Another elite high school prospect is dropping clues about where he might be going for college. No. 1 IOL Darius Gray has been on the watch list for many programs, but he has narrowed it down to a select few ahead of his commitment. He wants to do it before the season begins, to “get it over with,” he told Rivals. It looks like Gray might already be leaning towards a major program, which stands a chance to get back up in the top ranks with his commitment.

Darius Gray, a player with the potential to change the rankings for his collegiate home, has narrowed his list down to five teams. Still in play are South Carolina, LSU, Clemson, Ohio State, and Tennessee. Clemson and Ohio State seem to have dropped down a little in his list of favorites, but the other three have a better chance of winning his commitment. He seems to have built an extremely good equation with Josh Heupel and Co. at Tennessee. It won’t be long before the Vols hear from him, because Gray will be announcing his commitment on August 22.

“Tennessee is recruiting me the hardest,” he told On3’s Steve Wiltfong. Now, Gray has taken the maximum visits to South Carolina during his recruitment. He visited Columbia 7 times, including an official visit on June 20. That had sources predicting the Gamecocks to be his CFB home. But with Tennessee amping up the efforts, it’s not a done deal yet. “Majority of my sources favor South Carolina with less than a month to go. I’ve recently had LSU in pole position… and the Vols are making a charge. We’ll see where the dust settles in less than a month,” Wiltfong added.

Tennessee is currently at No. 15 in the 2026 cycle. The Vols are still hoping for an elite player to help them climb up the ranks in the class. Gray made his last visit to Austin more than a month ago, making only 3 trips to the campus. However, it was enough to leave a lasting impact on the IOL. “I think it’s their 10th season coming up and it’s very rare to find that. I think that’s very important and the class they’re building you can tell they’re going to be a National Championship team in the next few years and you want to be part of something that special,” the IOL said. But Josh Heupel still has to fight off Gray’s 2 top favorites to win him over.

Darius Gray is still heavily inclined towards South Carolina and LSU

Gray makes for an imposing figure on the O-line, 6-3, 285 pounds, and colossal arms that make him a gifted player. He’s known to add some flair with his feet. His superior show at the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl against defenders older than him had scouts seriously impressed. To have a game-changing player like Gray, these 5 programs will be giving their all. The harshest battle, however, is being fought between South Carolina and LSU.

Though Heupel and Co. are making a strong push, Shane Beamer might already have this one in the bag. “South Carolina is a school that’s been recruiting me the hardest for the longest by far,” he told Rivals last month. “[Over] the years, you see them on a trending path. You can tell Shane Beamer is nowhere close to being done or satisfied. They’re just scratching the surface.” However, there’s also a strong chance that LSU takes Darius Gray off the board on August 22.

“[There] has been sky-high confidence in Baton Rouge about the Tigers’ chances in this one. Brad Davis is a bona fide Recruiter of the Year candidate who could lock down the honor by landing Gray’s commitment,” recruiting expert Sam Spiegelman reported. LSU is already featuring on crystal balls for Darius Gray, a fierce competitor in the fight for the IOL. Coach Davis was the most impactful aspect for the IOL, he told Rivals. “That guy is just different.”

The offseason has not been particularly kind to Josh Heupel, ever since Nico Iameleava transferred out. He could definitely use a major recruiting win like Darius Gray’s to become more worthy in the eyes of other elite talents still left in the 2026 class. With Gray’s soon-to-come commitment and a liking for Tennessee, will Heupel be able to win over the star IOL?