Rick Barnes has done a phenomenal job at Tennessee, and part of his success has been due to his ability to attract high school talent. The Volunteers have been ranked in the top 30 nationally in six of the past seven years. A big reason is the Vols’ ability to get blue-chip recruits.
Tennessee Volunteers Among Teams In the Mix for a Pair of Top Guards, Including a Top 15 Prospect
Since 2020, Tennessee has brought in 19 top-tier recruits. However, only five of the “blue chip” recruits have been consensus five-star recruits, with 2025 freshman Nate Ament, who was the No. 13 pick in this past June’s draft, being the one between 2023-2026.
Speaking of the 2026 class, while Barnes didn’t acquire a five-star prospect, the group of four recruits is pretty highly regarded — On3 has the Vols’ 2026 recruiting class ranked No. 24 in the nation and 247Sports has them at No. 22. Christopher Washington is considered the crown jewel of the class as a top-60 prospect by both On3 and 247Sports.
Washington is an athletic 6-9 forward who can play both forward spots. Washington will likely compete with fellow 2026 class member Ralph Scott and sophomore DeWayne Brown for playing time behind Juke Harris, Jalen Harelson and recent addition Jalen Washington — if he remains eligible as a recent “5-for-5” player…