Tennessee Football Extends Early Offers to Multiple Class of 2029 Recruits

The Vols are building relationships with top prospects from the 2029 recruiting class.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Tennessee football has extended early scholarship offers to several top recruits in the class of 2029, including offensive linemen Jaxson Russell and Devin Smith, athlete Makai Buchanan, and running back Zachary Watts. The Vols are working to build their recruiting board for the 2029 class as they look to build on their strong 2026 signing class.

Why it matters

Extending early offers to top prospects in the 2029 class allows Tennessee to get a head start on building relationships and positioning themselves as a top contender for these talented young players. This is an important part of the recruiting process as the Vols aim to continue their recent success on the field by bringing in elite talent.

The details

Tennessee has offered scholarships to four class of 2029 recruits so far, including offensive linemen Jaxson Russell and Devin Smith, athlete Makai Buchanan, and running back Zachary Watts. Russell is a 6-6, 310-pound interior offensive lineman from Lakeland, Florida, who also holds offers from Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, and others. Buchanan is a 5-11, 180-pound athlete from Victorville, California, with an impressive offer list including Arizona, Georgia, Ohio State, and USC. Watts is a 5-11, 170-pound running back from Atlanta, Georgia, who has drawn interest from Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M among others. Smith is a 6-3, 300-pound interior offensive lineman from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who has offers from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State.

  • Tennessee extended the offers to these 2029 recruits in February 2026.

The players

Jaxson Russell

A 6-6, 310-pound offensive lineman from Lakeland, Florida, who has offers from several top programs including Auburn, Florida State, and Georgia.

Makai Buchanan

A 5-11, 180-pound athlete from Victorville, California, with an impressive offer list including Arizona, Georgia, Ohio State, and USC.

Zachary Watts

A 5-11, 170-pound running back from Atlanta, Georgia, who has drawn interest from Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M among others.

Devin Smith

A 6-3, 300-pound interior offensive lineman from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who has offers from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State.

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The takeaway

Tennessee is being proactive in its recruitment of the 2029 class, extending early offers to several top prospects across the country. This demonstrates the Vols' commitment to building a strong pipeline of talent to sustain their recent success on the field.