Tennessee Aims to Flip 5-Star Star from Texas in 2027 Recruiting

The 2027 Tennessee Volunteers recruiting class got stronger with the commitment of four-star wide receiver Kesean Bowman. However, there might be an even bigger development for Josh Heupel’s program. According to Steve Wiltfong of On3.com, there’s “confidence around Knoxville” that the Volunteers will be able to flip five-star wide receiver Easton Royal away from his commitment to the Texas Longhorns.

Royal, standing at 5-foot-11, is rated by Rivals as the ninth-best player in the 2027 recruiting class and is viewed as the consensus second-best receiver in the nation among his peers.

Royal committed to Texas in November but has continued to take visits with other schools. Lane Kiffin's LSU Tigers and the Florida Gators are also in the mix. Tennessee’s internal confidence comes after Royal was part of a group of top recruits to visit Knoxville. Following his first visit to the school, Royal said the program “blew it out of the water,” and he'll be back during the summer for an official visit.

Coach Pope has continued to recruit Royal even after his commitment, showing how he develops receivers and highlighting that Tennessee is a top-three school in receiver development and production. Royal also noted that Tennessee emphasizes NFL-like offensive schemes.

Landing the No. 1 wide receiver out of high school is nothing new for Tennessee, as the program just did it this past class with TK Keys. The freshman wideout is expected to make a strong impression this spring and see the field immediately come the fall.

Heupel’s hope seems to be centered around five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, who will see snaps this season, with two high-end playmakers at wide receiver. If the offensive line can improve and the program gets better at developing offensive linemen, the offense two years from now could be one of the best in the nation.