Recruiting analyst says it seems like Tennessee has a 'considerable lead' over Alabama for elite 4-star recruit

Late last month, Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman made a prediction for the Tennessee Vols to land 2026 four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse. 

"Rouse returned to Knoxville for 865 Live and will be back on Rocky Top June 20 for his final official visit before a summer commitment," wrote Spiegelman. "Texas has closed the gap significantly this spring, but we love where Tennessee is positioned with the top-100 linebacker. My FutureCast is locked in on the Vols."

Rouse was at Alabama for a visit this past weekend, which reportedly went very well for the Crimson Tide. 

But despite the return trip to Alabama, Tennessee is still believed to have a sizable in the lead in the battle for the four-star linebacker. 

"It could be a “tight-knit race” for the four-star linebacker out of Marietta (Ga.) Kell but Tennessee has been the front-runner for some time in his recruitment," noted Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney. "Rouse was at Alabama over the weekend and he loved seeing the process that the incoming freshmen have to go through, but the Vols still seem like they have a considerable lead."

Rouse, 6-foot-3/210 lbs, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 4 linebacker in the nation and the No. 8 player in the state of Georgia. He's also rated as the No. 68 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. 

It certainly appears that the Vols are in a great spot for Rouse, but they'll have to survive the Georgia native's official visits (Rouse will take official visits to Alabama, Michigan, and Texas before returning to Tennessee for an official visit) before they can feel good about winning this recruiting battle.