Tristen Keys announced he's flipping his commitment from LSU to Tennessee on Thursday. The five-star becomes the Vols highest-ranked wide receiver in program history. A huge blow of Brian Kelly's staff as Keys was the top offensive talent in the 2026 recruiting class.
Tennessee gets a premier weapon for the future. At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, Keys presents a mismatch for most opponents. The wideout committed to LSU early in the recruiting process, surprising some critics who felt he didn't test the waters. But Josh Heupel and his staff chipped away and the hard work paid off.
BREAKING: Five-Star WR Tristen Keys has Flipped his Commitment from LSU to Tennessee, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 28, 2025
The No. 1 WR in the ‘26 Class had been Committed to the Tigers since March
Keys becomes the highest-ranked WR commit in program history 🍊https://t.co/qkLjJuBP07 pic.twitter.com/3AgLKghjih
"You're not going to come across too many schools like Tennessee — especially the people at Tennessee," Keys told 247 Sports' Ryan Callahan. "They're really supportive even when things are going bad."
LSU has lost the No. 1 WR in its respective class in back to back cycles. Dakorien Moore flipped to Oregon and now Keys goes to Tennessee. Very interesting to say the least. However, the Tigers have been one of the best at developing recevier and turning them into NFL stars.
What the Vols are building in Knoxville is special. Keys is the third top recruit in the future class. Tennessee had an evident need for weapons on the offensive side of the ball with top QB Faizon Brandon in the mix. Keys has been a long-standing priority target and it's clear he'll make a difference immediately.
With Keys headed to Tennessee, the Vols 2026 recruiting class will likely break into the top ten nationally with seven players in the top 100.