University of Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Josh Heupel speaks during the Nashville stop for University of Tennessee's 2025 Big Orange Caravan event Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at GEODIS Park. Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2026 Tennessee Target Dereon Albert Sets Commitment Date

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Josh Greer | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 11:13 AM ET

A key target in Tennessee’s 2026 football recruiting class is nearing a decision. According to Tom Loy of 247Sports, four-star defensive lineman Dereon Albert will announce his college commitment on July 1, choosing between Tennessee and North Carolina.

Albert, a 6-foot-2, 305-pound standout from Jackson Academy in Jackson, Mississippi, is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 28 defensive lineman in the 2026 cycle and the No. 8 overall player in Mississippi. He has emerged as one of the most sought-after interior defenders in the Southeast. Tennessee extended a scholarship offer to Albert on August 23, 2023, and hosted him for an official visit on June 13. That trip gave the Vols a valuable opportunity to make their case as his recruitment winds down. North Carolina has also made a strong push, setting up a high-stakes SEC–ACC recruiting battle.

Albert holds offers from several other SEC programs, including Auburn, Missouri, Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Kentucky, reinforcing his status as a top-tier prospect with national attention.

Tennessee currently holds nine commitments in its 2026 recruiting class. That group includes quarterback Faizon Brandon, wide receiver Tyreek King, tight end Carson Sneed, offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda, linebacker Braylon Outlaw, defensive linemen C.J. Edwards and Zach Groves, and safeties K.J. McClain and Luke Thompson. The Vols also landed their first 2027 commitment earlier this year when linebacker JP Peace pledged to Tennessee.

With Albert’s decision just days away, the Vols hope to land another difference-maker in the trenches and build on what is already a well-balanced and highly promising 2026 class under head coach Josh Heupel.