Elite 2027 recruit commits to another college football program before taking his planned official visit to Tennessee

The Tennessee Vols missed on one of their 2027 recruiting targets after a four-star offensive lineman committed to another college football program before taking his planned official visit to UT.

Zach Ragan Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tennessee Vols missed on one of their 2027 recruiting targets this week, and it happened before he could take his planned official visit to UT.

2027 four-star offensive lineman Qua Ford, who included the Vols in his top five in December, was set to take an official visit to Tennessee in May.

Ford, however, announced his commitment on Monday before taking that visit.

The four-star offensive lineman committed to SMU.

Ford, 6-foot-5/285 pounds from Texarkana, TX, is rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 13 interior offensive lineman in the nation and the No. 40 overall player in the talent-rich state of Texas.

“They’ve been recruiting me pretty hard,” said Ford to On3 of his decision to commit to SMU. “They spent some time with them last month and they came by and saw me, and they have just been showing good love and telling me I’m a big priority to them.”

It’s unclear if Ford will still take his official visit to Tennessee in May, though the assumption is that he won’t. Ford, to this point, has never visited Tennessee.