, though, this stands out for White very publicly saying Tennessee didn’t want this change and Nebraska did, and choosing X to do so. (And, notably, this came after White and Nebraska AD Troy Dannen were presumably in the same rooms this week at meetings of the SEC and Big Ten ADs in New Orleans around College Football Playoff qualification and expansion.)
