Commitment Tracker: College Destinations Selected

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">College commitments are flying off the board right now here in Tennessee with several top tier prospects making their next level decisions. Here we breakdown some of the latest commitments inside the Volunteer State and how they may fit with their respective college teams. </h2>     (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='483481' first='Malik' last='Howard'] - Oak Ridge   * Committed to Tennessee *   - One of the more popular offensive recruits in the state over the past three years finally made his intentions known when he pledged his services to Tennessee. The Vols were considered a long time favorite to land Howard and they did after a long pursuit of showing him their plans for his future. Howard committed to Tennessee over Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas A&M and many others. This East Tennessee product was a priority for the Vols and someone that desperately wanted to add to their 2027 class. While I think Howard will remain strong with the Vols, I wouldn't be surprised to see others continue to pursue and try to flip him because the Wildcats tight end is that good with a possible future beyond college ball.    Talent Acquisition: The Vols might have not just landed their tight end of the future but could have also gotten a top tier offensive weapon that could lead the team in receiving, depending on how he is used. Howard is a natural pass catcher that brings an excellent combination of athleticism, ball skills, physicality and size to the playing field along with a body and frame that still has room for growth. The Wildcats senior tight end has the ability to stretch the field with his speed but also be a safety blanket underneath in short yard routes. Howard has All-SEC written all over him as well as a potential future in the NFL, as long as he continues to develop properly while staying healthy.    - - - - -    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='1316743' first='Parker' last='Keenan'] - Kirkwood   * Committed to Arkansas *   - It took a while for Keenan to find his college home but he eventually did when he committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks. This Clarksville area tight end picked plenty of interest and offers along the way but didn't break through into Power Four status till late in the process. Everything eventually played out just fine as Keenan chose the Razorbacks over offers from Cincinnati, Colorado, Maryland, Memphis and Toledo. The Cobras senior fits Arkansas well as the new Hogs staff likes to use multiple tight ends and guys who are willing to block but also provide upside in the passing game and that's who Keenan is and can be in Fayetteville. I believe this is a good pickup by Arkansas as Keenan presents a lot of potential where he could become their starting tight end one day.    Talent Acquisition: Standing 6'6 230 plus pounds, the Razorbacks got themselves a physically gifted tight end that has the physical makeup to become an outstanding blocker while also being a big target in the passing game. What really stands out about the Cobras tight end is his speed and ability to run after the catch. Once he gets going, Keenan is tough to bring down in the open field. His size alone makes things tough but his deceptive lower half agility and foot speed makes things even harder for defenders. Keenan is a good athlete too that I believe has higher levels to his game that he has yet to tap into but it's starting to show. This is a strong long term potential addition by Arkansas that could pay off big down the road.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/06/pkeenan.jpg?w=819" alt="" class="wp-image-2227275" style="aspect-ratio:0.8005930318754633;width:236px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    (OL) [player_tooltip player_id='2156293' first='Teagan' last='Parizek'] - Hendersonville   * Committed to Arkansas *   - Recruiting didn't start to pick up for this Mid-Tennessee product until after his junior season but Parizek saw a big rise during the off-season months where he landed several strong offers, including one from Arkansas that proved to be too strong to pass up. The Commandos big man committed to the Hogs after an official visit last weekend and seeing his fit with the Southeastern Conference program. Parizek ultimately chose Arkansas over Kansas St., Memphis, UConn, Virginia and West Virginia. It may take some time before the Commandos offensive lineman is ready to sustain a starting job with the Hogs but one day he should and it could be at either tackle or guard. I do like the upside from Parizek and what he can bring to the Arkansas offensive front five.    Talent Acquisition: Big and strong with good arm length, Parizek is a large human being that looks the part of a college guy while sporting a body with very little bad weight. This 6'6 O-lineman is a physical competitor that excels in the run game moving guys off the ball while driving them to the second level. Parizek shows good athleticism, especially when pulling and trapping. He displays lower base potential to become equipped with his pass protection down the road but will need further development in this area to compete on the outside in the Southeastern Conference. It's why I could see Parizek moving inside to guard but I do see enough upside to develop him at tackle. The Commandos big man won't be expected to contribute early, so learning his way at Arkansas looks to be the right path to one day becoming a starter.    - - - - -    (OL) [player_tooltip player_id='1312032' first='Bowen' last='Gottselig'] - McCallie   * Committed to Lehigh *   - Going into the spring, this Virginia native held a handful of offers but really saw his recruitment take off after making the decision to transfer to McCallie for his senior year. Gottselig eventually achieved twenty plus offers until he landed on the one that stood out the most and that was Lehigh. The Blue Tornado offensive lineman committed to the Mountain Hawks after officially visiting them last weekend and ultimately chose Lehigh over Dartmouth, Fordham, Georgetown, Penn, Yale and many others. Gottselig saw Lehigh as the best fit for his college education as well as his future on the gridiron. I too like the fit as I think they will give this 6 '6 big man time to form into his body while developing his game further, where Gottselig could provide a lot of versatility up front.    Talent Acquisition: What the Mountain Hawks are getting with this East Tennessee big man is a long term, big pay off prospect that has the physical traits and skill set to possibly play tackle during his time at Lehigh. Gottselig is a mobile guy that gets out of stance well and into his blocks quickly. He can get quicker and more athletic but the upside is there to develop nicely with his lower half. Another area to work on is his bend. Working on his agility will allow him to become more explosive with his blocking. Gaining more power and weight is also a focus while at Lehigh. Gottselig does have a nice frame to pack on additional pounds and become more physical in the run game. There is a lot of development to go for Gottselig but the raw tools are in place to become a multi-year starter down the road.    - - - - -    (Edge) [player_tooltip player_id='1207775' first='Julius' last='Malden'] - Riverdale   * Committed to Charlotte *   - Thinking about the defensive prospects inside our senior class, some of the best long term potential resides here with this Murfreesboro area pass rusher that found his college home by choosing recently to ride with Charlotte. Malden took in an official visit with the 49ers last weekend, came home then decided that Charlotte was the place for him. The Warriors senior defensive prospect ultimately chose Charlotte over other offers from Eastern Ky, Florida A&M and West Georgia. Malden hasn't obtained a lot of offers throughout this process but he sports next level abilities, especially his natural athleticism and speed around the edge. I think his pass rushing upside may warrant more interest and potential offers before Malden signs in December, so while I believe this “Top 150” PRZTN prospect will eventually stay firm with Charlotte, I wouldn't be surprised to see others come in and try to flip him.    Talent Acquisition: The 49ers might have gotten a steal here with Malden but that all depends on how the Warriors edge rusher continues to develop moving forward. Looking through his junior film, Malden shows some of the best pure pass rushing upside of anybody in this class but what's holding him down in our rankings is the lack of body weight and technique. Malden is still raw in several areas but what he does have right now is athleticism, bend and speed and those three traits are critical towards getting after the quarterback. If the 49ers staff can coach him up while keeping him consistently in the weight room, they might gain themselves a multi-year starter with Malden that could prove to be one of the better pass rushers in the American Athletic Conference.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/06/jmalden_be278f.jpg?w=916" alt="" class="wp-image-2227273" style="aspect-ratio:0.8945395813057793;width:239px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    (DT) [player_tooltip player_id='1648682' first='James' last='Stewart'] - Riverdale   * Committed to Arkansas *   - Arkansas gained a commitment from this Murfreesboro area defensive lineman after hosting him on an official visit last weekend and might have gotten themselves a future starter up front that brings a versatile skill set to the trenches. Stewart gained twenty plus offers throughout the process but didn't obtain an opportunity from Arkansas until just recently but Stewart quickly jumped on the opportunity to play his college ball in the Southeastern Conference. The Warriors big man ultimately chose the Hogs over offers from Boston College, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Memphis, South Florida, Toledo and Tulane. The recruiting surge may not be over for Stewart, especially if he puts forth a strong senior year,  however I do expect him to remain strong with Arkansas and ultimately sign with them in December.    Talent Acquisition: It may take some time for Stewart to acclimate himself to the college game but eventually, Arkansas might have themselves a multi-year starter here that could develop into an All-Conference performer. Stewart is an athletic young man for his size that comes off the snap well while displaying a physical brand of football that translates to the next level. The Warriors defensive tackle provides a nice combination of athleticism, power and speed that could be used at nose or possibly a 3-tech that rushes the backfield. Stewart has a particular skill set that can work well in the SEC but he must continue to form his body properly while improving his technique. I do like the long term potential with Stewart and what he can become during his time at Arkansas.    - - - - -    (LB) [player_tooltip player_id='906615' first='Shelvy' last='Clark'] - Germantown   * Committed to Maryland *   - Ranked by Prep Redzone Tennessee as are our 18th overall prospect, Clark took one official visit to Maryland and shut down his recruitment by pledging his services to the Terrapins and playing his college ball in the Big Ten Conference. A violent tackler with a nose for the ball, Clark became a highly valued prospect by landing several Power Four offers throughout the process but chose Maryland due to the fit and their desire to bring him in the fold. The Red Devils linebacker eventually decided upon the Terrapins over other offers from Colorado, Florida St., Indiana, Memphis, Mississippi St., Oregon, Tulane and Vanderbilt. I do believe that Clark will stay firm with the Terps but it will be interesting to see how the next several months go as I think other top programs will stay in pursuit and work at trying to flip him because this Memphis area prospect is legit.    Talent Acquisition: Clark has been one of my favorite scouting prospects in this class simply by the way he plays and performs. The Red Devils linebacker plays hard and fast with great instincts and a controlled violence approach that works well on the college stage. Once he diagnoses the play, Clark attacks without hesitation and more times than not, he is the one making the tackle. This Memphis area product is a true middle linebacker but Clark is a good athlete that can make plays sideline to sideline while being able to work in open space. He does need to continue getting bigger and stronger but Clark is equipped to potentially see the field early in his career at Maryland and eventually carve out a starting role for multiple years in the Big Ten Conference.    - - - - -    (LB) [player_tooltip player_id='1512542' first='Khori' last='Faulkner'] - Baylor   * Committed to South Florida *   - A vicious hitter that South Florida targeted early in the process, Faulkner got fully on board with the Bulls and committed to them after officially visiting last weekend and getting to see how the American Athletic Conference member ran things down in Tampa. The Bulls coaching staff stayed steady with Faulkner throughout the recruiting offseason and eventually pulled him in due to their vision on how to use his abilities within their defensive scheme. The Red Raiders linebacker ultimately chose the Bulls over offers from East Carolina, Georgia St., Kennesaw St., and Liberty. I feel pretty confident that Faulker will stay with the Bulls and sign with them in December. I do think others will try to get involved but the relationship built between Faulkner and the South Florida coaching staff will prove to be too strong for him to move off his commitment to the Bulls.    Talent Acquisition: What the Bulls are getting with this Chattanooga area linebacker is one of the more physical tacklers we have from our TN2027 class and someone you can rely on to do his job and do so on a consistent basis. Faulkner is well built physically and he uses his physicality to gain advantages over his opponents. He does a nice job of sniffing out the run and attacking the ball without hesitation or remorse. The Red Raiders senior is a solid athlete too but could develop his lower half agility and athleticism much further to become a better all-around linebacker. Increasing his foot speed would be another area that would progress his game into a positive direction. I do like this addition by the Bulls as I could see Faulkner stepping into the starting middle linebacker role in time and becoming their defensive anchor.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/06/kfaulkner2.jpg?w=1016" alt="" class="wp-image-2227265" style="aspect-ratio:0.9912121698827524;width:273px;height:auto" /></figure>