History is about to repeat itself in the worst possible way for Steve Sarkisian. Last year at this time, Josh Heupel’s Tennessee lured away LSU’s No. 1 wide receiver Tristen Keys. And this time it’s Brother Martin’s five-star wide receiver who’s on their radar. So, another flip of a wide receiver commit in college football remains a real possibility.

“The number one wide receiver in America is Easton Royal,” Tennessee insider Matt Ray said on Rivals. “He made an early commitment to Texas, but Royal has come out and said he’s going to take an official visit to Tennessee. There are other schools in the mix as well. But when it comes to Tennessee, can we run it back?”

Easton Royal is the No. 1 wide receiver commit in Steve Sarkisian’s 2027 class, who’s all set to take an official visit to them on June 19. But here’s the catch: he will also visit Josh Heupel’s team before them on June 5. There’s a high chance that the Vols make an early impact on him and flip him away from Austin.

Texas’s offense will take a big hit, as they might already lose many to the NFL next season. Players like Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo, and Emmett Mosley might turn pro next year. Losing Royal would be a significant blow, as Texas would not only lose a future cornerstone but also his rare combination of elite speed and proven production.

Royal isn’t just a recruiting headline; he’s a legitimate game-breaker, pairing elite 10.38 100-meter speed with proven production after a junior season where he hauled in 57 catches for 1,374 yards and 19 touchdowns. What’s more concerning is that Steve Sarkisian’s battle is not just with Tennessee but also with Florida and LSU. Steve Sarkisian and wide receiver coach Chris Jackson’s relationship with Royal might be enough to save the commitment, as it was the main reason he first committed to the team.

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“I committed to Texas because it has everything I could need in a program,” Royal said. “Their stability, the love, the culture, and, with coach (Chris) Jackson, I know I’m going to get developed for the league; and their academics are off the charts.”

However, let’s not forget that even Tennessee has a long list of developing top WRs. Jalin Hyatt became a third-round NFL draft pick in 2023. That NFL pipeline can grab his attention.

Tennessee’s recent success in recruiting receivers is also a factor; their 2025 class featured a trio of four-star talents in Travis Smith, Radarious Jackson, and Joakim Dodson, which helped elevate their receiver group to a No. 4 national ranking behind Georgia, Texas, and Florida. On top of that, they are yet to sign a wide receiver in their 2027 class, which gives Royal his chance to start early.

Now, with Royal in the mix, Josh Heupel’s team is also eyeing other major players.

Josh Heupel’s major 2027 RB targets

While the pursuit of Easton Royal is a top priority, Josh Heupel is also targeting three other running back commits for the class of 2027. First up on his list is five-star running back from Baylor School, David Gabriel Georges, who is one of Tennessee’s top targets. Georges delivered multiple 200-yard games in the 2024 and 2025 seasons and even earned the honor of All-American from MaxPreps.

He currently has more than 30 offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and Notre Dame on his top-priority list. Despite the competition, he remains Heupel’s top choice.

Also on Heupel’s radar is Prince Avenue Christian four-star RB Andrew Beard, who already has Tennessee on his list after announcing an official visit to the Volunteers. However, the competition is stiff as Josh Heupel’s team faces Georgia, Florida, and Clemson. He is also a multisport athlete who has run track in the 100 and 200 meters.

Rounding out the list of targets is Tyson Robinson from Brandon, who’s also drawing interest from Arizona State, Miami, Michigan, and Texas A&M. Robinson produced, carrying the ball 176 times for 1,295 yards and 24 touchdowns in the 2024 season.

Now, with so much talent on the line, let’s wait and see how things turn around for Tennessee.