Tennessee Loses Commitment in 2026 Class, DL Tyson Bacon

Tyson Bacon announced on his X social media account that he was reopening his commitment and decided to explore his options late on Wednesday night.

Here was his message via his X Account:

“First off I want to thank Coach Heupel, Coach Chop, Coach Garner, Coach Banks, Coach Ayers, and the University Of Tennessee for taking my commitment. After careful consideration, I want to open back up my recruiting. I want to make sure I’m making the best decision for my future.”

Bacon was committed to the Volunteers since October 21st. He was a frequent visitor on Campus coming in the fall for the game against Kentucky and taking an unofficial visit to see practice on March 12th. The good thing for the Volunteers is that Bacon still has an official visit set up for June 20th.

According to 247Sports, Bacon is a four-star prospect, the No. 14 player from Alabama, the No. 34 DL, and the No. 297 player nationally.

This past season for Hoover he finished with 33 tackles, 11 quarterback hurries, six tackles for loss, two pass deflections and a sack. The Volunteers now have a total of seven commits for the 2026 class and have a No. 17 Composite ranking from 247Sports after the Bacon decommitment.

In a surprising turn of events, the University of Tennessee has lost a key commitment from the 2026 recruiting class as defensive lineman Tyson Bacon announced he was reopening his commitment. The news came late Wednesday when Bacon shared his decision on his X social media account, indicating a desire to explore other options. This development has left many fans and analysts analyzing the implications for the Volunteers’ recruiting strategy. Bacon, known for his impressive skills on the field, was considered a significant addition to Tennessee’s defensive lineup. His decision opens the door for other programs to potentially pursue him, adding intrigue to the recruitment landscape. As many universities begin to circle, it will be interesting to see how Bacon’s recruitment unfolds and where he ultimately decides to commit. Tennessee will need to regroup and search for new prospects to fill the gap left by his departure from the class.