The Tennessee Volunteers secured their third five-star commitment of the 2026 recruiting cycle after landing two-way athlete Salesi Moa. Tennessee now owns the No. 10 recruiting class in the country, according to 247Sports.
Previously, the Vols already had two other five-stars in the class of 2026, including the No. 1 quarterback, Faizon Brandon, and the No. 4 offensive tackle, Gabriel Osenda, according to 247Sports. These players are not the only five-stars that Tennessee targeted; the Vols are also in the mix for the No. 1 running back, Savion Hiter, and the No. 1 interior offensive lineman, Darius Gray.
Both Hiter and Gray have commitment dates scheduled in August. Hiter announced that he will make his commitment on Aug. 19, and Gray will make his decision on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. ET. Tennessee and the Michigan Wolverines are seemingly the frontrunners for Hiter, while the Vols are battling Ohio State, Clemson, South Carolina, and LSU for Gray.
Here is a look at the Vols’ newest commit:
Salesi Moa
Hailing from Ogden, Utah, Moa is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound five-star prospect and the No. 2 athlete in the nation for the class of 2026, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. Currently, he plays wide receiver and safety for Fremont High School in Plain City, Utah, and he also has a pivotal role on special teams in the return game.
As a junior in 2024, Moa appeared in 12 games, catching 58 passes for 800 yards and 10 touchdowns. On defense, he recorded 40 tackles and two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns. Also, while serving kick and punt return duties, Moa finished with a total of 335 yards.
During 2023, Moa had an even better performance on offense, securing 820 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns off just 56 receptions. Defensively, he hauled in one interception and added 31 tackles.
Moa even appeared in 11 games as a freshman in 2022. During those games, he caught seven touchdowns for 865 yards on 49 receptions.
Moa’s athleticism should come as no surprise considering his family background. He has two older brothers who play college football. His brother, Aisea Moa, played three seasons with BYU and is currently a linebacker for Michigan State.
His other brother, Sione Moa, played one season at Utah State and is currently entering his third season with BYU as a linebacker. Also, their father, Ben Moa, played two seasons with the Miami Dolphins and had a 5-2 record in professional mixed martial arts.
In addition to being a two-way star athlete, Moa also runs track at his high school. In April 2025, he set his personal best in the 100-meter dash, clocking 10.74 seconds. He’s also had three pass attempts during his high school football career, all of which were completions, including a touchdown pass during his sophomore season.
Needless to say, Moa will be a massive addition to the Vols once he arrives on campus. With the offseason news of Tennessee’s safety Boo Carter getting reps at wide receiver, it could be a real possibility that Moa gets reps on both sides of the ball for the Volunteers. However, he will most likely primarily act as a wide receiver, which is a position Tennessee is desperately trying to add depth to after losing several receivers in the transfer portal following the 2024 season.
However, Moa’s athleticism makes him an exciting player to keep an eye on, and he is one of the crown jewels for Tennessee’s 2026 recruiting class. If the Vols also land Hiter and Gray in August, then they could end up with a top-five recruiting class for next season.
