‘This was one of the toughest decisions in my life’ – 2026 four-star recruit explains why he decommitted from the Tennessee Vols
The Tennessee Vols lost a 2026 four-star commit on Friday afternoon. 2026 four-star tight end Carson Sneed committed to the Vols almost exactly a year ago (August 5, 2024). The Nashville product, however, flipped to the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday. Sneed had been considered a flip candidate for the last couple of months […]
The Tennessee Vols lost a 2026 four-star commit on Friday afternoon.
2026 four-star tight end Carson Sneed committed to the Vols almost exactly a year ago (August 5, 2024). The Nashville product, however, flipped to the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday.
Sneed had been considered a flip candidate for the last couple of months — especially after his brother Dayton, a former walk-on wide receiver at Tennessee, left Knoxville for Chapel Hill in the spring.
Sneed told On3 that the decision to flip to North Carolina was one of the toughest he’s ever had to make.
“This was one of the toughest decisions in my life,” said Sneed. “It was a hard decision, and I have a lot of love for Tennessee, but I had to do what I feel is best for me. I went back and forth probably 20 times, but after praying about it and talking it through, I feel like I made the right decision.”
Sneed, who is rated as the No. 18 tight end in the nation (via 247Sports’ composite rankings) told On3 that UNC head coach Bill Belichick’s history with tight end development was a big factor in his decision.
Rivals.com’s Adam Gorney noted in May that Sneed had concerns about how tight ends are utilized in Tennessee’s offense.
“There is some concern about just how often the Vols throw to their tight ends especially as other top teams come in and try to flip Sneed….He’s an in-state prospect and playing in Knoxville is a huge deal but just how often Sneed is going to see the ball is a sticking point,” wrote Gorney earlier this spring.
Sneed, interestingly, pointed out in June that head coach Josh Heupel hasn’t “had the body types he’s liked” at tight end at Tennessee.
“Coach Heupel, he’s just been telling me about how he’s had previous tight ends — not really in this offense, because he hadn’t really had the body types he’s liked,” said Sneed. “He’s had the old staff’s. But at Missouri, they had Albert [Okwuegbunam] and people like that. They think I can be the next Albert O, you know, a freshman All-American, go to the NFL and play a couple years. So that’s really what they’ve been telling me.”
Tennessee now has 22 commits to its 2026 recruiting class, which is currently ranked No. 10 in the nation.
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