Hattiesburg (Mississippi) receiver [autotag]Tristen Keys[/autotag], well regarded as one of the top overall recruits in the class of 2026, narrowed his options down to 12 colleges on Friday, and the Florida Gators made the cut.
Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M and USC are the other 11 schools still in the race. The Rebels and MSU Bulldogs both have an in-state advantage, and the former has been pursuing him since his first semester of high school in 2023.
Keys has been a household name in Mississippi since he was a rising ninth grader and the Arkansas Razorbacks were first to offer him two years ago. Ole Miss and UNLV were the other early entries, followed by Florida State, Mississippi State and Tennessee in early 2024.
Although ranked on the initial class of 2026 lists, Keys didn’t crack the top 100 until he blew up over the summer of 2024. His offer count grew to over 20 and his travel schedule filled up for the fall.
Tennessee and Texas A&M appear to be the two teams out in front, with Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss also heavily in the mix. He made gameday visits to all five programs during the fall, stopping in Aggieland three times and Knoxville twice. He also went to Mississippi State, but Ole Miss feels like the in-state program with the better chances with Keys right now.
Florida joins race for Tristen Keys
Florida is a bit late to the race here, offering Keys around the turn of the new year but both parties have been in communication for a while.
“I like Florida,” Keys said to Gators Online. “They went through a little lump this year, but they got through it. It’s football and you’re going to have lumps. Overall, I love Florida and have to get down to the Swamp.”
The prospect of playing with DJ Lagway intrigues Keys, who saw the first-year Florida quarterback in action against Tennessee.
At 6-foot-2-inches and 175 pounds, Keys is a good size for an SEC receiver. His athleticism and speed are notable, but he’s likelier to go up for a ball over the top than blow by the coverage. With that said, there’s been some considerable improvement in his route running over recent years. There might not be a Jeremiah Smith or Ryan Williams in the class of 2026, but Keys has all the traits and abilities of a five-star recruit.
With the winter All-American circuit coming to a close, Keys plans to take official visits during and make a decision as early as March or April. He’s looking for a pass-first offense with a strong quarterback in his class and has mentioned name, image and likeness playing a factor to help his family. At the same time, Keys values strong relationships with coaches and feeling “at home.”
Recruiting Summary
| Service | Star Rating | Natl. Rank | Pos. Rank | State Rank |
| 247Sports Composite |  |
17 | 2 | 1 |
| On3 Industry Ranking | |
7 | 2 | 1 |
| Top247 | |
4 | 1 | 1 |
| On300 | |
9 | 2 | 1 |
| ESPN | |
21 | 4 | 1 |
| Rivals | |
23 | 3 | 1 |
Scouting Report
“A potential game-wrecker on the outside that can attack all three levels and constantly challenge defenses,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins said in a January 2024 report. “Pairs elite ball skills together with dynamic route running, superior athleticism and a long-levered frame. Creates separation with his suddenness and will break off defensive backs with snappy cuts.
“Attacks the football with confidence and has a rather high success rate in contested-catch situations, usually creating an advantage with his natural bounce. Competitive with the ball in his hands and can hit the throttle to capitalize on his catch-and-run opportunities.
“Shined on the offseason circuit at multiple events the summer after sophomore year before assembling elite junior tape for a Hattiesburg squad that went undefeated during the regular season. Might not ever be classified as a true burner, but has the skill set to emerge as a playmaker and trusted option on the perimeter for a College Football Playoff contender given the combination of size, fluidity and coordination.”
2024 Stats: 1,275 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on 58 receptions.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185
Visit History
Keys frequents the two in-state SEC programs the most. He first visited Ole Miss in January 2023, when the Rebels became the third school to offer him, after Arkansas and UNLV. He went to Mississippi State during the spring of 2023 and then took at least three separate trips to Ole Miss from September 2023 to March 2024.
He has also visited Alabama, Louisville, LSU and Michigan. He went to Florida State’s Seminole Showcase over the summer.
2024 Gameday Schedule
- Sept. 7; Auburn vs. California
- Sept. 14; Mississippi State vs. Toledo
- Sept. 21; LSU vs. UCLA
- Sept. 28; Ole Miss vs. Kentucky
- Oct. 5; Florida State vs.
- Oct. 12; Tennessee vs. Florida
- Oct. 26; Texas A&M vs. LSU
- Nov. 2; Tennessee vs. Kentucky
- Nov. 9; LSU vs. Alabama
- Nov. 16; Texas A&M vs. New Mexico State
- Nov. 30; Texas A&M vs. Texas
Keys also made a Junior Day visit to Auburn and has another planned with Alabama.
In addition to his top 12, Keys holds offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida State, Jackson State, Louisville, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Tulane, UNLV, UTSA, Western Kentucky and Wisconsin.
Crystal Ball/Predictions
Tom Loy, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, submitted a crystal ball prediction in favor of Tennessee with 6 out of 10 confidence on Oct. 16.
With no official predictions submitted, the On3 recruiting prediction machine favors in-state Ole Miss with 39.2% odds to land Keys, followed by Auburn (17.6%), Tennessee (15.1%) and three other programs tied at 6.6% for fourth place.
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