'We feel like Tennessee is likely the team to beat' - Recruiting analyst offers positive news for the Vols

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 5:53 PM ET

The Tennessee Vols are in the midst of a couple of intense recruiting battles this summer.

One of those battles involves 2026 four-star in-state athlete Joel Wyatt.

Wyatt, 6-foot-4/195 lbs from Bell Buckle, TN, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 2 player in the state of Tennessee and the No. 43 overall player in the 2026 recruiting cycle.

The Vanderbilt Commodores appear to be the Vols' biggest competition for Wyatt.

On3's Chad Simmons, however, believes Tennessee is "likely the team to beat" for the talented athlete.

"He's been a hot name and a hot topic for us," said Simmons of Wyatt. "And we still feel that Tennessee is likely the team to beat here. Vandy is pushing. He had a date set for July 6 at one time. He put that on hold. I think Tennessee would love to get him back [and get a] commitment on his brain and make a decision at some point -- if not in the summer, early in the season, Vanderbilt's in play there."

The biggest reason that Vandy is a serious threat to swipe Wyatt from the Vols is because the Commodores are offering to let him play on both sides of the ball (at safety and wide receiver). Tennessee, meanwhile, wants Wyatt to play at outside linebacker/edge (Wyatt's preferred position is believed to be safety).

Vanderbilt isn't going away in this battle, but it feels like the Vols should eventually be able to pull it out.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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