Elite 4-star defensive back has Tennessee Vols among top schools; set to announce commitment on Christmas Eve
2026 four-star defensive back Zyan Gibson included the Tennessee Vols among his top four schools this week, along with Alabama, Auburn, and Miami. Gibson, 5-foot-11/177 lbs from Gadsen, AL, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 8 cornerback in the nation and the No. 4 player in the state of Alabama. He's also […]
2026 four-star defensive back Zyan Gibson included the Tennessee Vols among his top four schools this week, along with Alabama, Auburn, and Miami.
Gibson, 5-foot-11/177 lbs from Gadsen, AL, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 8 cornerback in the nation and the No. 4 player in the state of Alabama. He's also rated as the No. 67 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class.
"They've been winning ball games and playing freshman like Boo Carter," said Gibson to Rivals.com of his interest in the Vols. "They have true freshmen on punt returns, they're playing their young guys.
"I love the environment there, the energy, the coaches, the players," added Gibson. "The energy of their practices…I like their facilities, too."
Gibson will announce his commitment on Christmas Eve.
Gibson's decision will come three days after Tennessee's first round College Football Playoff matchup against Ohio State (a win against the Buckeyes could provide the Vols with a nice boost in the battle for Gibson).
Tennessee was one of the first programs to offer Gibson (something he pointed out to On3), so while it's tough to steal a recruit out of the state of Alabama, the Vols might have a decent chance in this battle.
