Samari Matthews, a standout player from William Amos Hough High School, has arranged to visit Tennessee unofficially on April 3rd. He’s highly regarded as the 32nd prospect in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, and has received offers from 28 different programs, including notable ones like Alabama, Florida State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Over his first two high school seasons, Matthews has demonstrated his skills with 46 tackles, two interceptions, and two tackles for loss. Despite already visiting several other schools, including Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and South Carolina, he’s yet to explore Tennessee and Knoxville.

The Tennessee coaching staff, led by defensive backs coach Willie Martinez, has been effective in recruiting top-tier cornerbacks early in the process, although they haven’t secured a top-100 prospect at the position yet. Being one of Matthews’s early offers could work in Tennessee’s favor, as they have a track record of initiating relationships with elite prospects early on, which has been beneficial in past recruiting cycles. The outcome of Matthews’s visit and subsequent interactions with the Tennessee program remains to be seen.