Long list of top recruits visiting Tennessee for Alabama showdown

No game this weekend will be more anticipated than the matchup between No. 8 Tennessee and No. 1/3 Alabama at Neyland Stadium. The Vols are nationally relevant again, both because of their on-field success but also what they’ve been able to do in recruiting. Saturday presents yet another chance to take a major step forward in both of those areas.

The official visitor list is a short one: five-star IMG Academy (Fla.) EDGE Samuel M’Pemba. A few other prospects were supposed to take OVs but ultimately it will just be M’Pemba, who the Vols have been coveting for quite some time. Georgia is considered the heavy leader in the On3 RPM right now, with a couple of predictions in the Bulldogs’ favor. But Tennessee has a shot to make a lasting impression on him as considers his top four schools.

On3 five-star defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs is expected back in town after taking an official visit in September. The Vols are right in the thick of things with him, alongside Alabama and Georgia, and one source told Simmons that Tennessee might have a slight edge at this juncture with the nation’s No. 3 defensive lineman.

Four-star EDGE Tomarrion Parker was originally scheduled to take an official visit to Florida this weekend, but the communication with the Gators’ staff has fallen off recently, according to GatorsOnline’s Corey Bender. Instead, Parker plans to be in Knoxville, with Tennessee battling Clemson to land the elite pass-rusher out of Alabama.

Similar to the Gators, Tennessee has a top prospect it is working tirelessly to get on campus this weekend, and that’s four-star Ohio State wide receiver commit Carnell Tate. Simmons reported earlier this week that the Vols expect to get him to Knoxville, but the trip isn’t set in stone. Another top prospect committed elsewhere who will be in town is four-star Oregon running back commit Dante Dowdell, who recently took an unofficial visit to Ole Miss.

A host of other 2023 commits — and a few from 2024 — are also expected in, along with blue-chip juniors Jonathan Paylor, Jake Merklinger, Omillio Agard, Edwin Spillman, Kaleb Beasley, Boo Carter and more.

For more Tennessee recruiting scoop and team coverage, check out Volquest.