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The Tennessee Volunteers just landed a key building block for their future in the trenches. Four-star offensive tackle JB Shabazz just committed to the program over fellow finalists Ohio State and South Carolina, bolstering an already impressive 2026 recruiting class for the Volunteers.
Shabazz, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound tackle from East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, North Carolina, made his decision public on Friday. He chose Tennessee after taking official visits to multiple powerhouse programs, including Penn State and NC State. On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported the announcement via X (formerly Twitter), noting the magnitude of the win for the Vols.
“BREAKING: Four-Star OT JB Shabazz has Committed to Tennessee
The 6’7 315 OT from Winston Salem, NC chose the Vols over South Carolina & Ohio State. He’s ranked as the No. 6 OT in 2026 (per Rivals)”
Shabazz becomes Tennessee’s 21st commitment in the 2026 class and the third offensive lineman to join the fold. His pledge continues a strong summer surge for Heupel’s Volunteers, who are steadily assembling one of the deepest classes in the SEC.
Fresh off a 10-3 finish in 2024, Tennessee tied with Georgia for second place in the SEC with a 6-2 regular season record. The Vols were one of three SEC teams to earn a spot in the first expanded College Football Playoff, joining the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns in representing the conference on the national stage. While their postseason run ended in a first-round loss to eventual national champion Ohio State, it marked the program’s most successful three-year stretch since 1998-2000, winning 30 total games. Tennessee finished the season ranked No. 8 in the Amway Coaches Poll and No. 9 in the final Associated Press Top 25.
The new commit joins elite offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda and five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon in a 2026 class ranked No. 13 nationally and No. 5 in the SEC, according to 247Sports and On3. With quotes like “Power T, God bless,” he’s already making a strong impression on the fanbase. If development matches potential, the towering lineman could become a foundational piece on the Vols offensive line and help push Tennessee deeper into College Football Playoff contention in the years ahead.
