Tennessee football lands in-state athlete Javonte Smith in 2026 recruiting class
On July 8, Smith made his announcement alongside coaches and teammates at North Side.
Advertisement
He also received scholarship offers from SEC schools Mississippi State, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. His last official visit was to UT on June 20.
Smith is a 6-foot-1, 175-pounder rated a three-star prospect. He is ranked the No. 80 cornerback and No. 964 prospect overall, according to 247Sports Composite.
Smith is a standout receiver, defensive back and kick returner for North Side. He was recruited by UT secondary coach Willie Martinez and likely projects as a defensive back for the Vols.
As a junior in the 2024 season, Smith had five interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns, and two kickoff return TDs. Offensively, he had 1,027 yards receiving and was named second team All-West Tennessee.
Advertisement
Here are Tennessee football commitments in 2026 class
Smith is Tennessee's ninth commitment since June 27.
UT now has 18 commitments in the 2026 recruiting class, led by five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon.
Defensive lineman Dereon Albert, edge rusher Zach Groves, wide receiver Tyreek King, offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda, tight end Carson Sneed and linebacker TJ White committed to the Vols. They are rated four stars by 247Sports Composite.
The class also includes cornerback Zay Anderson, offensive lineman Edward Baker, athlete Legend Bey, edge rusher CJ Edwards, edge rusher Kedric Golston, safety KJ McClain, linebacker Braylon Outlaw, defensive lineman Darryl Rivers, cornerback Jamyan Theodore and safety Luke Thompson. They are rated three stars.
Advertisement
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football lands athlete Javonte Smith in 2026 recruiting class
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
John Calipari heads into his second season at Arkansas trying to balance old and new
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — John Calipari admits he is still navigating the 'new' college basketball, a world in which the 66-year-old's traditional recruiting style is no longer the norm. But Calipari made it work last season, his first with the Razorbacks, and proved naysayers wrong. But the Arkansas basketball coach isn't interested in doing things the same way moving forward. Calipari spoke about his first year at Arkansas on Wednesday. The Razorbacks started Southeastern Conference play last season with five straight losses. But Arkansas ultimately reached the Sweet 16. Now, Calipari has taken a different approach in rebuilding the Razorbacks' roster heading into his second year in Fayetteville. 'I came here saying I want eight or nine guys because of NIL (name, image, likeness). I can't pick 12,' Calipari said. 'Now I'm like 'Let's have eight or nine that know,' but you have other players we're developing.' Calipari has long been known as a master recruiter of high school players, regularly collecting top-10 classes at Kentucky and Memphis before that. Now, the transfer portal has changed things. High school recruiting is not irrelevant, but preps players aren't as big a focus. Now, it's about veterans with college experience. Arkansas had one returning player last season, forward Trevon Brazile, who is also back for his final season. Calipari built the rest of the roster and used a nine-player rotation. The other five team members played 23 minutes total. Injuries sapped the Razorbacks of their two leading scorers. Guard Boogie Fland, who has transferred to Florida, played in 21 games, and forward Adou Thiero, who was selected in the NBA draft, played in 26. The two played less than 10 minutes in Arkansas' season-ending loss to Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament. Also gone are center Jonas Aidoo, forward Zvonimir Ivisic and guard Johnell Davis. Now, the Razorbacks have two 6-foot-10 transfers in Nick Pringle from Alabama and Malique Ewin from Florida State. And there are three perimeter freshmen. Guards Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. were five-star recruits, and wing Isaiah Sealy ranked as a four-star. On Wednesday, Calipari had practically a full contingent to run through 5-on-5 work, which rarely happened last season. 'Last year, we were always together, but as injuries started peeling off guys, they understood how much they needed each other. The way this is, you probably need to play more people,' Calipari said. Arkansas reached the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in five years after entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 10 seed and starting SEC play at 1-5 for the third straight season. That start came as the least experienced team in the league, Calipari said. This season, Arkansas returns the most production in the SEC, increasing expectations and stakes. 'It's only 45%, but it's still the most in our league,' Calipari said. DJ Wagner is the only returner who averaged double figure scoring. Karter Knox tested the NBA waters before returning, and Billy Richmond saw plenty of key minutes. There is also Brazile, once considered a possible first round NBA pick before a torn ACL three seasons ago. In his final seven games last season, Brazile averaged 12.6 points and 9.7 rebounds. 'I'd tell you he (Brazile) is playing the best ball since I've coached him,' Calipari said. 'If he's the guy I'm seeing, you're talking about someone that we have one or two like that, then this thing is on. He's that good. Now you've got to find out who are the other couple that can make differences in the game.' Arkansas' mix of young and old looks familiar to Calipari — and anyone who saw his teams at Kentucky. Whether or not the new-old approach to roster building comes to fruition, even Calipari is unsure. 'None of us know,' he said. 'We're trying to figure out how this is going to work.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
EA Sports College Football 26 season simulation provides intriguing results for Texas A&M
The EA Sports College Football 26 video game's Dynasty Mode allows players to take over any program in the country and play through the entire upcoming college football season. With that comes the opportunity to simulate the season to see where each team will finish the year, according to the game's prediction for each matchup of team ratings. Heading into this year's campaign under second-year head coach Mike Elko, the Texas A&M schedule ranks as the No. 11 most difficult schedule in FBS. The Aggies will face challenging road tests against Notre Dame, LSU, Arkansas and Texas, while also welcoming Auburn, South Carolina, and Florida to Bryan-College Station, Texas. Advertisement Visiting programs on the schedule will play in an environment at Kyle Field that ranks as the No. 11 toughest place to play in this year's game. Texas A&M is traveling to Tiger Stadium and Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in 2025, both of which rank among the top 25. With multiple players rated highly and the Aggieland environment backing them, here is how Texas A&M's 2025 schedule shaped up after simulating through the entire season on Heisman Difficulty in EA Sports College Football 26: The Aggies finished the regular season with a record of 11-1 (7-1 in the SEC). Arkansas defeated Texas A&M in Week 8 in the Southwest Classic, but Elko turned the program around and put it back on the right track to end the season with a second victory over Texas, this time in the SEC Championship. Heading into the College Football Playoff with just one loss, Texas A&M defeated Notre Dame for the second time this season in the first round, followed by a dominant win over Miami to reach the CFP National Championship against USC, in which the Aggies were finally toppled. Advertisement Junior MIKE linebacker Scooby Williams won the Chuck Bednarik Award (Best defensive player), the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Defensive Player of the Year) and the Dick Butkus Award (Linebacker of the Year) during the simulated season. Williams recorded 133 tackles (106 solo), 10 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 sacks, one interception, 12 pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. The star on the Aggies' offense was quarterback Marcel Reed, who recorded 4,179 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Reed also rushed for 424 yards and five touchdowns on the ground during his sophomore campaign in College Station. Needless to say, Elko's Aggies had an outstanding year with a dominant performance against the league's powerhouses. While the program fell short in the national championship against the Trojans, the results of the 2025 season would likely make the Maroon and White faithful extremely excited for what is to come. Time will tell if the simulation becomes a reality for this year's Texas A&M squad. However, the developers at EA Sports seem to believe that the Aggies stack up well against most teams across the country. Advertisement Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: EA Sports CFB 26 simulation projects Texas A&M to win 11 games in 2025
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chicago Sky Couldn't Hide Excitement After Star Returns From Temporary Leave
Chicago Sky Couldn't Hide Excitement After Star Returns From Temporary Leave originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After a tough 81-79 loss to the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky had a quick turnaround, facing Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings on Wednesday. Advertisement The Sky had been without center Kamilla Cardoso for the past four games, as she was away representing Brazil at the 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup. Her team made it all the way to the final in Nicaragua but fell to the USA, 92-84. On Wednesday night, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft returned to the lineup. While Cardoso didn't start, it didn't take her long to get on the board. With 2:36 left in the first quarter and the Wings leading 12-10, Cardoso caught a pass down low from Elizabeth Williams and turned around for a layup. Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso (10).Jacob Musselman / For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK The Sky posted a clip of Cardoso's bucket on social media, clearly excited about her return. Advertisement "SHE'S BAAAAACK," the Sky said. Chicago has struggled this season, entering the game with a 5-13 record. Still, having Cardoso out of the lineup was a big loss for a team trying to climb back into the playoff race. The 6-foot-7 center came in third on the team in scoring, averaging 12.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Cardoso, 24, played her college basketball at South Carolina under Dawn Staley, winning two national championships and earning NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors in 2024. That same year, she was also named an AP Second Team All-American, first-team All-SEC and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Advertisement Related: Angel Reese Under Fire For Actions Toward Chicago Sky Staffer Related: Angel Reese Name-Drops Two NBA MVPs in Bold Comparison to Her Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
