"They've made me a priority": Four-star Isaiah Campbell reflects on Tennessee's push before official visit

Four-star defensive lineman Isaiah Campbell, from Southern High School in Durham, North Carolina, has been a hot name in the 2025 class since backing off his Clemson commitment last month. He has become a top target for several programs, and Josh Heupel's Tennessee remains a major contender.

"They've made me a priority and allow me to be me," Campbell told Rivals about Tennessee's recruitment efforts. "They're building genuine relationships -- real relationships that are gonna travel.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive lineman officially visited the University of Tennessee on Saturday, when the No. 10 Volunteers hosted No. 7 Alabama at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee defeated Alabama 24-17, handing the Crimson Tide their second loss under Kalen DeBoer. The win moved Tennessee to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference, while Alabama fell to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in conference action.

Tennessee’s defense, regarded as one of the best in the SEC, played a crucial role in the victory, and the coaching staff likely viewed this game as a perfect opportunity for Campbell to witness firsthand what he could be a part of in Knoxville.

The defensive lineman has taken five visits to North Carolina, but all of those occurred before he originally committed to Clemson. However, Tennessee’s recent efforts seem to be paying off.

Even before he visited Knoxville, several experts predicted that Campbell was leaning towards Tennessee.

On3’s Steve Wiltfong issued an expert prediction in favor of the Volunteers, and their recruiting prediction machine gives Tennessee a 54.9% chance of securing his commitment. 247 Sports' Tom Loy also added a crystal ball pick in favor of Tennessee.

Tennessee’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 8 nationally and No. 6 in the SEC, boasting 23 commits. Among those commits are five defensive linemen, including four-stars Ethan Utley, Mariyon Dye, and Jayden Loftin, as well as three-stars Darrion Smith and Charles House.

Which other programs are in the race for Isaiah Campbell?

Isaiah Campbell decommitted from Clemson on Sept. 21, after originally pledging to the Tigers on Jan. 29. While Tennessee is the leader in his recruitment, Clemson is still in the race. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Tigers a 38.5% chance to regain his commitment.

Duke and North Carolina are the other two contenders, with 1.7% and 1.2% chances, respectively. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Campbell is the No. 45 prospect in the 2025 class. He is also rated as the No. 6 defensive lineman in the 2025 class and the No. 2 player in North Carolina.