'There's some concern' - Josh Heupel's offense could reportedly cause the Tennessee Vols to lose a key 2026 football commit

The Tennessee Vols could be in danger of losing a key 2026 four-star commit and it's partially because of a concern about Josh Heupel's offense. 

2026 four-star tight end Carson Sneed has been committed to Tennessee since last August. 

Sneed, 6-foot-6/248 lbs from Nashville, TN, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 13 tight end in the nation and the No. 8 player in the state of Tennessee. 

Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney listed Sneed this week as a committed prospect who could flip. 

Part of the reason the Vols are in danger of losing Sneed is because of concerns about how Tennessee's tight ends are used in the passing game. 

"There is some concern about just how often the Vols throw to their tight ends especially as other top teams come in and try to flip Sneed....He’s an in-state prospect and playing in Knoxville is a huge deal but just how often Sneed is going to see the ball is a sticking point," wrote Gorney. 

According to Gorney, Ole Miss and North Carolina are two programs to watch in Sneed's recruitment. 

It should be noted that Sneed's brother, wide receiver Dayton Sneed, recently transferred from Tennessee to North Carolina. Dayton was the source of headlines earlier this week when he referred to the UT baseball team as "trash" in a social media post. 

Tennessee definitely doesn't throw to their tight ends as often as some other teams in the SEC (Miles Kitselman, the Vols' top tight end in 2024, caught 22 passes for 301 yards last season, which was No. 12 in the SEC). But tight ends, of course, do more than just catch the ball. Tight ends are heavily utilized in Tennessee's blocking scheme, which helps prepare players for the NFL. 

Kitselman, in fact, was recently named by Pro Football Focus as one of 10 tight ends to watch in the 2026 NFL Draft.  

I wouldn't be surprised if Sneed eventually flips his commitment. But if/when that happens, it may have more to do with his brother's decision to leave Rocky Top than how often Tennessee is throwing to tight ends.