Four-star pass rusher Zach Groves commits to Tennessee

A big piece of Tennessee’s 2026 class.

Tennessee landed a big piece of its in-state 2026 puzzle today, earning a commitment from four-star pass rusher Zach Groves. The East Robertson High School product announced his decision via X on Wednesday afternoon.

Groves is the 260th ranked player in the class of 2026, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. The 6-4, 252 pound edge/defensive line prospect ranks seventh in the state of Tennessee and 25th overall at his position in the cycle. As a sophomore, Groves was credited with 27.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He backed that up with 21 tackles for loss and four sacks as a junior.

Groves holds offers from Georgia, Auburn, Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Michigan and several others. Before committing to Tennessee, Groves scheduled official visits for June to both USC and Ole Miss. We’ll see if those still happen.

Groves first visited Tennessee more than two years ago, quickly earning one of his first SEC offers. All this time later, he becomes the eighth member of Tennessee’s 2026 class. It’s another big pull for Josh Heupel and staff who continue to recruit the home state well. Groves joins five-star tackle Gabriel Osenda, four-star receiver Tyreek King and four-star tight end Carson Sneed as players from the Volunteer State currently in the class.

Today’s commitment moves Tennessee to the No. 22 spot in the 2026 cycle, per 247Sports.