Tennessee Vols set to receive official visit from 4-star recruit that ruffled some feathers in South Carolina earlier in the year

Colton, 6-foot-1/220 lbs from Newnan, GA, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 11 linebacker in the nation and the No. 23 player in the state of Georgia. He's also rated as the No. 167 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. 

The Georgia native committed to the South Carolina Gamecocks last April, but he decommitted in January, just a few days before taking a visit to Tennessee. 

After Colton's decommitment from the Gamecocks, Hal McGanahan of The Big Spur reported that South Carolina actually "dropped" the four-star linebacker. According to McGanahan, the Gamecocks felt like Colton was using South Carolina as a "placeholder" in his recruitment. 

"The staff is dropping Rodney Colton Jr," wrote McGanahan. "He's no longer considered a South Carolina commitment. The feeling is that he's been treating the commitment as a place holder, so they're moving on. They will not continue to recruit him either. The recruiting process between the two sides is finished."

Colton is clearly still a coveted recruit, despite South Carolina's decision to move on from the talented linebacker. 

Tennessee currently has seven players committed to its 2026 recruiting class.