When Brian Kelly secured Tristen Keys back in March, LSU fandom thought that they had locked in the Class of 2026 No. 1 wide receiver. But the recruiting circuit is a tricky landscape; nothing remains certain unless you ink the deal. Keys had received 20+ offers, including those from Michigan, Tennessee, and Notre Dame, but turned down those offers to join the LSU Tigers. However, one of those programs has gained some momentum to land him. Fresh intel from Steve Wiltfong might be a concern for Baton Rouge. So, who is going for the grabs?

An SEC program, which was previously rejected by Keys, has not diminished its interest in him. Josh Heupel‘s Tennessee landed Class of 2026 quarterback Faizon Brandon and is eyeing Tristen Keys to create an explosive O-line duo for its future incoming class. “Sources around Baton Rouge have felt good about the recent dialogue with Keys and keeping him in the fold. Sources around Knoxville have always felt good about flipping the No. 1-ranked pass catcher in the land. My intel favors the latter,” wrote Wiltfong. There it is.

“Tennessee, I’m in love with the coaches, recruits, players, all that,” Keys said in the summer. “I like the environment, fanbase, all that type of stuff. They just make me feel comfortable.” During the Overtime OT7 Finals, Keys affirmed Tennessee’s interest in him. Tennessee is doing their thing as far as staying on it. Still recruiting as hard as they can.

The Vols’ constant push towards Tristen had put LSU on high alert, previously as well. So, they acted. Restructuring his NIL deal. “The latest tidbit worth noting: LSU has recently restructured the NIL package for Keys, sources tell me,” wrote On3’s Shea Dixon. “That has LSU carrying some increased confidence that the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2026 class remains on board with his commitment to the Tigers.” Given that, the last recruiting season, Michigan flipped Kelly’s prized Bryce Underwood with a reported $12 million deal. Kelly does not want another commit to flip, so he is already taking measures to keep his commitment locked in.

Despite constant push from the Vols, the Tigers had reaffirmed their position with the WR commit. “The Tigers feel good about their place with the Keys,” reported Chad Simmons. But the fresh intel from Wiltfong is surely another concern for Coach Kelly. But there’s more to it. Back in June, Keys signed an NIL deal with Adidas. Two months down the line, Tennessee announced its 10-year deal with the same brand, set to be its official apparel brand, from 2026. But Kelly’s LSU is a Nike school. Can that be a reason for Tristen to flip his commitment?

Can the Tennessee Volunteers flip Tristen Keys?

In August itself, Rivals’ Hunter Shelton gave another scoop, much to Heupel’s delight. According to his sources, “potential change of heart could come before the start of the college football season,” and the Vols are the team to watch closely. Fellow Vols commits might be another factor influencing Keys’ decision. Vols commit WR Tyreek King is also eager for Tristen to come to Knoxville. “I just texted him the other day. I told him ‘come on’. He said, ‘We are going to see’. It might be a flip, you all are going to see something,” he said to Sports Illustrated. Faizon Brandon could be another, who also holds an NIL deal with Adidas.

A to Z Sports’ Zach Ragan also believes that Tennessee does have a shot to flip him over, and the battle might go on till December. “This battle will likely continue until the early signing period begins in December. Tennessee certainly has a shot at being the team that signs Keys, but LSU clearly isn’t going down without a fight.” In his junior season, Keys caught 58 passes for 1,275 yards and 14 touchdowns and played in the Under Armour All-America Game.

Aside from the ‘T’, Mario Cristobal, who landed the nation’s No. 1 Jackson Cantwell, and Texas A&M are in strong pursuit of Tristen Keys. The fall will be an important time period for the programs to attract recruits, as potential targets would be present on the sidelines, evaluating their future.