The amount of quarterback talent in Neyland Stadium will be phenomenal on Saturday. That has nothing to do with Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.
I’m sure you’ve heard all the talk about how talented Richardson is. If not for the fact that the Richardson had played three games and struggled mightily, he would be considered one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC. However, things have not quite gone as planned. Richardson has looked more like a player with confidence issues than one that has a bright future. Some have said Richardson will be an early selection in the NFL Draft. Maybe, but his talent certainly doesn’t overshadow what the Vols have under center.
Let’s start with Hendon Hooker. He’s a proven commodity. The senior has set school records by the boatloads since assuming Tennessee’s starting role last season and was named a second-team preseason All-SEC award winner. He’s bona fide.
Then, there’s everyone’s favorite prospect, Nico Iamaleava, who will be in attendance for the Florida game. Iamaleava, who is from Warren High School in Downey, Calif., is the highest-rated prospect that Tennessee has ever had committed since such rankings began in the late 1990’s. Iamaleava is rated as the No. 3 overall prospect in the country and the No. 2 quarterback in the nation. He’s just about as highly touted as one can be.
Wait, there’s more.
Joe Milton III is Hooker’s backup. Has Milton played as well as one might think given his athletic ability? No, but anyone that saw his touchdown pass against Akron can see his ability. I’m aware of the Ole Miss gaff, but if we’re talking talent, Milton has an abundance of ability.
Surely, there’s a huge fall off after that, right? With the transfer portal, which Milton shrugged off after losing the starting job to Hooker, there aren’t many teams in the nation with a trio of talented quarterbacks. Tennessee does.
Most assume that Iamaleava will just step into the starting role next season when Hooker moves onto the NFL. That might be the case, but Tayven Jackson, who was rated the No. 12 quarterback in the 2022 class, isn’t just going to concede the position because Iamaleava has a high ranking and a reportedly monstrous NIL deal.
It’s hard to imagine the Vols being in a better situation at quarterback for the future. Surely, someone will be ready to play in Tennessee coach Josh Heupel’s system. That someone, whether it’s Milton, Jackson or Iamaleava, will most likely have success. Tennessee scores points with play design and an up-tempo approach. There are probably 50 quarterbacks in the nation that could have success with Heupel at the helm. Hooker is just one of them.
To be clear, I’m certainly not taking anything away from Hooker. He’s played incredibly well and has persevered through a bumpy college career to become a record-setting quarterback. Hooker should enjoy those records while he can. If Heupel and the crew of quarterbacks that surround him live up to their potential, those records won’t stand long.
Call me overly reminiscent, but I can’t help but think about the group of quarterbacks that Tennessee had in the early and mid 1990’s. They were pretty good.
There was some guy named Peyton Manning. He did okay. There was another named Brandon Stewart, who went onto a standout career at Texas A&M after being beaten out by Manning. Then, there was also a guy named Todd Helton, who could have been a standout quarterback if that whole baseball thing didn’t get in the way. That was a pretty talented trio.
Talent, however, only goes so far. It takes more than just talent to succeed. It takes a competitive drive to be the best in the room. If any of the quarterbacks on Tennessee’s roster next season don’t have that drive, the transfer portal is waiting. Perhaps Florida will have a spot open under center.
