One of the Tennessee Vols’ most coveted recruiting targets reportedly wants to play for a defensive minded head coach
The Tennessee Vols are eyeing some elite talent in the 2027 recruiting cycle.
The Tennessee Vols are eyeing some elite talent in the 2027 recruiting class.
Tennessee is targeting several five-star recruits, including the No. 1 linebacker in the nation — who just happens to be the son of a Vols legend.
2027 five-star linebacker Cooper Witten, the son of former Tennessee tight end Jason Witten, is easily one of the Vols’ top recruiting targets.
Witten, 6-2, 210 pounds from Argyle, TX, is rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 4 player in the state of Texas. He’s also rated as the No. 21 overall player in the 2027 recruiting class.
Jason was recently named the Oklahoma Sooners’ new tight ends coach, which has vaulted OU to the top of the younger Witten’s recruitment.
And if that news wasn’t bad enough for Tennessee in the battle for the elite linebacker, they got more this week.
Cooper Witten reportedly wants to play for a defensive minded head coach
Tennessee’s done a good job of recruiting Witten, and he’s said that the opportunity to play for his dad in college won’t be the “defining factor” in his decision.
Witten, however, reportedly wants to play for a defensive-minded head coach, which could be tough for the Vols to overcome with offensive-minded Josh Heupel at the helm.
“From speaking to sources informed on his recruitment, the Sooners are going to be a hard team to beat for the blue-chipper,” reported On3’s Sam Spiegelman this week. “Brent Venables was the first to offer the touted prospect and Witten is bullish about playing for a defensive-minded head coach.”
One piece of good news for the Vols is that Witten has connected well with new Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. That should keep the Vols in the fight, but it’s going to be tough to beat Oklahoma in this battle with Jason Witten on the Sooners’ coaching staff, plus the five-star linebacker’s newly discovered desire to play for a defensive-minded head coach (which OU head coach Brent Venables is).
You never say never, but this feels like an uphill battle for the Volunteers.
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