Tennessee HC Josh Heupel visits 5-star CB Joshua Dobson

Fort Mill (S.C.) Catawba Ridge five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson continues to get more and more familiar with Tennessee.

He’s already taken four-plus visits to Knoxville. This week, Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel and new cornerbacks coach Michael Hunter Jr. made their way to the Palmetto State and paid a visit to the standout defensive back.

There’s been some changes to Tennessee’s defensive staff, but Dobson continues to keep the program near the top of his recruitment. When speaking with Rivals’ Chad Simmons last week, Dobson noted that he has the tightest relationship with assistant secondary coach Earnest Thomas III.

“If he left, it would definitely be a setback and I would be really interested to see who they bring in,” Dobson said. “I love what coach Thomas has been able to do with the guys. He’s a young coach too and it took a lot to do what he did this season.”

Tennessee was an early offer for Dobson and it hasn’t let up. South Carolina won’t be keen on letting the five-star leave home, while the likes of LSU, Auburn and Notre Dame are also squarely in the mix entering 2026. Dobson says his commitment could come whenever the time feels right.

“If a school is standing out to me, I love everything about them and I’m ready to commit, I’m going to make it happen,” he told Simmons.

Dobson is the No. 5 overall prospect and No. 2 corner in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the top-ranked junior in South Carolina.

To date, Tennessee has four commits in its 2027 class. Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Siegel four-star offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo and Summerville (Ga.) Chattooga four-star defensive lineman Kadin Fife. In the 2026 cycle, the Vols signed a pair of blue-chip defensive backs in top-100 safety Joel Wyatt and four-star CB Zaydyn Anderson.

Joshua Dobson Scouting Summary

Rivals’ Scouting and Rankings Team writes this of Dobson as a prospect:

“Technically refined corner prospect with rare top-end speed and physical build. 6-foot-1, 180-plus pounds with over a 6-foot-5 wingspan. Excellent weight distribution throughout his frame. Can run with anyone on the field. Ran 10.78 in the 100m during his sophomore track season. Explosive and fluid athlete with tremendous change of direction. Very calm footwork and patience in coverage. Does an excellent job locating the football and playing through the receiver’s hands. Needs to continue developing physicality in run support, but is extremely advanced in cover ability.”