Tennessee looking to make up ground with 5-star WRs on official visits this weekend
Tennessee is hosting perhaps the most impressive list of official visitors around the country this weekend. Eight top-100 recruits, including four five-stars, are set to be on Rocky Top.
The visitor list includes a pair of five-star wide receivers, both of whom continue to show interest in the Volunteers. Ackerman (Miss.) Choctaw County five-star WR Caleb Cunningham and Jacksonville Mandarin five-star Jaime Ffrench are two of the top targets on the board for Josh Heupel and his staff.
Tennessee is not considered the leader for either elite pass-catcher, but the Vols have acquired some serious juice on the recruiting trail this cycle and can’t be ruled out for either. Making a positive impression during an official visit is practically a formality, but Heupel and WRs coach Kelsey Pope will still work hard to make a major splash this weekend.
The Vols currently own two wide receiver commitments this cycle. Memphis Collierville three-star WR Joakim Dodson is a top-20 in-state prospect, while Memphis Sheffield four-star WR Radarious Jackson is a top-100 overall recruit in the 2025 On300.
On the latest edition of the ‘Wiltfong Whiparound’ On3 VP of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong broke down the latest in the respective recruitments of Cunningham and Ffrench, including where Tennessee stands for each five-star ahead of this weekend’s OVs.
Tennessee facing other top SEC programs for Cunningham
The Vols haven’t been mentioned much in the recruitment of Cunningham, yet he’s still making his way to Knoxville for an official visit. This will be his fourth visit of the month, as he’s already been back to see Auburn, Ole Miss and Florida.
An official to Alabama is set for next week, while Mississippi State is the program currently trending in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). Tennessee can jut into the top of the conversation with an impressive visit this weekend.
“I think that Caleb Cunningham’s been so impressionable. He went to Auburn, named them the leader. Then went to Ole Miss later in the week, now it’s up in the air if he goes to Big Cat weekend or Juice weekend — which is the same weekend in July,” Wiltfong said. “He just had a fantastic official visit at Florida, gave it a 10 and a half out of 10. These programs are on his shortlist, now he comes into Tennessee, so we’ll see where the Vols sit coming out.”
Cunningham is the No. 15 overall prospect and No. 2 wideout in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the top-ranked recruit in Mississippi.
Ffrench back on Rocky Top for second time in two months
Before official visit season hit full swing, Ffrench made his way to Knoxville last month for Tennessee’s 865 Live event. That trip had Ffrench holding the Vols high on his list. That’s been a similar story for just about every other program that’s gotten him on campus as of late, however.
Texas entered the summer as Ffrench’s leader, with LSU and Miami right behind. There’s already been plenty of twists and turns in his recruitment — and Tennessee could cause another. Ffrench, the No. 19 prospect in the cycle, is set to take his OV to Texas next weekend and was at LSU and Miami earlier this month.
“Jaime Ffrench is another that’s been impressionable. One-time Alabama commit, Ohio State leads in the spring, takes a Texas visit, Longhorns move in front. Was at LSU two weekends ago, LSU has at the very least evened that one out,” Wiltfong said.
“He was at Tennessee’s 865 Live event with guys like David Sanders, that’s put Tennessee in position to get this official visit. We’ll see what happens with Tennessee coming out of it, they certainly trail the schools I mentioned coming in — same goes with Caleb Cunningham. But it’s their turn to showcase what they’ve got.”
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