The Alabama Crimson Tide and Florida Gators took losses on the recruiting trail for a pair of 4-star 2027 prospects to two of their biggest respective rivals, the Tennessee Volunteers and Georgia Bulldogs, on Saturday.
Elsewhere, the Texas Tech Red Raiders did what they do plenty of these days: land a top recruit at the expense of an SEC school in the region. The Red Raiders landed a 4-star recruit themselves on the heels of quite the controversial week in West Texas.
Here were Saturday's biggest stories in the SEC, all coming to you from a hot period for high school commitment decisions:
Tennessee flips 4-star LB from Alabama
We start with the Third Saturday in October rivalry, where the Vols flipped Nashville-based 4-star linebacker Kenneth Simon II from the Tide. The Brentwood Academy star had eight TFLs, 4.5 sacks, and an interception en route to a runner-up finish for the Eagles in the Division II Class AAA state championship during his junior season. Now, he's staying home after a senior season this coming fall, when he can help Brentwood Academy finish the story.
Tennessee has been aggressive about keeping elite Volunteer State recruits on Rocky Top. Baylor Red Raiders running back David Gabriel Georges is one of Josh Heupel's biggest targets, but Vols LB coach William Inge got a major win here for the defense over Big Orange's heated rival. That's not to say they're not being aggressive out-of-state, either. Heupel and Co. also snatched 4-star Western Branch (VA) OL Q'Mari Hudson away from the Virginia Tech Hokies and Virginia Cavaliers.
Kenneth is the son of Kevin Simon, a two-time Second-Team All-SEC linebacker at Tennessee in the aughts. Like his father, he'll be hating Alabama and the color Crimson.
Georgia flips 4-star OT from Florida
The Dawgs saw red on Saturday as well, stealing 4-star Lithonia left tackle Kennedee Jackson from the Gators. Jackson is UGA's fifth offensive tackle commit in the class overall, the second blue-chip, and the third recruit at the position from in-state.
Kirby Smart is keeping the trenches stacked, building a class the old -fashioned way. While the Crimson Tide has fallen off in that regard, the Dawgs continue to rule their state. No less, they're poaching 4-star blindside tackles from their World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party foe. If you're looking for signs that Smart and Co. are slowing down in Athens' NFL talent factory, you couldn't find one on Saturday.
Texas Tech beats out Arkansas and West Virginia for 4-star safety
Texas Tech ended the biggest week in program history on the heels of Brendan Sorsby's favorable eligibility ruling, which allows him to play in 2026 despite having gambled on past games his team played in while with the Cincinnati Bearcats and Indiana Hoosiers, with a recruiting W. The Red Raiders won 4-star Iowa (LA) RB/safety Kaston Lewis's commitment over the Arkansas Razorbacks and West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday.
Sometimes, when it rains, it pours. In Lubbock, it's raining oil, recruits, and wins in court over the NCAA. Lewis committed to Texas Tech as a defensive back, and while he could probably be a Travis Hunter-esque two-way player at a smaller school, he'll have to focus on one discipline on a stacked Red Raiders depth chart.
Add us as a preferred source on Google