Davis Cochran’s early top-eight cuts to Tennessee among finalists for 2027

Tennessee is among the schools in the top eight for 2027 in-state power forward Davis Cochran, a decision that helps map the Vols’ recruiting priorities for next year’s signing class. Cochran, a Brentwood High School product, included the hometown program along with several national programs in the list he released as he continues to evaluate where he might fit best.

According to recruiting reporting cited by Vols Wire, On3’s Joe Tipton identified Cochran’s top eight as Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Clemson, Virginia and Cincinnati. The list is an early milestone in a recruiting cycle that is still fluid, but it is also a sign that the Vols are competing for a high-level frontcourt piece rather than simply monitoring the market from the outside.

The same reporting places Cochran at 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, and it frames him as one of Tennessee’s key in-state targets for the 2027 class. 247Sports is referenced as ranking him No. 24 among power forwards in the class and No. 3 in Tennessee, giving the Vols another indicator of why they would consider him a priority if he stays in Tennessee’s orbit.

Tennessee offered Cochran a scholarship on June 13, and the reporting also notes he had not visited the Vols at the time of publication. That detail matters because official and unofficial visits often change how recruits and staff view proximity, usage, and development plans. With Cochran’s top eight set, Tennessee’s next steps likely center on getting him on campus and continuing to build a relationship while he compares other programs that have also shown interest.

The Vols are still in the building stage for 2027, with no commitment reported in Tennessee’s 2027 recruiting class at the time of the update. Meanwhile, the reporting cited by Vols Wire describes four commitments already in Tennessee’s 2026 class, including two frontcourt pieces and two guards. In that context, Cochran’s top-eight list does not automatically mean a near-term commitment, but it does add clarity to who Tennessee is positioning itself to recruit at a key position of need.

Cochran’s list also reflects the kind of competition Tennessee faces for elite in-state talent. Several of the schools on his top eight are frequent players in the national recruiting conversation, from SEC and Big 12 programs to blueblood-adjacent programs and teams known for developing NBA-caliber forwards. For Tennessee, the challenge will be turning “named in the group” into a sustained recruiting push that leads to visits and, eventually, a decision.

Cochran’s recruitment is one to watch through the summer and into the fall, particularly as he sets official visit plans and the schools on his list continue to court him. If Tennessee can convert that early scholarship offer into on-campus momentum, it could create a meaningful step toward a 2027 class shaped by an in-state forward who already sees the Vols as a serious option. Until a commitment is announced, though, the top-eight status should be treated as a promising development rather than a conclusion.