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Tennessee football: Top five needs for 2023 recruiting class

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel during an SEC football game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021.Kns Tennessee Kentucky Football
Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel during an SEC football game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021.Kns Tennessee Kentucky Football /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 15: Tennessee Volunteers live mascot Smokey X preparing to lead the team out during the game between the UTEP Miners and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-0. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 15: Tennessee Volunteers live mascot Smokey X preparing to lead the team out during the game between the UTEP Miners and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-0. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

4. Quarterback

Hendon Hooker made a huge splash with his decision to return for a final season of eligibility. Expectations for Tennessee football’s passing attack are through the roof with him throwing the ball to Cedric Tillman in a second year of Josh Heupel’s offense. However, what the Vols do after Hooker matters just as much.

On paper, they seem to be fine, as Joe Milton III will have a year of eligibility left in 2023, Navy Shuler has just transferred to the program and Tayven Jackson, the four-star dual-threat committed in 2022, is the quarterback of the future. However, more competition is needed.

Shuler transferred from the Appalachian State Mountaineers, so expectations are low for him. Milton didn’t give anybody a reason to believe in him with his play this past year. Jackson is a completely unknown commodity. In an open competition, more help is needed.

Heupel needs to sign another quarterback for 2023 so he can have a true four-man race. Unless that quarterback is a graduate transfer, it’s likely we’ll have no idea who wins the race in 2023, but having four quarterbacks increases your chances to find the right one. It also increases your options if you picked wrong, as Heupel did with Milton in 2021.

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