Recruiting analyst makes new prediction that Tennessee Vols fans don't want to hear
The Tennessee Vols are one of several programs in the mix for 2026 five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys. Keys, 6-foot-2/175 lbs from Hattiesburg, MS, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi. He's also rated as the No. 4 overall […]
The Tennessee Vols are one of several programs in the mix for 2026 five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys.
Keys, 6-foot-2/175 lbs from Hattiesburg, MS, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi. He's also rated as the No. 4 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class.
Late last month, On3's Chad Simmons made a "way-too-early" prediction for the Volunteers to land Keys.
On Wednesday, Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney made a new prediction for Keys and he doesn't have the five-star wide receiver signing with Tennessee.
Instead, Gorney predicted that the Texas A&M Aggies will be the program that lands Keys.
From Rivals.com: Making a prediction on Keys and pinning him down to one program is incredibly difficult because his recruitment remains fluid with a bunch of programs making a serious run at him.
Tennessee has been discussed a lot. He seemed to really love Texas A&M and everything the Aggies have to offer when talking at recent events. When LSU offered, the high four-star from Hattiesburg, Miss., raved about the Tigers’ receiver history. Ole Miss is making a run. Others across the Southeast won’t give up until the end.
But Keys has talked really highly about Texas A&M for a long time. He’s a big, talented outside receiver who could fit in the system perfectly and his relationship keeps growing better with position coach Holmon Wiggins. It’s no guarantee but the Aggies do look strong.
This is a recruiting battle that most folks believe won't be over anytime soon, which is why predicting where Keys will land feels like an exercise in futility (and that's not a shot at Gorney, he's just going off where things currently stand in this recruiting battle).
The good news for Tennessee is that they're in the fight. And considering the Vols' recent success on the recruiting trail when it comes to landing elite wide receivers (Mike Matthews, Braylon Staley, Travis Smith, etc), they should be viewed as a big of a threat as anyone to land the coveted five-star wide receiver.
