Tennessee adds four-star two-way recruit Moa
Heupel joins the SEC Now desk to discuss how the Volunteers are going to have to grow up fast to be ready to play at an elite level this season. (2:33)
Tennessee added its second top-100 pledge of the week when four-star two-way prospect Salesi Moa, No. 35 in the 2026 ESPN 300, announced his commitment to the Vols on Thursday afternoon.
Moa, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound recruit from Utah's Fremont High School, is ESPN's No. 5 wide receiver and No. 2 prospect in the state of Utah in 2026. A son of former NFL running back and UFC fighter Ben Moa, he chose Tennessee over finalists Utah, Michigan, Washington and Michigan State with plans to enroll in January following his senior season.
Talent evaluators view Moa as a legitimate two-way prospect at the next level. He told ESPN that he intends to play both wide receiver and defensive back when he joins the Vols in 2026.
After Moa pushed back his commitment date of July 5 earlier this month, Tennessee and Utah remained the most involved programs in his process before the Vols pulled away in a recruitment led primarily by fifth-year Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope.
"They rolled out the red carpet when I went there," Moa told ESPN. "They showed me everything they could do for me. Coach Pope made me know it was the right place for me to get developed into an NFL player. They do that every year."
Moa's commitment arrives only days after the Vols secured the pledge of four-star prospect Joel Wyatt (No. 66 overall) on Monday. He now trails only five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon (No. 8) as the second-ranked commit among nine ESPN 300 prospects in Tennessee's 2026 class, which landed at No. 15 in ESPN's latest class rankings released earlier this week.
Moa's father was a Mackey Award semifinalist at Utah in 2003, went on to stints in the NFL with the Dolphins and Jets, and later launched an ultimate fighting career. Moa is also the brother of Michigan State linebacker Aisea Moa and UConn's Sione Moa.
The younger Moa began his high school career at Utah's Weber High School before transferring to Fremont before the 2024 season. Moa hauled in 58 catches for 800 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior last fall, adding 40 tackles and two interceptions on defense.
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