Tennessee recruited the home state superbly well in the 2026 cycle. The Vols just signed six of the top 10 in-state prospects, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.
There’s already two in-state recruits pledged to the Vols in the 2027 cycle, but head coach Josh Heupel and Co. would love to lock down all the top local talent. The Tennessee lead man checked in on one of the best on Wednesday.
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Knoxville Halls four-star safety Jarrell Chandler recently named his top 10 schools, and to no surprise, Tennessee is in the top group.
On Dec. 16, Chandler broke down his recruitment with Rivals’ Chad Simmons. There’s multiple factors at play for the blue-chip defensive back as he looks to narrow his list further ahead of official visit season and his senior season on the gridiron.
“With most of the schools, it’s about how I can fit in. Relationships were big too,” Chandler told Simmons. “The coaches wanting me—even if I haven’t visited yet—still staying in touch and wanting me to visit, that meant a lot.”
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Chandler is the No. 346 overall prospect and No. 34 safety in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 14 recruit in Tennessee.
Rivals ranks the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder higher than other recruiting services. He checks in as the No. 235 recruit, No. 22 safety and No. 9 player in Tennessee, per the Rivals300.
The 6-foot-3 safety is also considering the likes of Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, SMU and Vanderbilt. Clemson also recently jumped in the mix with an offer.
Tennessee will always have an edge of sorts given the proximity to Chandler. He’s aiming to get to plenty of campuses throughout the spring, then whittle things down further before taking official visits. A decision ahead of his senior season could be in the cards.
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The Vols’ pair of in-state commits this cycle are Murfreesboro Siegel four-star offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo and Knoxville West three-star linebacker JP Peace. Uwaifo is the No. 12 OT in the nation and No. 6 junior in Tennessee, while Peace is the No. 16 player in the state.
“The most important thing for me is reassurance,” Chandler said. “Knowing that I’m their guy, that I can play there and develop there. Visits will be big for me too—game days are big, defensive schemes, the fit. I’ll learn a lot about the schools on those visits.”
