For the second time in as many days, Tennessee football landed a commitment from a player attending Kell High School in Marietta, Ga.
On Wednesday afternoon, Kell three-star Class of 2026 defensive back Jowell Combay committed to the Volunteers during a ceremony at the school. Combay’s announcement came on the heels of his teammate, incoming senior linebacker Brayden Rouse, deciding to commit to the Vols on Tuesday.
From current Kell (Ga.) teammates to future Tennessee football teammates.
— Dale Dowden (@Dale_Dowden) July 9, 2025
Solid pick-up by @Coach_Nez_.
Jowell Combay X Brayden Rouse pic.twitter.com/u9TxdnQFid
Combay (6-foot-2, 190 pounds), who is projected to be a safety for the Vols, picked Tennessee over his final list of Missouri, Georgia, Wisconsin and South Carolina.
Last season, Combay was a first-team All-Region defensive back and was named the Region 6A-3 Athlete of the Year. He’s also ranked as the No. 51 safety in the nation and the No. 65 player in Georgia by On3.com.
Combay was offered by Tennessee in February and made an official visit to the school last month. He becomes the 20th commit to the Vols’ 2026 recruiting class, which is ranked 13th nationally and fifth in the SEC by On3.
The #Vols just landed their second major 2026 commitment from Georgia in a week.
— Ellie (@Ellie_Mai_) July 9, 2025
A big recruiting win for Josh Heupel and his staff.
- Brayden Rouse (Kell High School - Marietta, GA) ⭐️ 4-star linebacker that chose the Vols over Texas, Michigan and Alabama
- Jowell Combay (Kell… pic.twitter.com/4GsIniBvVb
It’s also not the first time this month Tennessee has received commitments from players attending the same high school.
Earlier this month, the Vols got commits from four-star prospects TJ White and Dereon Albert, who attend Jackson Academy in Jackson, Miss. White plays linebacker and Albert is a defensive lineman.
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