Josh Heupel's Tennessee loses commitment of four-star IOL from the Class of 2026

Four-star interior offensive lineman Brandon Anderson has decommitted from Tennessee's 2026 class. The North Cobb High School (Georgia) standout was originally recruited to the Vols by offensive line coach Glen Elarbee and had been committed to the program since October.

Anderson built a strong relationship with Elarbee and committed to Tennessee after attending the Vols 23-17 overtime victory over Florida on Oct. 12 and their 24-17 win against Alabama on Oct. 19.

"I committed because of the coaches and the team," Anderson told On3 at the time of his decision. "They recruited me hard, they made me feel at home, and I can go there and win a ring."

Anderson is the nation's No. 23 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 class, the No. 277 prospect in the nation and the No. 34 recruit in Georgia, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. Despite the commitment, Tennessee is still expected to pursue him, while Florida and Florida State are among the top programs showing strong interest.

Anderson holds more than 20 offers and has also received scholarships from schools like LSU, Auburn and Georgia Tech.

Tennessee 2026 class update following Brandon Anderson's decommitment

Brandon Anderson’s decommitment drops Tennessee to seven commitments in the 2026 cycle, ranking No. 4 in the Southeastern Conference and No. 7 in the nation.

The class is headlined by five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, who is the No. 2 quarterback in the 2026 class, the No. 1 recruit in North Carolina and the No. 6 prospect in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

Brandon is joined by four-star tight end Carson Sneed, three-star offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda, three-star linebacker Braylon Outlaw, four-star wide receiver Tyreek King, three-star defensive lineman Tyson Bacon and three-star receiver Tyran Evans in Tennesse's 2026 class.

Tennessee has offered more than 20 interior offensive linemen in the 2026 cycle, including four-star prospects like Lamar Brown, Darius Gray, Micah Smith, Malakai Lee, Leo Delaney, Zaden Krempin, Zyon Guiles, Samuelu Utu, Grant Wise and Da'Ron Parks, among others. While the Vols remain interested in reestablishing Anderson’s commitment, they may also begin exploring other options moving forward.