Tennessee’s 2026 wide receiver room took a big blow this week as three-star commit Tyran Evans officially de-committed following his official visit to Miami—leaving the Vols scrambling to replace him. Here’s a deep dive into what happened and what it means for Tennessee:
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🚨 Tyran Evans de-commits after Miami visit
On June 18, 2025, Rocky Top Insider confirmed that “three-star receiver Tyran Evans de-committed from Tennessee football Wednesday night following [his] Miami visit” .
Evans explained on X (formerly Twitter):
> “After a lot of prayer and thought, I’ve decided to decommit from the University of Tennessee… Thank you to Coach Heupel… I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and my family.” .
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🌴 Miami flipped the script
Reports from FanSided and other outlets reveal Miami made a strong push for Evans during his official visit—rolling out the red carpet with heavy involvement from Mario Cristobal’s staff .
Evans spent the weekend at Miami and later described it as one of his “top, top schools” , signaling serious interest in flipping his commitment.
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🧩 What this loss means for Tennessee
With Evans gone, Tennessee is left with just one receiver commit in 2026—four-star slot specialist Tyreek King—along with higher-profile targets like five-star Tristen Keys, currently committed to LSU .
While King provides some security, staff now must either:
1. Rally hard to retain Keys (rumored to visit Tennessee this weekend) , or
2. Recruit aggressively to fill the WR unit in the portal or from lower-tier prospects.
Losing Evans also chips away at depth and size—he measured in at 6’3″ and showed enticing upside .
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🔍 Next steps for the Vols
Hold the line on Keys. Tennessee must impress during his upcoming visit and show momentum in revamping their WR room.
Expand the search. Tennessee is reportedly targeting blue-chip WRs and may dip into the portal to quickly add experience.
Overhaul the message. Convincing recruits of their vision, offensive system, and passing opportunities will be essential.
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✅ The bottom line
Tyran Evans pulling his commitment is a tangible setback for Tennessee. With Miami stealing momentum and potentially forcing other flips, the Vols now must pivot quickly to recover. The next few weeks—including Key’s visit—will be pivotal. With the official dead period looming, any delay could result in missing