'26 MS WR Tristen Keys (Tennessee commit)

[NighthawkVol]

You're setting yourself up to be disappointed. We don't get guys like Hiter and Keys no matter the money.

You got a lot of quit in you.

 

[orangemadam]

You can’t? I was just arguing with Faizon Brandon about that.

Don't think he's been practicing yet, let alone played a down.
There are exceptions to the rule. Remind me how many skill players (top 30-40)
UT has signed that were not qb's in last 5 years. Maybe 2, possibly 3?

 

[barrylee]

Top 100 skill players last 3 cycles
2026 Salesi Moa - 46, Faizon Brandon - 11
2025 Travis Smith - 83, DaSaahn Brame - 50
2024 Mike Matthews - 26, Brandon Staley - 83

I realize OT isn’t a skill position but the troll who started this conversation was talking about players of that ilk.

David Sanders is one he said we would never get!

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

You're setting yourself up to be disappointed. We don't get guys like Hiter and Keys no matter the money.

Just like we didn’t get guys like Fazion Brandon and David Sanders?

 

[jakez4ut]

Just like we didn’t get guys like Fazion Brandon and David Sanders?

 

[BelievetheHeup2022]

VQ

Tristen Keys remains committed to LSU and some have suggested LSU may have regained some momentum of late. We aren’t coming off our stance that we still feel like the field is the way to go in this one. His best relationships are in Knoxville and so we continue to feel like Tennessee remains in as good of a spot as they can for a prospect committed to another school.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

VQ

VQ knows something with this recruitment that has him being as much of a lock as possible to flip. I’ll go out on a limb and say he announces the flip to us within 2 weeks of the announcement that we are changing to Adidas.

 

[jakez4ut]

VQ knows something with this recruitment that has him being as much of a lock as possible to flip. I’ll go out on a limb and say he announces the flip to us within 2 weeks of the announcement that we are changing to Adidas.

They said on the pod cast the Adidas deal could be done next week.

I'm not sure where I stand on keys. Is he really gonna flip? The longer it goes on without anything happening the more I lean to it being a leverage play.

 

[BelievetheHeup2022]

They said on the pod cast the Adidas deal could be done next week.

I'm not sure where I stand on keys. Is he really gonna flip? The longer it goes on without anything happening the more I lean to it being a leverage play.

That would make sense had LSU not already increased their NIL offer.

 

[RandomUTfan]

They said on the pod cast the Adidas deal could be done next week.

I'm not sure where I stand on keys. Is he really gonna flip? The longer it goes on without anything happening the more I lean to it being a leverage play.

It's still August. I don't see him flipping soon. I see it happening closer to Early Signing Day. But that's just my opinion.

 

[jakez4ut]

That would make sense had LSU not already increased their NIL offer.

He's committed there and they raised their offer...

I'd say it's working.

 

[T2P_Priceless]

He's committed there and they raised their offer...

I'd say it's working.

I think the Adidas deal could be significant for this recruitment and for future recruitment. I heard that a big portion of the deal was for NIL endorsements

 

[BelievetheHeup2022]

He's committed there and they raised their offer...

I'd say it's working.

You're suggesting it's a leverage play and not actual interest in another university. At this point that's the case with the majority of blue chip recruits. I'm just not sold the guy is committed and we are 4 months away from signing day. I think this is more than a leverage play. I would suggest 3 teams are presenting Keys with whatever package they are offering and that this is a bidding war. I don't believe length of time plays a role in this recruitment. It's already been stated Keys plans on going to some games this year. As we both know those live games can be game changers. We were sweating bullets with David Sanders up until signing day even though he committed in August. If AP is adamant that it's the field over LSU, I would be inclined to believe this is a super soft commit at best. We will see. Hopefully he flips to the good guys.

 

[Adam Sandler]

We have a passionate fanbase with some real dumba$$es sprinkled in. It never ends with the moronic takes.

Moranic*

 

[Adam Sandler]

*moranic

Ugh swansoned

 

[RandomUTfan]

I think the Adidas deal could be significant for this recruitment and for future recruitment. I heard that a big portion of the deal was for NIL endorsements

That's not at all the case. I don't know who you heard that from but I promise you they didn't know what they were talking about.

 

[Jackcrevol]

That's not at all the case. I don't know who you heard that from but I promise you they didn't know what they were talking about.

I wager some of it will be used but rev share. but to think it's all for one kid in one sport is silly. I def think if Adidas makes us the poster child, with new NIL rules it could def help us ink TK to a legit NIL deal with us and him as their poster kid. or some ****. effect will me much less impactful than relationship

 

[jakez4ut]

You're suggesting it's a leverage play and not actual interest in another university. At this point that's the case with the majority of blue chip recruits. I'm just not sold the guy is committed and we are 4 months away from signing day. I think this is more than a leverage play. I would suggest 3 teams are presenting Keys with whatever package they are offering and that this is a bidding war. I don't believe length of time plays a role in this recruitment. It's already been stated Keys plans on going to some games this year. As we both know those live games can be game changers. We were sweating bullets with David Sanders up until signing day even though he committed in August. If AP is adamant that it's the field over LSU, I would be inclined to believe this is a super soft commit at best. We will see. Hopefully he flips to the good guys.

I don't know that it is. I'm just saying... The way it's playing out.. Could be.

And I think 2 things can be true at the same time. I do believe he has serious interest in us. But that may not the biggest priority for him or his family..

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I think people are reading too much into the connection between Keys signing with Adidas and Tennessee negotiating an Adidas contract. I doubt he’s waiting on the contract to be complete and then going to immediately flip to us. Seems like wishful thinking.

 

[TitanicVolz]

I think people are reading too much into the connection between Keys signing with Adidas and Tennessee negotiating an Adidas contract. I doubt he’s waiting on the contract to be complete and then going to immediately flip to us. Seems like wishful thinking.

O'course landin the Adidas deal will help recruiting,bt how is anyone's best guess...But I'd honestly be surprised if one has anything to do with another in Keys recruitment....

 

[EastTNVol95]

Tennessee pushing hard for 5-star LSU commit​

The chatter remains that Tristen Keys is still there. The LSU five-star wide receiver commitment is far from shutting his recruitment down.

According to one source, a potential change of heart could come before the start of the college football season. While that remains to be seen, Keys continues to keep Tennessee and Texas A&M warm. Both feel they are still very much in the picture — and Tennessee is the program to watch closely.

The Vols’ staff remains in consistent communication with Keys, including head coach Josh Heupel, receivers coach Kelsey Pope, and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle. That persistent effort has created some quiet optimism in Knoxville that a flip could be possible.

LSU, however, is not backing down. The Tigers have reportedly increased their NIL offer to Keys and still feel confident in their ability to keep him in the fold. But with Tennessee pushing hard and Texas A&M continuing to recruit him, Keys’ recruitment is one to monitor closely as the season approaches.

- Rivals

Nothing ground breaking here but it is the first time I've seen it mentioned by someone other than AP that a flip could come before the season. Maybe he's the source being referenced.

Regardless, there's too much smoke to be no fire here imo.

 

[RandomUTfan]

I wager some of it will be used but rev share. but to think it's all for one kid in one sport is silly. I def think if Adidas makes us the poster child, with new NIL rules it could def help us ink TK to a legit NIL deal with us and him as their poster kid. or some ****. effect will me much less impactful than relationship

It's just not how things work. None of that money has anything to do with NIL. It's all revenue for the University which has nothing to do with anything. Revenue sharing is capped anyway. It makes the rich richer but it doesn't buy better players. Adidas' deals with athletes are completely separate and don't always align with whatever apparel brand the school uses.

 

[berryvol]

There are euro football clubs with hundreds of millions of dollars in adidas/nike deals. There are players of the same value that sign to these clubs, independent of the deals. It’s absolutely insane to think that Tennessee is telling this company who to sign or that a school’s deal is having any major influence over a player. This is small potatoes compared to the rest of the sporting world and Keys is almost certainly just looking for the combo of who can give him the most money and the best chance at playing in the NFL.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

O'course landin the Adidas deal will help recruiting,bt how is anyone's best guess...But I'd honestly be surprised if one has anything to do with another in Keys recruitment....

Perception is involved here. If we get the bell cow treatment at Adidas instead of afterthought at NIKE it could be a big plus. I hope we continue to get our logos featured in the DISH ads…. Frequency in the marketplace matters. Our colors, power T and checkerboards provide instant recognition. Guess we will see where it goes.

 

[RikidyBones]

There are euro football clubs with hundreds of millions of dollars in adidas/nike deals. There are players of the same value that sign to these clubs, independent of the deals. It’s absolutely insane to think that Tennessee is telling this company who to sign or that a school’s deal is having any major influence over a player. This is small potatoes compared to the rest of the sporting world and Keys is almost certainly just looking for the combo of who can give him the most money and the best chance at playing in the NFL.

Pro sport deals and college deals aren't comparable. This is minor league stuff. Keys can do more Adidas brand promos here than at a Nike school. He won't be limited to national ads. Is it tens of millions more? Of course not. If I'm Adidas, I sweeten the pot if it's an Adidas school because your name is exclusively on Adidas merch and I'm not sharing it with Nike. For Adidas, for Nike, this is significantly smaller potatoes than soccer, NFL, and other pro sports.