Tennessee Vols is doing more than hunting wins this season—they’re setting the foundation for sustained dominance. The Vols aren’t just knocking on the door of elite recruits; they’re building a battering ram. With a top recruiting class already in hand, Josh Heupel and his staff are turning up the heat, eyeing these two elite prospects who could push this class into stratospheric territory.

Steve Wiltfong of On3 Wiltfong Whiparound let the cat out of the bag, spotlighting two big names in Tennessee’s crosshairs. As the Vols playoff bound took care of business against Vanderbilt on Saturday in Nashville. Tennessee’s 36-23 win against the Commodores — a game in which Josh Heupel and Co. erased a 14-point deficit — essentially locked up a spot in the 12-team Playoff. The first is Isaiah Campbell, a Top 100 defensive lineman from North Carolina, who looks primed to join the Vols. “Isaiah Campbell is obviously the big name. Top 100 defensive lineman from North Carolina that’s down to the vs in the Tar Heels he’s going to announce his college decision on December 4,” Wiltfong predicted, emphasizing Campbell’s glowing reviews of Neyland Stadium’s electric atmosphere and his relationship with defensive line coach Rodney Garner.

Campbell’s stats tell the story of a game-changer: 80 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks in his most recent season. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, Campbell is a force of nature, and his skill set is a perfect match for Tennessee’s surging defensive identity. All signs point to Knoxville being his new home.

But Tennessee isn’t stopping there. The 10-2, Josh Heupel and his staff, have set their sights on flipping linebacker Jadon Perlotte from USC. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Georgia native is ranked as a four-star prospect and has visited Knoxville unofficially this fall. Perlotte’s potential addition would bolster a linebacking corps already on the rise, adding versatility and speed to a defense that’s aiming to stifle SEC offenses for years to come.

Heupel’s relentless approach to recruiting mirrors the grit he preaches to his team. After their hard-fought win against Vanderbilt, the once the Sooners QB, addressed his players with a message that could just as easily apply to the recruiting trail: “Competitive composure. The good, the bad, the ugly, everything in between—you just kept coming.” This mentality is resonating, not just with his players, but also with high-profile recruits like Campbell and Perlotte. Stuff like this is what recruits want to be a part of.

Josh Heupel and Vols didn’t thrive, but they survived

However, this wasn’t very obvious leading up to the season. Tennessee Vols their mettle with grit and resilience, showing what head coach Josh Heupel calls “competitive composure.” Quarterback Nico Iamaleava kept things electric, throwing another career-high four touchdown passes to secure a victory over Vanderbilt. Now, the Vols are CFP-bound, but the big question is: will they defend their playoff hopes at Neyland Stadium or hit the road?

The journey wasn’t all smooth sailing. They overcame adversity at every turn—weathering injuries, shaky pass protection at Oklahoma, and turnovers against Florida. Against Alabama, they fought through overthrows and dropped passes that nearly derailed them against Kentucky. Yet, through every stumble, they found ways to win.

This team embodies survival through the SEC gauntlet, coming out with little more than scratches. And that’s how they cracked the Playoff code.