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Tennessee had a number of major prospects on campus this weekend for official visits as it tries to make a strong push to land top-end prospects to boost its class. They currently have the No. 27 class according to 247Sports, and will look to crack the top 25.
The Volunteers currently sit in a good spot with four-star prospect Dereon Albert after his official visit. Albert talked about where Tennessee currently is after the weekend concluded.
“They are number 1,” said Albert. It was good because they treated me like family. I’ve communicated the most with Coach G and Coach Heupel.”
Albert is set to visit Mississippi State next weekend as his final official visit before making an official commitment decision on July 1st.
Albert had a dominant junior season for Jackson Academy, finishing with 81 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Albert has been a starter since his freshman season when he broke onto the scene, recording 96 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and two forced fumbles. According to 247Sports, Albert is a four-star prospect, the No.8 player in Mississippi, the No. 28 defensive lineman, and the No. 184 player nationally.
Tennessee doesn’t have any interior defensive linemen committed for the 2026 class yet as they try to strengthen their class. The Volunteers will have to fend off Arkansas and Mississippi State as contenders to land Albert but currently have the edge as his commitment is about two weeks away.
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This Surprise Tennessee Bond is Powering UCLA's Defense
The transfer portal period was especially impactful for UCLA this offseason as the Bruins overhauled much of their roster and brought in nearly 30 new faces. Of the many new faces, Oklahoma transfer safety Key Lawrence is expected to be one of the most impactful. What drew him to Westwood, though? The answer: a childhood friend of over 10 years. "That's my brother, that's like my brother, man," Lawrence said of Bruins defensive lineman Gary Smith III. "He's one of the big reasons I came out here as well. Because, for my last year [and] for his last year, we just thought, 'Why not? Why not play together at this prestigious university and get the job done?'" Lawrence and Smith hail from Tennessee. Both entering their final year of eligibility, Smith hails from Shelbyville and Lawrence from Nashville. Their bond and friendship dates back over a decade and is rekindled in Westwood. Lawrence, Smith And How They'll Impact UCLA Smith is returning to the Bruins this season in hopes of showing promise after missing all of last season with an injury. The former Duke Blue Devil transferred to UCLA in 2022 and appeared in 10 games in 2023, finishing with 21 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Smith is expected to be a big contributor on the line behind Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams, who is also returning from injury. Lawrence is yet another transfer in UCLA's overall secondary group, not just the safeties. He comes to the Bruins by way of Ole Miss, where he missed most of last season. in 2023, he played for Oklahoma and ended the season with 44 tackles, four tackles for loss and two interceptions. Lawrence is the projected box safety starter and will be one of the most important figures in the Bruins' pass defense this season, amongst an overhauled group of defenders. Make sure to bookmark UCLA Bruins On SI to get all your daily UCLA Bruins news, analysis and more! Read more on UCLA football and their momentous second season in the Big Ten and under DeShaun Foster here. While you're here, check out all things UCLA basketball and Mick Cronin improving the Bruins through the transfer portal here. UCLA Bruins Latest News
Chargers star's brutal injury shows why players should hold out with new contracts on line
Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater was carted off the practice field on Thursday afternoon with what turned out to be a significant injury. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the two-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending knee injury. It's a massive blow to the team's offensive line and offense as a whole. It also serves as a harsh reminder as to why players will always — and should always — act on the side of caution when it comes to participating in training camp when they are seeking a new contract. In Slater's case, he's a lucky one because he just agreed to a new four-year, $114 million contract extension with $92 million in guarantees days before the injury happened. That contract was signed after he did not participate in some of the team's early training-camp practice sessions. If Slater had participated early on and had this injury happen before he was able to get his new deal signed, it would have been a devastating blow in his quest to get that pay day. Not only would the Chargers have had no incentive to pay him this season, but there is no guarantee he would have ever received that sort of contract in the future. Fans might not like the idea of a hold-out or hold-in, but you have to look at it from the perspective of the player. They have a very limited time to earn top dollar in the NFL, and there are never any guarantees. The hold-out/hold-in approach is not only a way to put pressure on the team to pay them, but it's also a matter of self-preservation. Football is a violent game. It's a physical game. It's a collision game. Injuries are always going to be a part of that. But injuries happen with much greater frequency early in the season, and especially in training camp, due to the fact that players are still working their way back into game shape and going through more intense and physical practices than they do at any point during the season. It's a dangerous time for them in terms of injuries, and that should not be overlooked when it comes to contract talks. Players have short careers and even less time to set themselves up financially. They should not be willing to take unnecessary risks when it comes to their earning power. The Slater situation shows just how delicate all of it is.
Dream Dealt Unfortunate News on Brittney Griner on Thursday
Neck pain isn’t usually headline news, unless it belongs to Brittney Griner. Atlanta Dream fans hoping for another dominant night on Thursday just had their mood checked. Griner is officially out again, and suddenly that winning streak feels a little more fragile. The Dream hit the road to face the struggling Chicago Sky, a team sitting at 8-21 and already missing rookie standout Angel Reese. But while the Sky limp into Wintrust Arena, the Dream aren’t walking in at full strength either. On Wednesday, the team ruled out Griner for a third straight game due to her lingering neck injury. According to the WNBA’s official injury report, she’s still not ready for game action. Griner’s absence is a blow. The nine-time All-Star has been averaging 10.6 points and 5.6 boards while shooting over 51 percent from the field this season. She signed with Atlanta as a free agent this offseason, helping turn the Dream into a serious contender after last year’s playoff sneak-in. But with their star center on the bench again, the Dream will have to get creative, and gritty. Brionna Jones, Naz Hillmon Set to Step Up With Griner out, Atlanta is expected to lean on Brionna Jones and Naz Hillmon to carry the frontcourt load. Jones, another offseason addition, has already started taking on a bigger role. The team will need her presence inside to stretch the Sky’s defense and crash the boards. It’s not all gloom, though. Griner’s "doubtful" tag before last week’s Mercury game was the same story, and she’s reportedly getting closer to a return. But Atlanta’s not taking risks with their veteran star, and they shouldn't. Still, with Rhyne Howard also sidelined due to a knee issue, the Dream are down two primary weapons. That makes Thursday’s game less about comfort and more about character.
Rory McIlroy's controversial decision leaves PGA Tour 'very concerned'
Seventy players qualified for the first round of the playoffs at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, but only 69 will tee it up at TPC Southwind this week. That's because Rory McIlroy, who ranks second in the FedEx Cup standings behind only Scottie Scheffler, is skipping the first playoff event to prepare for the BMW Championship and Tour Championship. The PGA Tour isn't thrilled with his contentious decision. Peter Malnati, a PGA Tour pro and player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, told Golfweek he's "very concerned" the new playoff format allows top players in the standings to skip playoff events. "I think there is stuff in the works, and I'll leave it at that," he said. The PGA Tour must make changes because McIlroy won't face any repercussions for skipping the FedEx St. Jude Championship. As the No. 2 player in the FedEx Cup standings entering the postseason, McIlroy is guaranteed to qualify for the Tour Championship. Before this year, he would've been incentivized to improve his spot in the standings because of the advantage the starting strokes format gave the No. 1 player. That's no longer the case. This year, the Tour Championship will operate like every other tournament on the PGA Tour schedule. There will be no starting strokes advantage for the top players, so every player from No. 1 to No. 30 will have an equal chance to win the $10 million prize. It doesn't matter where McIlroy resides in the standings. It just matters that he makes it to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and he's already locked up his spot in the season finale. Why spend a week in scorching-hot Memphis when you could stay home and prepare for the tournament that actually matters, right? The new playoff format will make the Tour Championship more entertaining for fans, but it renders the other two playoff events irrelevant for the PGA Tour's top players. The Tour must make playoff events mandatory to prevent other stars from following McIlroy's lead.
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