Tennessee football transfer QBs given tier 3 rating by CFB writer
Despite all the questions surrounding Tennessee football heading into the season, Josh Heupel has a collection of quarterbacks he can pick from to run his system his first year. The Vols have five scholarship QBs on the roster, four of whom had four-star ratings or above.
What makes this possible is the addition of two transfers. Dual-threat Virginia Tech Hokies transfer quarterback Hendon Hooker joined UT back when Jeremy Pruitt was still head coach. Michigan Wolverines transfer Joe Milton joined when Heupel took over.
Both of those guys make the competition much more fierce. However, even as a collective, they were only given a Tier 3 rating by Ben Kercheval of CBS Sports. It appears that the competition at the position is due to that rating. Here’s what Kercheval said about the quarterbacks on Rocky Top.
"Milton, who got off to a great start in the Week 1 game against Minnesota before regressing, will reportedly join the team after he graduates from Michigan in May. That might delay his real impact on the quarterback race until 2022.…Hooker has the physical tools to give first-year coach Josh Heupel the kind of playmaker he enjoyed at UCF with Dillon Gabriel, though Hooker is a more notable threat with his legs. The Vols might not be all that good in 2021, but Hooker gives them a chance to be a lot of fun."
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It is true that the biggest reason these players could be at a lower tier is actually a testament to how deep the position is right now. The Vols still have Harrison Bailey, a 2020 five-star pocket passer, back from last year, along with incoming four-star dual-threat Kaidon Salter. Brian Maurer is another dual-threat who was a three-star in 2019.
Although he’s behind the other quarterbacks since he won’t enroll until after May, as Kercheval noted, don’t sleep on Milton. He was the one player Heupel specifically targeted, and Heupel recruited him when he was offensive coordinator of the Missouri Tigers as well. Simply put, Heupel may give him a stronger look in August.
If not, Hooker would likely seem to be the favorite to start, which could push this group up one. After all, Salter was held out of spring ball due to his indefinite suspension, and Hooker’s experience and mobility could pay off.
Heupel could still be using this year as a stopgap year at quarterback until he gets his guy next year. Either way, though, Tennessee football is in a pretty good situation with its quarterbacks, and Milton and Hooker both make that easier.