6 freshmen with the best chance to impact Tennessee football, including TK Keys

Tennessee football signed the highest-ranked recruiting class of coach Josh Heupel's tenure in December, and several incoming freshmen are poised to make an impact this season.

The Vols' 2026 class ended up ranked No. 8 in the nation in the 247Sports Composite with 33 freshmen on the roster this season. The highest-ranked classes under Heupel before that were No. 10 in 2023 and No. 11 in 2025.

Tennessee brought in a huge transfer class of 21 players as well, but several freshmen are likely to play impactful roles this season, too. Here are six freshmen who have the best chance to contribute for the Vols in 2026.

Faizon Brandon was named Tennessee's starting quarterback Aug. 24, making him the 14th true freshman to start at quarterback for the Vols. The five-star recruit was ranked No. 3 quarterback in the 2026 class by the 247Sports Composite and beat out sophomore George MacIntyre and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub for the starting spot.

Heupel credited Brandon's command of the offense, fundamentals and technique, pocket awareness and decision-making for his ascent to starting quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder from Greensboro, North Carolina, enrolled early and never left campus to prepare for the season.

Brandon's starting role will depend on his performances in games, but with the flashes of his potential as a deep-ball passer and strong runner, there's a lot to be optimistic about for Vols fans.

Wide receiver TK Keys was ranked No. 1 at his position by the 247Sports Composite and No. 13 in the class overall. The five-star recruit out of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is in the mix to step into the third starting spot with Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley returning as starters.

The competition between Keys, sophomores Radarious Jackson and Travis Smith will likely stretch into the season opener against Furman on Sept. 5 (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+), and possibly even beyond that.

Regardless of if or when Keys earns a starting role, he'll certainly have a place in the rotation. The 6-2, 200-pounder is too talented to sit on the sidelines. Wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope said Aug. 18 that Keys is "gifted" and he does things on the field that can't be coached. Keys' consistency will play a part in how big his role is.

There will be opportunities on the defensive line with the experience lost from last season's roster and returners Daevin Hobbs and Ethan Utley dealing with nagging injuries. Defensive tackle JJ Finch could get a shot to contribute to the rotation.

The 6-3, 297-pounder is talented and bulked up over the offseason. He was a consensus three-star recruit and was ranked No. 50 among defensive linemen in the 2026 class by the 247Sports Composite. Finch recorded 86 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks as a senior at Warren Central in Indianapolis.

Edge rusher Kedric Golston II is another freshman who could benefit from a lack of depth at his position. Tennessee lost Joshua Josephs to the NFL, and Jordan Ross and Caleb Herring transferred to LSU and South Carolina, respectively.

Penn State transfer Chaz Coleman was supposed to fill one of those roles, but was then medically disqualified in June.

The 6-3, 243-pound Golston has the potential to contribute with his football IQ and pedigree. His father, Kedric Golston, played for Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner at Georgia before playing 11 seasons in the NFL.

The Vols brought in two of the top linebackers in the 2026 class with TJ White and Brayden Rouse, who were ranked the No. 4 and No. 5 linebackers, respectively. While there aren't many roles to fill in Tennessee's linebacker rotation, both freshmen should play a lot of snaps on special teams.

Coaches will want to keep both young linebackers engaged and get them experience so they can step in when veteran linebackers move on, or if there's an injury during the season.

White is a four-star recruit ranked No. 71 in the class by the 247Sports Composite, and the 6-2, 235-pounder totaled 88 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a senior.

Rouse is a four-star prospect ranked No. 79 in the class by the 247Sports Composite. The 6-3, 225-pounder recorded 120 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions and one fumble recovery as a senior.

Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social‬. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: 6 freshmen with the best chance to impact Tennessee football, including TK Keys