Another Saturday in July, another win for Tennessee football on the recruiting trail.
2025 four-star Toombs (Ga.) safety Lagonza 'Shaedy' Hayward has committed to Tennessee.
This choice comes over SEC foes Georgia and Florida.
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The 6-foot-1, 204-pound defensive back is the third Peach State prospect in as many weeks to decide to take their talents a bit north to Knoxville.
It started with Travis Smith Jr., then Christian Gass and now Hayward.
The addition of Hayward came as the Vols beat out two fierce rivals, which is always a huge plus. To be fair, UGA recruits nationally at an elite level, so they often have elite kids leave the state and it seems Josh Heupel and company are ready to take advantage.
The two other finalists were surely in the mix as both programs have a rich history of sending defensive backs to the league.
What propelled the Vols and helped them edge out some very stiff competition?
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: What you need to know ahead of a busy recruiting weekend for Tennessee
As Hayward is a four-star safety, Tennessee was knocking on the door before any of the stars and ratings began coming in. Early evaluations and jumping into action early gave the Vols a special place in the mix for the Toombs student-athlete.
They have been on the rising senior well before the others started showing up, so that edge was always in their favor. Getting the talented defensive back on campus and showing their genuine approach as well as building relationships with other prospects and commits has really moved the needle for Hayward.
Willie Martinez deserves a lot of credit on this for evaluating a young player so early and correctly that it allowed the Vols win the battle over one of the nation's best teams and another team that over the last two decades has succeed on the trail.
This may not be the last four-star safety that ends up choosing Rocky Top as his collegiate home, too.
2025 four-star safety Onis Konanbanny is back on campus this weekend and an announcement could happen at any moment.
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