As college football recruiting heats up for the 2026 class, the spotlight is firmly fixed on three of the sport’s perennial powerhouses: Ohio State, Georgia, and Tennessee. Each program boasts a rich history and an insatiable hunger for talent, but the landscape this year is shifting in surprising ways. With the recruiting cycle in full swing, fans and analysts alike are tracking every commitment, flip attempt, and rivalry-fueled storyline with bated breath.
Let’s start in Columbus, where the Ohio State Buckeyes find themselves in an unfamiliar position. Under head coach Ryan Day, Ohio State has set a blistering pace on the recruiting trail, consistently reeling in top-five classes. Yet, as of September 12, 2025, the Buckeyes’ 2026 recruiting haul ranks only ninth nationally—the weakest since Day took the reins. That’s not to say there’s panic in the air, but it’s a far cry from the dominance fans have come to expect.
Still, if there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s Ohio State’s knack for attracting elite wide receiver talent. Year after year, the Buckeyes reload at the position, thanks in large part to the relentless efforts of receivers coach Brian Hartline. “Brian Hartline is the best recruiter in the country,” insiders say, and his track record certainly backs up that claim. For the 2026 class, Ohio State has already secured commitments from five wide receivers, including the dynamic duo of Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt—high school teammates who have become the focus of a brewing recruiting battle.
Enter Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. Lanning, never one to shy away from a challenge, is making a concerted push to flip both Henry Jr. and Dixon-Wyatt from the Buckeyes. According to Tom Loy of 247Sports, Lanning has been aggressively courting the pair, inviting them for campus visits and dangling lucrative NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) offers in hopes of swaying their allegiance. But as of September 12, neither receiver is budging. Henry Jr. has been “locked into his commitment for over two years,” while Dixon-Wyatt, who pledged to Ohio State back in May, has shown no signs of wavering. The message from both players is clear: they’re more interested in what the Buckeyes can offer on the field than any financial incentives from elsewhere.
And who could blame them? Ohio State’s receiver room is already stacked with future stars like Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss, and Mylan Graham. Should Chris Henry Jr. arrive on campus as a true freshman in 2026, he could find himself playing alongside some of the nation’s best, especially if Carnell Tate opts for the NFL Draft. For now, Buckeye fans can breathe a sigh of relief—at least when it comes to their prized receiver commits.
Travel south, and the recruiting wars are just as fierce in the heart of SEC country. The Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers are set to clash on September 13, 2025, at Neyland Stadium—a matchup that’s about much more than just this season’s standings. Georgia enters the game as the No. 3 team in the nation, while Tennessee sits at No. 15, both sporting 2-0 records. But beneath the surface, the real story is about talent—specifically, the recruiting gap that has defined these two programs in recent years.
By every recruiting metric, Georgia boasts more raw talent on its roster than Tennessee. That’s no secret, and it’s a point that’s been hammered home by analysts all week. Yet, as one report notes, “not every elite prospect will be on the field” when the teams square off. Injuries, depth chart battles, and developmental timelines mean that star ratings on paper don’t always translate to dominance between the lines. Still, the Bulldogs’ advantage is hard to ignore.
Georgia’s control of the rivalry is no accident. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 29-23-2 and have won eight straight over the Volunteers, including a convincing 31-17 victory in Athens last season. Tennessee hasn’t tasted victory against Georgia since 2016, and the Bulldogs’ recruiting prowess under head coach Kirby Smart is a big reason why. This year, Georgia’s top 2026 commitments read like a who’s who of high school football:
- Jared Curtis, a 6-foot-3.5, 225-pound quarterback from Nashville Christian (Tenn.)
- Ekene Ogboko, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound offensive tackle from South Garner (N.C.)
- Kaiden Prothro, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound tight end from Bowden (Ga.)
- Valdin Sone, a 6-foot-3, 316-pound defensive lineman from Blue Ridge School (Va.)
- Jordan Smith, a 6-foot-1.5, 185-pound safety from Houston County (Ga.)
It’s a group that has Bulldogs fans dreaming of continued SEC dominance and, perhaps, another College Football Playoff run.
But don’t count out Tennessee just yet. Under head coach Josh Heupel, the Volunteers have made impressive strides on the recruiting trail, closing the gap with their rivals to the south. Tennessee’s top 2026 commits include:
- Faizon Brandon, a 6-foot-3.5, 200-pound quarterback from Grimsley (N.C.)
- Tristen Keys, a 6-foot-2.5, 185-pound wide receiver from Hattiesburg (Miss.)
- Gabriel Osenda, a massive 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive tackle from Baylor School (Tenn.)
- Salesi Moa, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete from Fremont (Utah)
- Joel Wyatt, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound athlete from Oakland (Tenn.)
Both programs are building for the future, and while Georgia may have the upper hand for now, the Volunteers are determined to close the gap. As the rivalry heats up, the recruiting arms race shows no signs of slowing down. “This one isn’t simmering down anytime soon,” notes one insider, and it’s easy to see why. With both teams targeting blue-chip prospects and investing heavily in player development, every commitment—and every flip attempt—carries enormous weight.
Back in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes’ current ninth-place recruiting class ranking might raise eyebrows, but with Brian Hartline steering the ship for receivers, confidence remains high in Columbus. The ongoing tug-of-war with Oregon over Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is a testament to the program’s enduring appeal and the high stakes of modern recruiting. “Receivers don’t flip from Ohio State once they have committed to Hartline,” as one source put it. For now, the Buckeyes’ grip on their prized pass-catchers looks as strong as ever.
As the season unfolds and the recruiting cycle rolls on, all eyes will remain firmly on these three programs. Will Georgia maintain its stranglehold over Tennessee? Can the Volunteers finally break through and reverse the trend? And will Ohio State’s receivers continue to resist the lure of lucrative offers from afar? The answers will shape the future of college football—and keep fans on the edge of their seats every step of the way.
With the recruiting race heating up and rivalry games looming, the coming months promise no shortage of drama. For now, the Buckeyes, Bulldogs, and Volunteers are all locked in their own high-stakes battles, each hoping that the next wave of talent will carry them to new heights.
