Analyst thinks the Vanderbilt Commodores have a legitimate chance to land a highly-coveted recruit over the Tennessee Vols

Earlier this week, Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney suggested that the Tennessee Vols will be "really tough to beat" for 2026 four-star wide receiver/athlete Joel Wyatt. 

247Sports recruiting analyst Tom Loy, however, doesn't quite agree with Gorney's take on Wyatt's recruitment. 

Loy wrote on Tuesday that he's currently giving the edge to the Vanderbilt Commodores in the battle for Wyatt. 

"Don't be surprised if Clark Lea pulls off the perceived upset and keeps Wyatt in Tennessee at Vanderbilt," wrote Loy. "The Commodores are doing an excellent job of recruiting him as an athlete while making it clear that he'll get a shot at receiver if he wants to there. On the flip side, if he wants to play in the secondary or rush the passer, he can do that as well."

"Vanderbilt wants Wyatt as a football player and person...and will do whatever it takes to make sure that he picks the Commodores. As it stands, I give Vanderbilt the edge over the other top contenders," added Loy. 

Wyatt, 6-foot-4/195 lbs from Bell Buckle, TN, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 5 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 2 player in the state of Tennessee. He's also rated as the No. 42 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class (a borderline five-star prospect). 

There are some analysts who have questioned if Wyatt will stick at wide receiver due to his upside on the defensive side of the ball, plus the fact that he struggled with drops earlier this spring at the Under Armour Nashville camp

"As of today, Wyatt worked primarily at wideout where his day was highlighted by flashes route running brilliance while simultaneously plagued by routine drops," wrote 247Sports' Cooper Petagna in March. "A long, beautiful target that moves flawlessly for his size, it's easy to understand the intrigue of the Top247 prospect on the offensive side of the football. With that being said, the two-way standout is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing athletes this cycle and I'm not sure if Sunday's performance brought us any more clarity on figuring out what side of the ball he'll play on at the next level."

Either way, Wyatt is clearly an SEC-caliber athlete who will be a major asset for whichever program lands him. 

Losing a recruiting battle to Vanderbilt for one of the top recruits in the nation would be a tough pill to swallow for Tennessee.