Matt Johnson
The 2027 Tennessee Volunteers recruiting class got stronger over the weekend following a commitment from four-star wide receiver Kesean Bowman. However, there might be an even bigger development for Josh Heupel’s program following the weekend.
According to Stevev Wiltfong of On3.com, there’s “confidence around Knoxville” that the Volunteers will be able to flip five-star wide receiver Easton Royal away from his commitment to the Texas Longhorns.
Related: Latest on Tennessee Volunteers Starting QB Battle
Royal, standing at 5-foot-11, is rated by Rivals as the ninth-best player in the 2027 recruiting class, and he’s viewed as the consensus second-best receiver in the nation among his peers.
He committed to Texas in November but has continued to take visits with other schools. Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers have reportedly been pushing hard for him, and the Florida Gators are also still in the mix.
Related: LSU Tigers Spent Staggering Sum on Lane Kiffin, Will Wade
Tennessee’s internal confidence comes after Royal was part of a group of top recruits to visit Knoxville. Following the visit, his first with the school, he said the program “blew it out of the water,” and he’ll be back during the summer for an official visit.
“The main thing I have liked about Coach Pope is that even when I committed, he never stopped recruiting me. He has just continued to recruit me. He showed me the way he develops receivers and showed me also that Tennessee is a top three school in developing and producing receivers. Probably the biggest thing I could take away from this weekend is that a lot of schools and analysts say that Tennessee runs a not NFL type of offense, but that is not the case. He made that an emphasis, and I did not have to ask him. He brought it up in a presentation of Tennessee with running schemes, then showing how the NFL teams are running in live action. They run every route at Tennessee.”
Easton Royal, a Texas Longhorms commit and five-star recruit, on his Tennessee Volunteers visit and meeting with Coach Kelsey Pope
Landing the No. 1 wide receiver out of high school is nothing new for Tennessee, as the program just did it this past class with TK Keys. The freshman wideout has made a strong impression this spring and is expected to see the field immediately come the fall.
Read More: Latest on Florida Gators Starting QB Competition
Heupel’s hope seems to be centered around five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, who will see snaps this season, with two high-end playmakers at wide receiver. If the offensive line can improve and the program gets better at developing offensive linemen, the offense two years from now could be one of the best in the nation.
