Tennessee notched a colossal recruiting victory over an SEC rival on Thursday when Tristen Keys, the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2026 class, flipped his commitment from LSU to the Volunteers. He is the highest-rated prospect thus far in the cycle to have announced a flip, and his addition to the Tennessee haul adds to what is already a stacked group of offensive newcomers headed to Josh Heupel’s program.
The flip had been brewing for most of the summer. Keys visited Tennessee on June 13 and said to 247Sports’ Tom Loy that he made up his mind on that trip. He still had an LSU visit scheduled for June 20, and he told the Tigers’ coaches ahead of that trip that he would likely flip to Tennessee. Keys still made the trip to Baton Rouge with an open mind, though. Ultimately, it was not enough to sway him from backing off his pledge and picking the Volunteers as his preferred destination.
Keys skyrocketed up the recruiting rankings last summer and achieved five-star status after a terrific junior season at Hattiesburg (Miss.). The MaxPreps Junior All-American racked up 1,275 yards and 14 touchdowns on 58 receptions to help his squad reach the MHSAA Class 6A championship game. He is also a multi-sport athlete who shined at the state level in track and field events, and Keys also played for Hattiesburg’s basketball program.
Tennessee now boasts three five-star prospects in its 2026 class, each of whom play on the offensive side of the ball. No. 1 overall recruit Faizon Brandon is the headliner as the top quarterback in the nation, and offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda rounds out the most elite tier of the Volunteers’ outstanding class. The Brandon-to-Keys connection could define the Tennessee passing game in the years to come, especially with Osenda protecting Brandon on the edge.
“Faizon and I have a great relationship,” Keys said to 247Sports. “We started building it around the ninth grade. We connected at Future 50. I know he can throw the ball. We’re going to put on a show on Saturday nights.”
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The Volunteers’ class has depth, too, and goes well beyond the trio of five-star commits. There are now 10 blue-chip prospects in what could finish as the best haul of the Heupel era. With Keys’ commitment, the class swapped places with LSU in the team recruiting rankings. Tennessee entered the day at No. 11 and leaped into LSU’s No. 8 spot, jumping Michigan and Ohio State in the process.
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