Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Vols are going head to head with Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels for one of the top 2027 players in the state of Tennessee. 

2027 four-star cornerback Kesean Bowman, 6-foot-1/160 lbs from Nashville, TN, is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee. He's also rated as the No. 2 cornerback in the 2027 recruiting class. 

Tennessee and North Carolina, specifically, are two of the programs that are recruiting the talented cornerback the hardest. 

Bowman told On3 that Tennessee is making him feel like a "priority". 

A recent visit to North Carolina, meanwhile, stood out to Bowman. 

“The North Carolina coaching staff was amazing,” said Bowman to On3. “They showed me lots of love and they all have one common goal. It is to develop their players for the next level.” 

Interestingly, Bowman told On3 that he's looking for a coach with a "killer mindset". 

"Important factors for me when I commit will be having a great relationship with the coaches and them making me feel like I’m at home," said Bowman. "Lastly, I love a coach with a killer mindset.” 

Heupel is well-known for his elite competitiveness, so that's certainly a factor that could help Tennessee win this recruiting battle. 

Of course, Belichick is one of the greatest football coaches of all time with six Super Bowl wins on his résumé. You don't win that many NFL championships without having a "killer mindset".

There's still a LOT of time left in this recruiting battle, but it's shaping up to be an interesting showdown between Heupel and the Vols and Belichick and the Tar Heels. 

Oregon, Georgia, Miami, Florida, Florida State, and Texas A&M are also in the mix for Bowman. 

‘You’re probably not allowed to do this’ – Morgan Wallen was one step away from getting Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello in trouble

Close call