The Tennessee Volunteers made a major investment in upgrading their defense this winter, hiring highly regarded defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and acquiring a lot of new players via the college football transfer portal. According to sources, there is a possibility that the squad will go even further in recruiting.
According to On3. com’s Chad Simmons, Tennessee is ‘making a strong push’ to flip Vanderbilt commitment Omari Sanders. The procedure is trending in the Volunteers’ favor, and an in-state change is quite possible.
Sanders, a four-star recruit, is rated by On3. com and Rivals as the third-best player in the state of Tennessee and the third-best linebacker in the nation. The 6-foot-4 linebacker has been highly sought after by schools across the Southeastern Conference after being a standout at Nashville’s Franklin Road Academy.
Simmons points out that Tennessee is competing with Texas A&M, and the Aggies are set to visit the outstanding linebacker. However, despite efforts from Vanderbilt and Texas A&M, the Volunteers now have a “legitimate chance” to steal Sanders, thanks to the momentum gained from a recent visit to Knoxville.
It would be a terrific pickup for Tennessee and a type of retaliation following Vanderbilt’s 45-24 victory at Neyland Stadium in November. The defeat was critical in the Volunteers’ decision to revamp their defense this summer.
Tennessee is set at linebacker for the approaching 2026 season, with Arion Carter returning and Amare Campbell joining from Penn State Nittany Lions via the transfer portal. Given Knowles’ success with linebackers, the Volunteers might be a good long-term option for Sanders.
