Tennessee football makes cut for 2023 in-state QB Chris Parson

Josh Heupel already has his quarterback for 2022 in elite Indiana dual-threat Tayven Jackson. Also, even with the dismissal of Kaidon Salter, Tennessee football could have Harrison Bailey and Brian Maurer in 2023 along with Jackson.

Still, it’s necessary to keep recruiting quarterbacks, and the Vols are now trending for an in-state prospect in 2023 out of the Nashville suburbs. The Vols are in the top eight for Brentwood, Tenn. signal-caller Chris Parson, a four-star on Rivals and three-star on 247Sports who is not yet rated on ESPN. Parson will announce his decision on July 22.

Joining Tennessee football on Parson’s list are the Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Miami Hurricanes, Louisville Cardinals, TCU Horned Frogs, Kentucky Wildcats and Alcorn State Braves. He announced the schools Tuesday night on Twitter.

Listed as a pro-style on Rivals but a dual-threat on ESPN, Parson stands at 6’0″ and weighs in the range of 190 to 210 pounds. That suggests he’s a guy with mobility who is a drop-back passer first. He comes out of Williamson County’s Ravenwood High School.

Obviously, the Vols need to keep landing quarterbacks each class. It’s likely that only one quarterback between Bailey and Maurer will still be on the roster in 2023. Even with Jackson still there, Heupel needs to be able to go three-deep.

It’s possible Parson is his pick to keep that rotation going. Although he probably has other options, keeping quarterbacks like Parson within the state can be a big help. Of course, with Arch Manning in that class, Heupel could be thinking bigger as well.

Currently, FSU is the unanimous favorite to land Parson on the Rivals Future Cast and the 247Sports Crystal Ball. They are also the majority favorite to land him on the Rivals Fan Future Cast. As a result, Tennessee football could be in for a tough fight trying to keep him within the state, but if they can, he’d help set the Vols up for the future.