Is a decision coming soon for the top wide receiver in the country for the 2026 class? That’s what plenty of Tennessee football fans are wondering, as Tristen Keys has a busy schedulde with visits to meet with teams for spring football.

Earlier this month, the speedster was in Knoxville for a visit and it wasn’t the first time he was in town. Head man Josh Heupel and his coaches are going all-in to land the playmaker, which won’t be easy. According to Steve Wiltfong, though, Keys told him that Tennessee is recruiting him the hardest of all the schools going after him. Will those efforts pay off for the Vols?

Tennessee Vols are recruiting 5-star WR Tristen Keys the hardest

It goes without saying, but adding Keys to the 2026 haul would be nothing short of fantastic. As we’ve mentioned before, a major selling pitch the Vols have is that Keys could join forces with quarterback Faizon Brandon, who is also a 5-star playmaker and the No. 1 signal-caller out there.

The thought of these two making plays for Heupel in the future is something people all over Knoxville are quite excited about. That plan is halfway home, as all that’s needed is for Keys to shut down his recruitment and announce for UT. Seems simple, right? Well, it’s not.

Tennessee of course isn’t the only powerhouse trying to receive his verbal, as Miami, Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU and others are working to turn his head. This is no surprise, as Keys is the No. 5 player nationally according to the 247Sports Composite.

He’s seen as an incredible talent and a youngster who could end up playing on Sundays in the future. There are high expectations for him at the next level, but for now, everyone is waiting to see where he’ll end up calling home. Heupel will probably try and do a backflip if Keys gives him the news he’s hoping for. Only time will tell if that happens or not.