The son of a former Tennessee football legend has officially entered the 2027 rankings in its early, early stages.

According to 247 Sports’ initial 2027 rankings list on Wednesday, Cooper Witten – the son of former Tennessee tight end Jason Witten – is a Top 25 overall prospect in the 2027 rankings.

Witten plays safety for Liberty Christian in Argyle, TX, where his dad Jason is the head coach.

247’s rankings have Witten listed as the No. 25 overall player, the No. 2 safety in the class, and the No. 5 player from the Lone Star State.

Though still very early in his football career, Witten put together an impressive freshman season in 2023. Witten recorded 82 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions (one pick-six), two forced fumbles, and three kick blocks to begin his high school journey, according to 247.

More from RTI: Instate Running Back Includes Tennessee In Top Five, Sets Imminent Commitment Date

Witten also plays basketball and runs for the track team at Liberty Christian.

It’s unclear if Tennessee has had any contact with Witten but 247 does not have the Vols listed on his slim offer sheet so far. Witten reportedly has six offers from Baylor, Duke, Missouri, Oklahoma, TCU, and UAB.

Jason Witten’s name is held dear by many Vol fans as a strong ambassador for Tennessee football during his time in professional football and in the booth. Witten joined the Vols’ football team from Elizabethton High School and would become a First Team All-SEC selection after the 2002 season.

Witten’s journey to Rocky Top is well-documented as he believed he was headed to Tennessee as a defensive end based on a promise from then-head coach Phillip Fulmer. But when spots opened up for Tennessee’s offense with injuries in the middle of the season, Witten begrudgingly accepted the position switch. All worked out, though, as the former Vol would go on to become a storied tight-end in the SEC and even set the Vols’ tight-end records for receptions (39) and yards (493) during his senior season.

Dallas Cowboys great Jason Witten ended his NFL career with 11 Pro Bowls and was a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection.

A photograph of Witten was placed on the back of the Neyland Stadium jumbotron for many years until it was replaced with a picture of current NFL star Alvin Kamara in 2021.

Tennessee does not have any commitments in the infant stages of the 2027 class but did make some major news in the 2026 class recently. In early August, Tennessee landed a commitment from QB Faizon Brandon, the top overall prospect in the 2026 class according to 247’s rankings.

Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee football recruiting news.

2025 four-star running back Shekai Mills-Knight (Chattanooga, Tenn.) has named five finalists, including the Tennessee Volunteers, and a commitment date.

During this cycle, Baylor School running back Shekai Mills-Knight has been one of the most coveted backs in the southeast. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder amassed interest from some of the top programs in the country after a breakout junior campaign.

The No. 271 prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings narrowed his recruitment to five finalists ahead of a decision. Alabama, Auburn, Miami, Ole Miss, and Tennessee will each have a hat on the table on August 17th when Mills-Knight announces his decision. The Ole Miss Rebels are viewed as the odds-on leader for his commitment, but Tennessee wants another running back in the class and has been swinging as of late.

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WVLT) – VFL Christian Moore made his return to the state of Tennessee Tuesday evening as the Rocket City Trash Pandas faced off against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Moore is now with the Trash Pandas, the AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

It has been less than two months since Moore was crowned a national champion with the Tennessee Volunteers, and now he is shining in minor leagues.

“I hadn’t seen a lot, but now I have seen a lot,” Moore said when asked to describe these past few months. “I am just blessed for it. This game can give you a lot and that is one thing, you get to see a lot of different parts of the country.”

After Tuesday night’s game, Moore is batting .500 with six home runs in just nine professional games.

He credits the Tennessee fanbase for their encouragement through it all.

“The Tennessee fanbase has seen me grow up the last three years. They have pushed me to become a better player each and every day to be able to perform for them each and every day. So they have definitely done a lot for me,” Moore said.

Tennessee baseball Head Coach Tony Vitello is proud to see what Moore has accomplished in just a short amount of time.

“It is surreal seeing him in a different uniform. I don’t like not seeing him in orange, but I definitely like seeing him do well and climb the latter, and I know he is with good people,” Coach Vitello said. “They have done a ton of homework on him to begin with, and since they’ve drafted him, they’ve been in constant communication with us just trying to help him be the best player he can be.”

In Moore’s first week with the Trash Pandas, he was named Southern League Player of the Week. During that week, he had a .550 batting average with four home runs and six RBI.

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