Although there aren’t any college football games for another couple of months, summer is a huge time for recruiting.

Coaches across the country are vying for significant commitments that can potentially shift the trajectory of their program or attract even more marquee recruits to follow suit.

One program that is looking to climb up the rankings, as they came into Saturday on the outside looking in of the top 25, are the Tennessee Volunteers.

As revealed via social media, the Vols landed a commitment from three-star wide receiver Zayden Anderson. The Greenville, Tennessee, product chose to play for Josh Heupel and the Vols over programs such as Cincinnati, Toledo and Memphis among others.

While Anderson isn’t the most highly touted recruit, his commitment received the stamp of approval from Tennessee’s top recruit and five-star quarterback, Faizon Brandon. The No. 1 player in the nation took to X to welcome his new classmate, and express his excitement about him joining the Tennessee brotherhood.

“Yessir welcome home‼️#GBO,” wrote Brandon.

What has been the looming problem in Brent Venables’ Oklahoma? A struggling offense. This time last year, the Sooners had re-worked their quarterback room after losing offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby to Mississippi State. Then came another blow as Venables’ starting QB, Dillon Gabriel, swapped to Oregon. The Sooners also witnessed departures of both assistant QB coach Matt Holecek and QB analyst Tanner Schafer. Jackson Arnold took over as the starting quarterback, with newcomers Steele Wasel, Michael Hawkins Jr., Brendan Zurbrugg, and Casey Thompson behind him. But they fell flat. This year, John Mateer is ready to take over. But Venables is already worried about the 2026 class…

As per On3’s 2026 Industry Ranking football Team Recruiting Rankings, Oklahoma stands at the No.19 rank with only 10 recruits locked in. That’s when they jumped into the race to land the four-star prospect and one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2026 recruiting class, Bowe Bentley, on June 20. The 6’2 200 lb QB from Celina, TX, chose the Sooners over LSU and is pumped to give Venables’ squad his best. Hayes Fawcett quoted the quarterback on his IG post, “Norman! I’m home!!” Bentley also had offers from prominent programs like Georgia and Ohio State. Venables offered him in January, after a standout performance at the Navy All-American Bowl. And his final list was trimmed to Oklahoma vs LSU. That’s when LSU 5-star commit Tristen Keys stirred the pot.

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Even keeping the bowl performance aside, the quarterback’s stats were just too lucrative to ignore. The Celina, Texas, product combined for 63 total touchdowns in 2024, helping lead his high school team to a 16-0 record and a state championship. And Keys would have loved to have Bentley running for the same team. So, the LSU WR is still trying his level best to pull the quarterback into Brian Kelly’s squad. The comment section had Keys’ comment, which read, “Noooo why not come throw to 3 top 10 WRs😢💔😭😭😭.” The heartbreak emoji says it all. LSU Tigers sit at the No.3 rank as per the 2026 class with 10 recruits locked in, and they aren’t happy about Bentley’s decision.

Had Bentley boarded the LSU wagon, he would have been protected by No.1 WR in the nation, Keys, and No.1 wideout in Louisiana, Jabari Mack, who is also ranked as a Top-10 receiver in America. Now, is this comment a hint for Coach Kelly?

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Brent Venables’ Bowe Bentley move came with a cost

Here, Tristan Keys’ active initiative to bolster LSU’s roster by dragging Bentley in may be treated as a positive sign. After all, we have seen how Kelly dreamed big about the No.1 WR who has been committed to the Tigers since March. However, a piece of news might have robbed Kelly of his goodnight’s sleep. On June 13, On3 NIL posted on X, “The race for LSU 5-star WR commit Tristen Keys continues to heat up🔥 Keys is expected to ink an NIL package that will pay him between $500K to $1 million as a freshman, per @PeteNakos_💰.”

The program who have its watchful eyes on Kelly’s suitor is Josh Heupel‘s Tennessee Volunteers. Things got more complex for LSU when the 5-star recruit was spotted dancing in full Tennessee’s orange-colored gear. Now that Keys sounded so upset about LSU losing out on Bentley might hint that the WR is deciding to stay in the Tigers and is concerned about the program’s future. On Bentley’s Oklahoma move, one more person is unhappy other than Keys.

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That’s none other than another commit of the Sooners club, quarterback Jaden O’Neal. Well, the young chap could sense Brent Venables landing Bowe Bentley. He had been pledged to Venables’ squad since June 24. And a day before Oklahoma landed their new quarterback, on June 19, O’Neal confirmed his decommitment after feeling insecure. His parting note read, “It is with deep gratitude and heavy heart that I announce my decommitment from the University of Oklahoma. When I committed to OU nearly a year ago, I felt a genuine connection to the program […] But a lot has changed since last June. I understand that college football is a business, and with that comes constant change and the pressure to produce results.” Fingers crossed – hope this Bowe Bentley move doesn’t come back to haunt the Sooners’ head coach.

Open Extended Reactions

The Class of 2026 college football recruits feature a record 21 five-star players in the ESPN 300. With summer recruiting about to heat up, seven of those prospects have yet to make their college decision, including defensive tackle Lamar Brown, the No. 1 player in the class.

May is set to deliver some big recruiting news in the coming weeks. Jared Curtis, the fifth overall and top quarterback in the class, started things off with his commitment to Georgia on May 5.

For each commitment, recruiting reporter Eli Lederman and scouts Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill will look at how recruits landed at their school and what we can expect in college:

Zion Elee, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 2

School/Hometown: St. Frances Academy/Baltimore, Maryland

Committed to: Maryland Terrapins

Background: Once ranked as the cycle’s No. 1 defender, Elee committed to Maryland on Dec. 7, 2024, after logging 120 total tackles and 23 sacks across his sophomore and junior seasons. If he ultimately signs later this year, Elee will join the Terps as the highest-ranked recruit in program history.

Despite his December pledge, Elee stayed in touch with other Power 4 programs in January and initially scheduled spring official visits to Auburn, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina and Texas A&M before canceling those trips and formally shutting down his recruitment in late February. As things stand, Elee is still locked in with the Terps with his June 20 trip to Maryland standing as the only official visit on his calendar this spring.

Scout’s take: Good recruiting starts at home. If Maryland holds on to Elee, he’d be the first No. 1 prospect from the area to reach Maryland in the ESPN 300 era, and the first time in five cycles the Terps landed the top in-state prospect. At roughly 6-foot-4 with an 80-inch wingspan, Elee is a lean, lengthy and disruptive edge rusher. That length blended with an excellent first step and a strong motor wreaks havoc off the edge. Maryland ranked last in sacks (14) in the Big Ten in 2024. The Terps hope signing Elee and 2025 ESPN 300 defensive end Zahir Mathis will remedy that situation. They could emerge as one of the conference’s most formidable pass-rushing duos. — Craig Haubert

Jackson Cantwell, OT

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 3

School/Hometown: Nixa High School/Nixa, Missouri

Committed to: Miami Hurricanes

Background: Cantwell is the son of two Olympic shot putters — including a silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Games — and his commitment to the Hurricanes marks perhaps the biggest recruiting win in Mario Cristobal’s tenure leading Miami.

A towering, yet athletic lineman, Cantwell kept in-state Missouri and Michigan involved in his process before cutting his finalists to Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Oregon last month. Cantwell took a multi-day trip to see the Hurricanes in March and joins Miami as the program’s highest-ranked pledge since Cristobal took over following the 2021 season. Cantwell, a two-time state champion shot putter who holds multiple national high school throwing records, intends to continue his track and field career alongside football in college.

Scout’s take: A former offensive lineman at Miami, Cristobal has landed a key building block for that unit. The Canes’ O-Line unit looks to be strong this season, but could lose several pieces from that group after this season. Cristobal began reloading the unit in the Class of 2025, by signing the top interior offensive lineman in the country in S.J. Alofaituli, who projects to be in the mix this fall. Now the Canes has the No. 1 OT in the 2026 class.

Cantwell is a massive presence at roughly 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds and is powerful and tenacious in his play. Beyond his size, Cantwell is a flexible big body with good feet. He could have some growing pains early in his college career in pass protection, but should be expected to come in and play right away. His arrival could time well with the potential departure of 2023 five-star OL Francis Mauigoa who is projected as a 2026 first-round NFL pick. Cantwell could have a similar trajectory as Mauigoa in that he is a plug-and-play addition that experiences some early challenges but continues to develop into a key piece of the unit and an eventual NFL prospect. — Haubert

Chris Henry Jr., WR

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 4

School/Hometown: Mater Dei/Santa Ana, California

Committed to: Ohio State Buckeyes

Background: The son of late Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, Chris Henry Jr. has been committed since July 2023, longer than any other prospect within the 2026 ESPN 300.

A knee injury sidelined Henry for the majority of his junior campaign, but he proved himself as an elite playmaker in his last complete season, when he totaled 71 catches for 1,127 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore at Withrow (Ohio) High School in 2023. Initially set for official visits to Ohio State, Miami, Oregon and USC this spring, Henry shut down his recruitment April 1.

Scout’s take: To best maximize his traits, the Buckeyes will need to deploy Henry on the outside. He’s a one-on-one matchup problem on 50-50 balls whom Ohio State can maximize — particularly in the red zone. Even when covered, he isn’t really covered. Few wide receivers 6-foot-5 or taller can move, shake and produce after the catch like Henry. He shows an amazing run-and-catch aspect in the vertical passing game. Henry’s long arms and ability to elevate in traffic create distinct advantages on jump balls. His twitchiness is very similar to that of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and sets him apart from other receivers at this size. — Tom Luginbill

Jared Curtis, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 5

School/Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee/Nashville Christian

Committed to: Georgia Bulldogs

Background: Initially committed to Georgia in March 2024, Curtis took a winding road back to the Bulldogs’ 2026 class after he pulled his pledge and reopened his recruitment last October.

Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and South Carolina were all involved in Curtis’ process earlier this year. Curtis narrowed his options to the Bulldogs and Ducks in February, ultimately closing his recruitment with a series of visits and in-home meetings with both programs this spring prior to his May 5 announcement. In the 6-foot-4, 225-pound passer, coach Kirby Smart once again has the cycle’s top quarterback and a potential cornerstone for the program’s future under center.

Scout’s take: Curtis will join a QB room at Georgia that is loaded with former ranked prospects and his move will likely send one or more of those players to the transfer portal. Curtis has ideal size at 6-3, 222 pounds and has tracked at 18.5 MPH Max Speed which is impressive for someone his size. His measurable standard in every category tested meets or exceeds every measure you’d like to have in a QB prospect.

He has natural arm power, which is his best trait, and he makes throws from a lot of different arm angles. He has been clocked at a 4.8 40. He can be a crafty runner and use his athleticism, smarts and arm talent to make throws in and out of the pocket. — Luginbill

Dia Bell, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 6

School/Hometown: American Heritage/Plantation, Florida

Committed to: Texas Longhorns

Background: Bell, the son of 12-year NBA veteran Raja Bell, is the longest-tenured member of the Longhorns’ 2026 class. He has been locked in with Texas since he committed in June 2024 following a series of visits with the program last spring.

A three-year starter at American Heritage, Bell threw for 2,597 yards and 29 touchdowns with a 70.6% completion percentage as a junior last fall before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Despite flip efforts from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and LSU earlier this year, Bell’s sights remain set on signing with the Longhorns and coach Steve Sarkisian in December.

Scout’s take: Hopefully Bell takes a page out of Arch Manning’s development blueprint when it comes to patience and focus. He’s going to only get bigger, stronger and more mature without being thrown into the fire right away. Bell’s fit is quite similar to what Manning brought to the Longhorns. He’s a naturally gifted passer who is a better athlete and runner than Quinn Ewers and gives the Longhorns another player they can develop. Bell has continually performed at a high level against top high school competition and should be ready to make the leap to the next level. — Luginbill

Faizon Brandon, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 8

School/Hometown: Grimsley High School/Greensboro, North Carolina

Committed to: Tennessee Volunteers

Background: Brandon committed to the Vols last August before totaling 2,159 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with one interception as a junior at Grimsley last fall.

Brandon remains in near-daily contact with the Tennessee staff and has not engaged with other programs in 2025. He is focused instead on helping recruit a 2026 Vols class that already includes ESPN 300 pass catchers in wide receiver Tyreek King and tight end Carson Sneed. Brandon will take his official visit to Tennessee on June 20.

Scout’s take: The departure of Nico Iamaleava could allow Brandon to battle for the starting job sooner rather than later in a very quarterback-friendly system. Several recent Volunteers quarterbacks have similar stature, athleticism and arm strength. Brandon is more advanced than Hendon Hooker at the same stage and the pair share several traits. Brandon is also much more accurate than Joe Milton. While he lacks Iamaleava’s polish at this stage, Brandon throws an exceptional deep ball, which is a requirement in this scheme that loves to attack vertically. — Luginbill

JaReylan McCoy, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 9

School/Hometown: Tupelo High School/Tupelo, Mississippi

Committed to: Florida Gators

Background: ESPN’s No. 2 defender in the 2026 class has logged 18.5 sacks and more than 140 total tackles over three varsity seasons. If he signs with the Gators in December, he’ll represent Florida’s highest-ranked defensive addition in more than a decade.

McCoy initially committed to LSU earlier this year before reopening his recruitment in February. He trimmed his list of finalists to Florida, LSU and Texas last month, then sealed his commitment to the Gators across a pair of visits with the program between May 30 and June 14. McCoy will join former No. 10 overall prospect L.J. McCray as the program’s second five-star defensive end when he arrives on campus in 2026.

Scout’s take: The Gators finished last season strong, creating optimism for 2025 and beyond in the Billy Napier era. Part of the strong close was improved defensive play, and while further improvement and more consistency is needed among its front, Florida is stacking some excellent young talent to further fuel the excitement.

Former ESPN 300 edge rusher signees Tyreak Sapp and Kamran James should help fuel their ascension, but defenders more recently added can boost this unit to another level. The hope is that McCray, a five-star in the 2024 class, will break out and several new high-ceiling D-line signings — including No. 6 DE Jalen Wiggins — can get involved.

Florida is stopping there and now add to the mix another five-star defender in McCoy. A breakout performer during the Under Armour All-America week this past January, that setting showcased his impact ability. He has elite length with a big frame and has demonstrated a competitive “alpha dog” nature and plays with a motor. He has also shown good practice habits and all those traits are accentuated with his excellent physical tools. He moves well with good flexibility and has excelled in combine testing situations. He can develop into an disruptive, top pass rusher but can also play the run and be a factor in pursuit with his mobility.

McCoy has shown all the tools, that with continued positive progress, would align with past top SEC defenders. With his build, size and competitiveness, he can offer versatility as he can pair with McCray at the Edge spot initially but could also play inside at DT.

Tristen Keys, WR

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 10

School/Hometown: Hattiesburg/Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Committed to: LSU Tigers

Background: Keys, ESPN’s No. 2 wide receiver prospect, committed to LSU over Alabama, Tennessee and Texas A&M on March 19. He enters late spring as the Tigers’ top-ranked commit and the leader atop one of the nation’s deepest wide receiver classes alongside fellow ESPN 300 pass catchers and LSU pledges Jabari Mack, Jakai Anderson and Kenny Darby.

However, Keys’ recruitment might not be over. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver followed his commitment to LSU with visits to Ole Miss, Auburn and Miami, and Keys is still expected to take a handful of officials later this spring as perhaps the top flip candidate among the committed five-star prospects in the 2026 class.

Scout’s take: Even if he’s not an elite runner, Keys’ combination of size, range and ball skills is unmatched. Former LSU receiver Brandon LaFell is a favorable comparison. The Tigers can use Keys’ length, long arms and physicality to create matchup headaches for defenses either inside or outside. Keys has great body control and coordination on jump balls, making him a dangerous threat even when covered. He won’t win a lot of open-field foot races, but Keys could develop into a go-to option if utilized in the slot against zone coverages or on the outside for deep balls. — Luginbill

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 11

School/Hometown: Reidsville/Reidsville, North Carolina

Committed to: Oregon Ducks

Background: Harrison kept a recruiting profile after he committed to Oregon over Tennessee, North Carolina, Miami, Penn State and Florida State before officially shutting down his recruitment in March.

A two-sport star who is committed to play basketball with the Ducks, Harrison remains the top-ranked member of an Oregon recruiting class that has lost four top-150 pledges since mid-February. Harrison, North Carolina’s second-ranked recruit in 2026, will be back on campus for an official visit with the Ducks in June.

Scout’s take: The tight end position played a pivotal role in Oregon fielding one of college football’s best passing attacks in 2024, with Terrance Ferguson hauling in 43 catches. While Harrison won’t arrive for another season, he’ll help the Ducks reload at that spot and could supply even greater big-play ability.

For Ferguson, the presence of Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart opened up more room to operate. Oregon’s high-level recruiting should allow Harrison to enjoy a similar situation playing alongside No. 1 wide receiver Dakorien Moore. An excellent basketball player, the 6-foot-6 Harrison has elite height, length and a massive catch radius. Much like former basketball-to-football standouts Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates and Julius Thomas, Harrison can high-point the ball and box out defenders in contested situations, giving Oregon another dangerous playmaker in the passing game. — Haubert

Brandon Arrington, ATH

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 14

School/Hometown: Mount Miguel High School/Spring Valley, California

Committed to: Texas A&M Aggies

Background: Considered among the fastest prospects in the 2026 cycle, Arrington landed as the cornerstone pledge of an increasingly deep Texas A&M recruiting class.

Arrington, a 6-foot-1 sprinter from outside of San Diego, visited Penn State, Washington, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oregon before narrowing his recruitment to the Aggies and Ducks. With a combination of height, length and speed that Texas A&M coaches have compared to the build of former All-SEC cornerback Will Lee, Arrington carries the potential to develop into a first-round caliber defensive back at the next level. If he ultimately lands with the Aggies later this year, he’ll join as the program’s highest-ranked signee under coach Mike Elko and its top addition since defensive tackle David Hicks (No. 8) in the 2023 class.

Scout’s take: Arrington brings a lot of the same traits that Jaylen Mbakwe brought to Alabama last fall. He’s a dynamic athlete who could play multiple positions but projects best on defense because of his length and elite level speed. Texas A&M is getting a smooth, fluid playmaker with excellent ball skills that should be able to find him a spot in the rotation sooner rather than later given his mature skill set and the fact he plays at a premium position that every program in America covets.

Outside of Dezz Ricks, the majority of the depth, including starters at corner, are all upperclassman. Arrington is going to have to fight and scrap to prove that he’s mature enough to make the jump because he’s more than ready from a talent perspective. — Luginbill

Elbert Hill, CB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 15

School/Hometown: Archbishop Hoban/Akron, Ohio

Committed to: USC Trojans

Background: ESPN’s No. 1 cornerback prospect followed five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe as the second five-star pledge in Trojans coach Lincoln Riley’s star-studded 2026 class.

Hill grew up two hours northeast of Ohio State and visited the in-state Buckeyes along with Alabama, Oregon and USC earlier this spring. But no program pushed harder to land Hill than the Trojans, who secured his pledge after a second spring visit to Southern California over the last weekend of April. As things stands, Hill is the highest-ranked pledge in the nation’s deepest recruiting class and sits as the top prospect committed to an impressive USC defensive class in 2026.

Scout’s take: Hill is a total football player and very dynamic. He has grown almost two inches over the last few years, and is now 5-11, which has greatly enhanced his value on the perimeter. He’s a leaper as well allowing him to mask some height deficiencies. He plays on both sides of the ball with tremendous ball and playmaker skills. Hill also has elite speed, posting a 4.4 laser 40 and 21.3 mph max speed. He reminds us of former USC standout Adoree Jackson, another smooth and quick footed shutdown corner. He could even be an option on offense. He’s a premier player at a premium position and USC is continuing to make strides on defense. — Luginbill

Keisean Henderson, ATH

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 16

School/Hometown: Legacy the School of Sports Sciences/Spring Creek, Texas

Committed to: Houston Cougars

Background: Henderson stands among the most intriguing quarterback prospects in the 2026 cycle and remains the subject of flip efforts from some of the nation’s top programs despite his long-standing pledge to Houston, situated roughly 28 miles from his home.

Committed to the Cougars since May 27, 2024, Henderson has repeatedly emphasized his intention to stick with Houston this spring. But those public rebuffs have not stopped programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon from keeping in touch in recent months, and Henderson’s recruitment certainly remains one to watch as the 2026 quarterback market plays out from now to the early signing period.

Scout’s take: It’s unclear whether Henderson pans out at quarterback or another position. His fundamentals are raw, but he’s very competitive and productive. Henderson is similar to Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, who was recruited by coach Willie Fritz to Tulane before Fritz took the Houston job. Landing Henderson is a significant pickup for the Cougars, even if he’s not polished enough to make an immediate impact. He’s a developmental player who needs more consistency in the passing game and more downfield arm strength. Henderson builds toward his top-end speed as opposed to being initially explosive. He has hit 20.6 mph on tape, which is a great time for a quarterback. Henderson has a high ceiling regardless of his position. — Luginbill

Keenyi Pepe, OT

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 17

School/Hometown: IMG Academy/Bradenton, Florida

Committed to: USC Trojans

Background: Originally from Long Beach California, the 6-foot-7, 325-pound offensive tackle from Florida’s IMG Academy is set for a return to Southern California as the top-ranked pledge in coach Lincoln Riley’s 2026 class at USC.

Pepe is one of four offensive tackles among 2026’s five-star prospects. He took over as the starting left tackle at IMG Academy during his junior season last fall and stiff-armed the likes of Florida, Georgia, Miami and Texas to join the Trojans’ incoming class, where he projects as a potentially foundational piece for the future on the offensive line.

Keenyi Pepe adds another impressive building block to USC’s OL class. UA Next

Scout’s take: Now a member of the Big Ten, USC is working to strengthen its roster in the trenches. The Trojans’ 2026 class already has double-digit commitments along the offensive and defensive lines. Now, Pepe becomes the highest-ranked player in the class. There will be some turnover of the offensive line heading into the 2025 season with redshirt sophomore Elijah Paige returning at left tackle. Aaron Dunn and Alex Payne, both 2025 linemen ranked in the ESPN 300, come in with the 2025 class to provide young depth at least. Combine them with Pepe in the 2026 class, and USC has retooled its offensive line with some impactful recruits.

Coming out of IMG, Pepe is a prospect who has faced strong competition in practice and games. He gives the Trojans a big man who can play a key role early in his career much like Paige, who stepped in as a starter as a redshirt freshman last season. Pepe is a massive presence at roughly 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds with excellent arm length. He is more than just a big body as he is also light on his feet for his size and has good flexibility. He can continue to work on and be more consistent in some technical areas but demonstrated as a junior at the Under Armour All-America game that he is competitive, wants to learn and get better and can match up and battle against elite edge rushers. Pepe has the tools to be a starter and anchor the Trojans OL and could end up being a nice replacement for Paige at left tackle in the future. — Haubert

Richard Wesley, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 18

School/Hometown: Sierra Canyon High School/Chatsworth, California

Committed to: Texas Longhorns

Background: Briefly committed to Oregon in May, Wesley found a new home when he committed to the Longhorns on June 22 shortly after wrapping an official visit with the program. Wesley, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound pass rusher from Chatsworth, California, entered the ESPN 300 as a five-star prospect and the nation’s No. 3 defensive end upon reclassifying from the 2027 cycle in March. He made unofficial visits to Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC this spring before scheduling officials with Oregon and Texas in June. Upon his commitment, he joined five-star Longhorns quarterback Dia Bell (No. 6 overall) commit as Texas’ second five-star pledge in 2026.

Scout’s take: Wesley has the most impact potential of any defensive line prospect coming out of the Southern California area since Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2019. He will join a talented D-line group in Texas’ 2026 class. Headed to the SEC, he reminds us of a former disruptive defender in that conference — former Ole Miss standout Robert Nkemdiche.

Wesley has more ideal length but is a well put-together prospect with a nice blend of height and bulk. He can bring versatility in how he’s used, with the ability to play on the edge and also produce inside and exploit favorable matchups with his blend of power and quickness.

He reclassified from 2027 class to 2026 and when you see him in-person, it is clear he is able physically to make that jump and be ready to move onto college. He could be a quick contributor as well. He can continue to further improve flexibility, but he is an explosive defender with active and heavy hands who can attack with speed and power as a pass rusher and be able to set the edge.

With national championship aspirations, the Longhorns turned to the transfer portal to restock their defensive line for 2025, but the future of this unit will be driven by youth with players like Wesley.

His arrival is set to overlap with current standout edge defender Colin Simmons, whose presence could help Wesley ease into a role while still contributing and having an impact like Simmons did as a freshman in 2024. He could also pair nicely with 2025 signee five-star Justus Terry, who is in a similar mold to Wesley and the two could form a formidable pair for a defensive line unit that is adding the pieces to become one of the most talented in all of college football over the next few years. — Haubert

Jared Curtis, a five-star quarterback from Nashville, Tennessee, committed to Georgia in early May, immediately boosting the Bulldogs’ 2026 recruiting class.

Known for combining a strong arm with mobility, Curtis is now the focal point of head coach Kirby Smart’s future offensive plans. With Curtis on board, Georgia’s 2026 class includes 18 commits and ranks No. 5 nationally, reinforcing the Bulldogs’ continued dominance on the recruiting trail.

Georgia Lands Elite Prospect Jared Curtis, Reshapes 2026 QB Outlook

Curtis’ commitment gives the Bulldogs one of the most dynamic passers in the 2026 recruiting cycle. Ranked as the fourth overall prospect in the class by 247Sports Composite, Curtis also holds the top spot among quarterbacks.

Curtis initially committed to Georgia in March 2024 but reopened his recruitment later that fall. After weighing offers from Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, Oregon, and South Carolina, he trimmed his list to Georgia and Oregon in February.

Following spring visits and in-home meetings with both staffs, Curtis announced his final decision on May 5.

According to ESPN’s Tom Luginbill, Curtis possesses “natural arm power,” calling it his most defining trait.

“He makes throws from a lot of different arm angles,” Luginbill noted.

2026 5⭐️ QB Jared Curtis @Jaredcurtis37 from Nashville Christian School (TN) on his May 13th-15th OV to Georgia: pic.twitter.com/lSZ7KdgzGf — Bulldawg Recruiting (@bulldawgrecruit) June 20, 2025

Standing 6’4″ and weighing 225 pounds, Curtis combines size with athleticism, having been clocked at 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash and reaching a top speed of 18.5 miles per hour.

“He can be a crafty runner and use his athleticism, smarts, and arm talent to make throws in and out of the pocket,” Luginbill added.

Curtis enters a crowded Georgia quarterback room loaded with highly ranked former recruits. Luginbill believes his arrival could impact the depth chart.

“His move will likely send one or more of those players to the transfer portal,” Luginbill said.

KEEP READING: Georgia 2026 WR Commit Brady Marchese Shuts Down ‘Michigan Flip’ Rumors, Reinforces Commitment to Bulldogs

With 18 commits, Georgia’s 2026 class currently ranks No. 5 in the nation. Curtis not only boosts that standing but is expected to be a central figure in Kirby Smart’s evolving offensive strategy.

In 2024, Curtis completed 179 of 255 passes for 2,830 yards, 40 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. He also ran for 637 yards and 18 scores while leading Nashville Christian to a 12-1 record and a Division II-A state championship. He earned Gatorade Tennessee Football Player of the Year honors for his performance.

Ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2026 class by 247Sports Composite, Curtis is the top quarterback and the No. 1 player in Tennessee. His commitment positions Georgia to potentially reshape its offense with a true dual-threat leader under center.

AI-assisted summary Georgia’s 2025 football season kicks off Aug. 30 against Marshall.

The Bulldogs have seven home games, three away games, and two neutral site games.

Georgia’s schedule includes marquee matchups against Alabama, Texas, Florida and Tennessee.

We are less than three months away from the Georgia Bulldogs’ 2025 season opener against the Marshall Thundering Herd on Aug. 30. The Bulldogs will have a new feel this fall with redshirt junior Gunner Stockton projected to start at quarterback.

Stockton and Georgia have a manageable start to the 2025 season. The Bulldogs open the year with back-to-back home games against non-Power Four opponents in Marshall and Austin Peay. Georgia’s first real test comes in Week 3 as the Dawgs hit the road to play the Tennessee Volunteers.

Following a recent announcement from the Southeastern Conference, we now know the kickoff time (or approximate time) for all 12 of Georgia’s regular season games. The Bulldogs start the season with three straight 3:30 p.m. ET games before hosting the Alabama Crimson Tide at home for a night game (7:30 p.m. ET) in Week 5.

Overall, the Bulldogs have three noon games (includes one 12:45 p.m. kickoff), five 3:30 p.m. games, two night games and a pair of flex games (could be afternoon or night) this fall. Georgia’s schedule features great home games against Texas, Ole Miss and Alabama. The Dawgs have a manageable road slate with contests at Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State. Georgia plays seven home games, three road games and two neutral site games (Florida and Georgia Tech).

Georgia football’s 2025 schedule

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Night kickoff time (at Auburn): 6 to 8 p.m. start. Flex kickoff time (versus Texas, Ole Miss): afternoon (3:30 to 4:30 p.m.) start or night (6 to 8 p.m.) kickoff.