CFB Rumors: Tennessee Volunteers Predicted to Land Standout Recruit

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Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers have been quietly putting in work on the recruiting trail in recent months, working to improve a class that currently ranks 33rd in Rivals’ 2027 team recruiting rankings. A new commitment could be on the horizon.

Greg Smith of On3.com and Rivals predicts with a 65 percent confidence level that Tennessee will beat out the Clemson Tigers, Indiana Hoosiers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Missouri Tigers to land the commitment of four-star linebacker Roman Igwebuike.

Related: Latest Intel on Tennessee Volunteers’ Starting QB Duel

“Visits have been taken to each with Notre Dame hosting him this weekend for an official. Heading into that visit, the Irish have ground to make up — specifically on Tennessee. The Vols have been a sneaky team to watch in this recruitment for a while. This visit could change things, but the Vols hold the edge right now.”

On3.com’s Greg Smith on Tennessee Volunteers and LB Roman Igwebuike

Tennessee put together an outstanding recruiting class in 2026. The program finished with the ninth-best recruiting class, netting two commitments from five-star prospects (Faizon Brandon and Triston Keys) with 12 four-star commitments.

The 2027 class is off to a bit of a slower start, currently ranking 12th in the SEC. Heupel currently has earned four commitments from four-star commits, with three on the offensive side (Kesean Bowman, Princeton Uwaifo and Malik Howard) and defensive lineman Kaden Fife.

Igwebuike, a 6-foot-3 linebacker, is rated by 247 Sports as the 165th-best prospect in the 2027 recruiting class and the 12th-best player at his position. Rivals rates him as the 139th-best player in his class and the 13th-best 2027 linebacker prospect.

Pulling Igwebuike away from Notre Dame, who is viewed as the second-likeliest landing spot, would be big for Tennessee. It would also provide Volunteers defensive coordinator Jim Knowles with a future standout to plug into the middle of his defense in the years to come.

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