What we're hearing about Asa Barnes decision, Tennessee or Arkansas rumors

Tennessee football hopes to land in-state standout Asa Barnes as a 2027 backfield sidekick to David Gabriel Georges .

Barnes is a three-star running back from Martin Westview. He is ranked the No. 36 running back and No. 551 player overall in the 2027 class. But he's coveted by the Vols to a degree beyond his recruit rating.

Barnes will announce his commitment at 5 p.m. ET on July 29.

If he picks Tennessee, Barnes will join Gabriel Georges, a five-star running back already committed to the Vols . And UT would become only the fifth team to land multiple top-40 running backs in the 2027 class.

Here's what you need to know about Barnes and his upcoming decision.

Who is Tennessee's competition to land Asa Barnes?

Barnes listed Tennesee, Arkansas , Florida State and Southern Cal as his finalists. But his options have narrowed to UT and Arkansas. He alternated official visits to those two schools this summer.

It appears Tennessee and Arkansas are both in play.

After his official visit to UT, Barnes told On3.com that the Vols are in a "very good spot right now. It’s hard to top Rocky Top after this visit."

But Arkansas has a shot because of Barnes' strong relationship with running backs coach David Johnson. He initially recruited Barnes at Florida State and then Arkansas.

When will Asa Barnes announce his commitment?

Barnes will announce his commitment at 5 p.m. ET on July 29. It will be live streamed on the Rivals YouTube channel.

Predictions for Asa Barnes commitment

Tennessee is the favorite to land Barnes.

In the latest predictions, On3.com recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong picked the Vols with 80% confidence. Chad Simmons picked the Vols with 70% confidence.

That's not enough for Tennessee to rest on its laurels, but it's a good sign as the commitment announcement nears.

Why is Asa Barnes so coveted despite three-star rating?

On the surface, Barnes looks like a solid recruit. He's rated a three-star prospect and holds a handful of Power Four scholarship offers.

But Barnes' skillset and the timing of his announcement make him a coveted recruit. Among the top 40 running backs in the 2027 class, only five are uncommitted. Barnes is one of them, meaning he's the last shot for some schools to add a quality ball-carrier.

Only Auburn, LSU, Alabama and Notre Dame have two top-40 running backs in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports Composite rankings . Tennessee will join the list if Barnes picks the Vols.

Barnes, a 5-foot-11, 200-pounder, is a versatile offensive weapon. He helped Westview go undefeated and win the Class 3A state title. In the BlueCross Bowl, he had 207 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns as a rusher, receiver and returner. He is also a standout in basketball and track and field.

How would Asa Barnes pair with David Gabriel Georges?

If Barnes chooses Tennessee, he would be viewed as a complementary piece to Gabriel Georges , the first five-star running back committed to UT during Josh Heupel 's tenure.

Barnes knew that Gabriel Georges could commit to the Vols. But it's notable how that could impact his decision. On June 21, a month before Gabriel Georges picked UT, Barnes told 247Sports that he saw an opportunity for immediate playing time with the Vols.

"I know they'll probably lose (starting running back DeSean Bishop ) next year, but they're deep and they have a good support system where I feel I could come in and thrive," Barnes said. "So that's really one of the most important things to me, is really just being able to come in and play early and do the good stuff to help me reach that next level."

Bishop, an All-SEC performer and 1,000-yard rusher, could enter the 2027 NFL Draft after this season or return for one more year. Tulane transfer Javin Gordon, Daune Morris and Justin Baker are sophmores, so they could return in 2027 or consider the transfer portal.

Tennessee football commitments in 2027 class

The early signing period is Dec. 2-4, 2026. Tennessee has 18 commitments in its 2027 recruiting class before Barnes' decision.

In-state players top the list, led by Gabriel Georges. Oak Ridge tight end Malik Howard , Brentwood Academy wide receiver KeSean Bowman , Brentwood Academy linebacker Kenneth Simon and Siegel offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo are four-star prospects.

Safety Marcus Jones (Haverford, Pennsylvania), offensive tackle Q’Mari Hudson (Chesapeake, Virginia) and offensive tackle Niko Kampas (Kaarst, Germany) are also rated four stars.

Goodpasture cornerback Brandon Leavell , Haywood safety Jaden Butler , Maryville linebacker JP Peace and South Pittsburg wide receiver Dayon Cooper are three-star commitments from Tennessee.

Quarterback Derrick Baker (Alpharetta, Georgia), cornerback  Carter Jamison (Fairburn, Georgia) and cornerback Dylan Haley (Flowery Branch, Georgia) are also three-star commitments.

Junior college defensive lineman Christian Mays (Booneville, Mississippi), long snapper Sam McKeown (Jenks, Oklahoma) and placekicker Ford Fehling (Waxhaw, North Carolina) are not rated by 247Sports Composite.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected] . X, formerly known as Twitter @AdamSparks . Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe .

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What we're hearing about Asa Barnes decision, Tennessee or Arkansas rumors

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