A closer look at Tennessee's recruiting connections to the state of Virginia
Tennessee and Virginia will square off in Nashville at Nissan Stadium on Saturday at noon eastern time to kick off the 2023 season. While the Vols and Cavaliers have not been frequent foes on the gridiron or the recruiting trail of late, the state of Virginia has looks at some of the major wins Tennessee has had achieved and future recruits coming out of the state. Volquest takes a look at this ahead of the matchup.
A look at current Vols from the state of Virginia
Tennessee only has one current player on the active roster. 2023 signee Cameron Seldon. The coveted four-star prospect was a pivotal recruiting win for Josh Heupel and company as he chose Tennessee over Penn State, Maryland and numerous others. After early enrolling in January, Seldon has generated buzz this off-season, and he will get his first opportunity in Orange and white on Saturday. Seldon was rated as the No.141 overall prospect and No.4 ATH in the country, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.
A look at former Vols from the state of Virginia
Starting on the defensive side of the football, one name from the Old Dominion state that jumps straight to mind is Jerod Mayo. Mayo came out of Kecoughtan High School in Hampton Virginia and played himself into the No.10 pick of the 2008 NFL Draft after totaling 236 tackles, 21 for loss and 6.5 sacks over three years.
Another standout defender for the Vols from the state was current Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Darrell Taylor. After getting off to a slow start in his first three years on Rocky Top, Taylor was a force to be reckonded with during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. His 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss helped him become the 48th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
On the offensive side of the football, two former Vols to don the Orange & White with success were Justin Hunter and C.J. Fayton. The former caught 106 passes for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns at Tennessee and went on to be the 34th pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, while the latter caught 74 passes for 981 yards and seven touchdowns. Fayton also served a short stint as the Director of VFL Programming from 2018-19.
Current prospects to know in the state
In the 2024 class, Tennessee already holds the commitment of four-star Salem (Va.) running back Peyton Lewis. The No.15 running back in the 2024 On3 Industry Rankings pledged his commitment to Tennessee in May, and he was a vital recruiting win for Jerry Mack, as the Vols staff continues to build the running back position.
Tennessee hopes to have more success in the state and at Salem High School in this cycle. Lewis’ teammate and top-50 linebacker Chris Cole is a priority target for Tennessee in this cycle. Cole will take an official visit to Tennessee next weekend, and he is slated to decide on September 10th.
Other names to know in the upcoming classes are Ari Watford and Savion Hiter. Watford is viewed as an elite EDGE prospect. He is currently rated as the No.10 overall prospect in the 2025 On3 Rankings. He visited Knoxville in March and is weighing the option of returning for a visit this fall.
Elsewhere, in the 2026 recruiting class, Woodberry Forest (Va.) running back Savion Hiter is already making a case to be one of the cycle’s best overall players. Tennessee has already gotten him to campus this summer and will look to continue this trend as his recruitment plays out.
