'26 MS WR Tristen Keys (Tennessee commit)

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The Scout​

“Contested catch maven who looks like the top wide receiver prospect early in the 2026 cycle. Has good size, measuring at ver 6-foot-2, 185 pounds with good length as a junior. Turned in a strong junior campaign, catching 58 passes for 1,275 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading his team to a deep playoff run. Excels in contested catch situations, elevating to come down with acrobatic grabs. Hangs in the air and is able to contort his body into favorable positions. Displays a huge catch radius, high-pointing the football and coming down with one-handed grabs. High-level ball tracker with the ability to locate and corral the ball over his shoulder. Shows some route-running nuance. Has some shake off the line of scrimmage and is able to stack corners with his releases. Runs hard after the catch. Able to attack all areas of the field with his well-rounded skill set. Made some huge plays in big contests as a junior. Also a star on the 7-on-7 circuit before his junior season. Good marks in track and field in the high jump (6-0 feet) and triple jump (43-2 feet). Also plays basketball. Can continue improving his top-end speed.”- Keys’ Scouting Summary via On3’s Charles Power

What does Keys flip mean for the Vols?​

I mean, where do I start, and how long can I talk for? This is a massive recruiting win for Tennessee. Let’s start with the flip. What a win for Kelsey Pope as he adds his long-time target to an already stacked wide receiver room and does so by beating out a program in LSU that has continued to produce top talent at the position. This is a signature win that Tennessee had to have in this class, and their persistence paid off. LSU scratched and claws for weeks as they one twisted and turned behind the scenes, but eventually the desire to be a Vol simply won out.

Let’s move on to the player. Keys is the number one player at the position in the cycle, and he is now paired with the quarterback, who I believe to be the number one quarterback in the cycle. Keys is the prototype of a first round wide receiver in today’s day and age, and he is tailor made for Josh Heupel’s system. He wins against press at the line of scrimmage with his lateral ability and route free, he wins against zone with an ability to be physical at the point of contact and run after the catch, and he is elite down the field in one-on-one situations.
Additionally, Vice President of Recruiting and Transfer Portal for On3, Steve Wiltfong, shared his insight into what this addition means for the Vols.

“Tennessee is putting together a 2026 recruiting class that should help keep this program dynamic for years to come,” Wiltfong told Volquest. “Obviously you have the traitsy quarterback Faizon Brandon, who I love his leadership characteristics as much as his talent. These wide outs in the class led by Tristen Keys should be a problem on Saturdays. Keys is obviously twitchy, terrific in traffic, physical with the football and can go up and get it. Add him to playmaker Tyreek King and the explosive Legend Bay and that’s three guys with the tools to win in 1-on-1 situations. Keys in particular impresses with his catch radius, ball control and the fearless style of play. He’ll go over the middle, he fights for extra yards and tracks it well. We’re used to Heupel offenses lighting up the scoreboard and this recruiting class should keep things status quo.”

So what is next?​

Tennessee will continue to evaluate prospects in this class as the senior season rolls on, and they will look to continue solidifying relationships with current commitments in the class, as much like with Tennessee and Keys, other programs won’t give up on guys. Coach Chop will continue to play the long game with EDGE targets Hezekiah Harris and Tristian Givens, while Alec Abeln will continue to evaluate the tight end position.

-M Ray
 
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“Keys relationship with Kelsey Pope was an integral piece in the decision to flip. Pope and Keys have been constantly talking for two years and did so even though he was committed to LSU.

“Coach Kelsey is my guy,” Keys said. “I met him early in my recruitment and he is my dog. He was that way before I committed. He would hit me up and we talked on the phone. We get along and relate to each other. You have that person you can relate too and then he can coach you on the field so you know both sides to him.”

From AP’s article…time to give Pope his flowers
 
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