Tennessee battling Michigan and more for highly coveted 4-star lineman

With spring football in the rearview mirror for the Tennessee football team, it’s time for head man Josh Heupel to really key in on his recruiting efforts. There’s plenty of work to do in the portal, but he also hasn’t forgotten about top 2026 prospects too.

When it comes to touted four-star offensive lineman Leo Delaney, there’s now a set date for when he’ll be making his decision. Come July 11, the elite prospect will be shutting things down. On Tuesday, he announced he’s down to four schools, with the Tennessee football team making the cut. Will Tennessee take down the others?

Leo Delaney has included Tennessee among his finalists with a summer decision coming

This isn’t going to be easy for the Vols, as Delaney is also strongly considering Clemson, Michigan and Penn State. With that said, UT has been able to turn his head quite a bit throughout his recruitment process and there’s a reason Heupel remains in the hunt.

Throughout his recruitment, the 6-6, 290-pounder has picked up a total of 34 offers, which showcases just how many programs are quite high on him. However, 30 of those programs have been told thanks, but no thanks.

Delaney is ranked four stars, the No. 5 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 63 prospect nationally according to 247Sports. As of this writing, the Vols hold seven known verbal pledges for the 2026 class, of course headlined by 5-star QB Faizon Brandon, the No. 1 signal-caller in the country.

Leading up to his decision on July 11, Delaney is taking official visits to all of his finalists, with Tennessee getting the last trip on June 20. Heupel and Co. will get the last opportunity in person to make an impact on Delaney. Will it be enough to capture his verbal? That’s what plenty of Vols fans are hoping for.