One intriguing aspect of college football recruiting has always been that a verbal commitment didn’t necessarily mean a player was firmly secured. Often, when a recruit committed to one school, it only intensified the efforts of competing schools to flip the player. This was especially true when a rival school believed they were close to winning the recruit and saw other recruiters backing off after the commitment.
This dynamic has led to significant recruit flips over the years. In the era of the transfer portal, the pressure on schools to retain their top recruits is constant.
Currently, Oregon is facing a challenge with their 4-star tight end commit, Da’Saahn Brame from Derby, Kansas. Brame committed to the Ducks in late June, but less than a month later, Steve Wiltfong of On3 reported that Tennessee has ramped up its recruitment efforts for Brame. It appears increasingly likely that Brame might end up with the Volunteers.
“A new forecast we have in favor of Tennessee is for the Vols to ultimately flip the nation’s No. 4 tight end DaSaahn Brame from Oregon,” Wiltfong wrote recently. “Position coach Alec Abeln has stayed relentless in recruiting Brame. … Tennessee lost a back and forth with the Ducks at the end of June but are trending again behind the scenes for the Derby (Kan.) High blue-chipper.”
Abeln has been instrumental in securing several major commitments for Tennessee, including another 2025 four-star tight end, Jack Van Dorselaer, despite strong interest from TCU, Michigan, Alabama, Baylor, USC, Texas, and Miami. Abeln’s persistence in recruiting battles is well-known.
Adding to Tennessee’s advantage, Brame recently praised the Vols’ head coach, Josh Heupel. “I like how much he cares for his players,” Brame said of Heupel after an official visit to Tennessee. “I sat down with some of the tight ends and they were talking about how much he cares and how he reaches out to their parents and lets them know how they’re doing.”
If Tennessee can successfully flip Brame, it will be a significant recruiting victory. At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Brame is ranked as the No. 5 tight end in the 2025 class by 247Sports. He caught 46 passes for 942 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior at Derby High School.
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