New report suggests Tennessee Vols are unlikely to land 5-star offensive lineman who's rated as the No. 2 player in the nation
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The Tennessee Vols are one of the programs in the mix for 2027 five-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews.
Matthews, 6-foot-5/300 pounds from Fort Lauderdale, FL, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 2 overall player in the 2027 recruiting class.
Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee recently visited Matthews in Florida.
“Coach Elarbee stopped by, so I got to talk to him," said Matthews this week to On3. "My coach told me to go check it out, so I’m definitely going to do that.”
Tennessee reportedly isn't feeling confident about landing Mark Matthews
According to 247Sports' Tom Loy, the Vols aren't feeling very confident about landing Matthews.
"Another program lacking a ton of confidence is Tennessee," noted Loy. "The Volunteers are hopeful, but believe they are in a better spot for other offensive linemen."
Miami, Georgia, Texas A&M, and Ohio State, according to Loy, are the four program with the most confidence when it comes to landing Matthews.
Of that group, it's the Hurricanes that have the most confidence in this recruiting battle.
"The school with the most confidence is Miami," wrote Loy. "One source connected said he would be shocked if Matthews didn't eventually end up a Hurricane. The staff has pushed all of the right buttons."
"Sources believe Matthews is going to end up at Miami, and I do as well," added Loy. "I like the Hurricanes to eventually secure his pledge following some key visits this offseason."
Staying home would certainly make sense for Matthews — especially since the U seems to be all the way back after competing in the national championship game this past season.
Tennessee, however, is going to keep recruiting Matthews.
The five-star offensive lineman is expected to commit later this summer after taking official visits.
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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Feb 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Nashville section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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