2028 Tight End Lee Steele Details Game Day Visit with Tennessee Football

The Tennessee Volunteers moved to 4-1 (1-1) on the season after last Saturday's 24-14 victory over the Auburn Tigers. The winning effort by the Vols was spectated by several high school prospective athletes, some of which are no strangers to Knoxville.

2028 Orange Beach (AL) tight end Lee Steele made his return to Rocky Top as Tennessee football found the first conference win of the season. A game that had a few side narratives to add fuel to any already anticipated game.
Vols on SI caught up with Steele to breakdown the trip to Knoxville.

The Visit

"It was a great visit," Steele said.
"I really enjoyed being back in Knoxville with my family. The atmosphere, the fans, and the wat the coaches made us feel; made it a really special trip."

There was a lot going on for this game..
The Vols would debut the newest edition to the "Smokey Grey" uniforms as Adidas honored former Tennessee coach and legend, General Robert Neyland, a Neyland Legacy.
Former offensive coordinator under Josh Heupel would return as Alex Golesh is the head man at Auburn.

Steele was able to zero in on the highlights of the day from his perspective.
"The atmosphere around the game was incredible, but what stood out the most was the relationships with Coach (Josh) Heupel, Coach (Alec) Abeln, and the rest of the staff. They made me feel like a priority and showed me how they see me fitting into their program."

While on the subject of relationships, the bond between Steele and Abeln has been gradually growing since Steele was offered by the Vols in late July of 2025.

"It's grown a lot. Coach Abeln has been one of the coaches recruiting me the hardest, and he's been consistent from the beginning. We have a really good relationship and communicate a lot. I trust him, and I know he has a plan for me. I also met his parents after the game and really enjoyed how they interacted with my family," Steele told Vols on SI.

Speaking on the fit into the program, Steele is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound tight end that is a playmaker on the hardwood too. Yes, this football player is a small-forward on the basketball team. The Alabama product is very impactful in the passing game, but with the frame above, Steele will be able to add more weight.
Although many believe Steele will be a huge asset for any team in the passing game, specifically the redzone. Once a school is able to add some weight to that 6-foot-7 frame and develop the blocking skills, this could be a major player down the road.

"They made it clear that they believe I can be a difference-maker in their offense. They see me as a versatile player who can create mismatches and make an impact in multiple ways. They also emphasized developing me for the next level," Steel said of the message from Tennessee.

Steele had made a few trips to Tennessee over the last year or so, and the Orange Beach (AL) standout reveals what it is most intriguing about the Vols.
"The consistency. Every time I come to Tennessee, I feel the same energy from the coaches and the fans. Coach Heupel and Coach Abeln have recruited me really hard, and I know they genuinely want me there. The development and the way they use their tight ends also really stands out."

Steele has been assessing the Vols as much as the staff has been evaluating the junior tight end. After this most recent visit, what is the analysis on Tennessee? Where do things stand?

"Tennessee is definitely one of the schools at the top of my list right now. They've recruited me extremely hard, and I have a great relationship with Coach Heupel and Coach Abeln. I'm still going through the process and want to give other schools recruiting me fair opportunity," Steele says of where the process is at the moment.

Development was used a few times by Steele during the interview, and it makes much sense that it would be a big factor in terms of what is most important during this process as schools are being evaluated by the coveted tight end.
"NFL development is probably the biggest thing, along with finding the right offensive fit and an opportunity to play. The relationships with the coaches, the people around the program, and finding the right overall fit for me and my family are also really important."

Steele continues to have a busy fall ahead as there are plans to visit Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and potentially LSU. There are no dates solidified at the moment, so stay tuned as the Orange Beach student-athlete should be on the road over the next few weeks.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tennessee as 2028 Tight End Lee Steele Details Game Day Visit with Tennessee Football.