Tennessee Vols have an uncommon recruiting competitor for a critical 2026 four-star target

As the flagship university and the dominant program in the state of Tennessee, the Volunteers have had the best run on the football recruiting trail over the years compared to other in-state programs.  

And, unsurprisingly, the Vols are high on the list of a number of 2026 in-state recruits.  Among them are four-star athlete Joel Wyatt from Murfreesboro (Oakland), who checks in as an industry top 100 player by Rivals/On3.  A slew of marquee programs have offered and been chasing the talented player from the Volunteer State, but the Vols have been projected as leaders for his services.  

However, there's one school who's emerged and given the Vols a push, as per Rivals, and it's one that Tennessee doesn't usually get into a tug-of-war with over top-tier recruits - the Vanderbilt Commodores.