As Tennessee hosted top-ranked Georgia on the field, it also hosted a large group of high-end recruits, including Ensworth (Tenn.) defensive back Justin Hopkins.
It's always important to get the top in-state talent to campus and this visit gave one of the early standouts of the 2026 class a chance to see the Vols on a game day.
"Neyland Stadium was electrifying," said Hopkins. "Great atmosphere and energy from the very beginning. You can tell that fanbase is historic and love the rich traditions."
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While it is early in his recruitment, Hopkins has started to build some relationships with the staff at Tennessee.
"Coach (Danny) O’Rourke reached out over the summer and we have been in contact since then," said Hopkins. "I have also been in conversation with Coach (Willie) Martinez and I’ve gotten a better understanding of what he likes in defensive backs."
Martinez, the Vols' defensive backs coach, already likes Hopkins' versatility in the secondary.
"I’m a very versatile defensive back and I can play pretty much anywhere you put me on the field," said Hopkins. "So, it was great to hear from Coach Martinez that not only their cornerbacks, but also their safeties play a lot of drop-down man-coverage, as well."
During the visit, Hopkins had the opportunity to see two former Ensworth defensive backs step into bigger roles in a major game. This included Andre Turrentine who made his first career start.
"It was great being able to see former Tigers Andre Turrentine and William Wright get on the field and make big-time plays for the Vols," said Hopkins. "William has been like a big brother and mentor to me. He’s given me a lot of pointers and advice over the year, and we even plan on working out some during the off-season."
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The Ensworth connections didn't end there, though, as teammate Ethan Utley was also in attendance for the game.
"Ethan and I have known each other since fourth and fifth grade," said Hopkins. "It’s really cool that we get to be high school teammates. With his ability to put pressure on the quarterback, it allowed me to make a handful of major plays this year."
As a team, Ensworth had a strong season, finishing 8-3 in one of the toughest divisions in Tennessee high school football. During that season, Hopkins continued to grow his game.
"This year, we fell short of our ultimate goal of winning a state championship but I developed immensely from a physical and mental standpoint of the game," said Hopkins.
With the football season over at Ensworth, Hopkins is looking forward to battling against some of the best in the country this offseason with his training group, National Playmakers Academy.
"Coach Buck and Coach Vic have always encouraged me to train and compete with the best, and that’s what NPA is all about," said Hopkins. "Over Christmas break, I will be competing at the SuperMax Top 100 event at Ford Field in Detroit. NPA/Dreamteam has given me the opportunity to compete at the highest level of 7v7. I can't wait for the OT7 league to begin and compete amongst the best of the best in NOLA, Vegas, Miami and Houston."
As Hopkins continues to grow as a player, he looks forward to returning to see Tennessee.
"Recently, I have gotten to know Coach (Brandon) Lawson and he’s letting me know about on-campus visits and days I can come up in the spring," said Hopkins.
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