Tristian Givens Names Four Finalists

Carver High School defensive lineman Tristian Givens (Columbus, Ga.) is a premium target for the Tennessee Volunteers. On Monday, he cut his recruitment to four schools.

The Tennessee Volunteers brought several premium defensive line targets to campus over the past week. Carver High School defensive lineman Tristian Givens was chief among them - the Vols have recruited Givens for a long time and are toward the top of his list. They were the first program to schedule an official visit with Givens, though he will likely add some in the coming weeks.

Givens cut his recruitment to four schools on Monday: Florida State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and USC. He visited the Seminoles immediately following his trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, and they seemed poised as the biggest challenger. The Volunteers have made it clear to Givens that he's one of their top priorities in the 2026 recruiting cycle, regardless of position.

He caught up with Volunteer Country's Caleb Sisk after his recent visit to Knoxville. "I saw how the coaches coached their players. Coach [Josh] Heupel was out there moving around, same with Coach Chop. He was moving around."

Givens reaffirmed the importance of seeing the Volunteers in person before the summer official visits. "It helps a lot. Getting to see them in person instead of seeing them on social media is different." According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Givens ranks as the No. 70 prospect and the No. 12 edge rusher in the 2026 class.