When the 2024 season rolls around, the SEC is loaded with quality quarterbacks. In a few years, it should rank among the conference’s best teams; the arrivals of Oklahoma and Texas have undoubtedly changed the picture going into the upcoming year.
Prior to the next season, Brad Crawford of 247Sports ranked the starting quarterbacks in the SEC from 1 to 16. Nico Iamaleava, the quarterback for Tennessee, is first on the list of starters who haven’t received significant playing time. We’ve only seen one start from him, but it was a masterful annihilation of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Crawford talked about Iamaleava’s prospects going into his first full-season campaign as a starter.
Wilson has made one unofficial visit to Knoxville, Tennessee. On April 1, 2023, he made a visit that stayed with him. Tennessee was included in Wilson’s final eight-school list that he unveiled on Tuesday. Going ahead, his priorities will be Florida, Florida State, Maryland, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. He gave On3’s Chad Simmons an explanation of his list, which you can read here. Look below to see what he said about Tennessee.
“I had an amazing experience during my visit there. Twice in the last two weeks, the coaches visited my school to speak with me. They’ve demonstrated to me that they have a fantastic plan for me. The instructors’ unwavering desire for me means a lot to me.” Trent Wilson to Chad Simmons of On3 about Tennessee
Given that Alabama head coach Nick Saban recently announced his retirement, one has to worry if the Crimson Tide are about to regress.
It’s difficult to envision Alabama sustaining that after Saban’s amazing run. Alabama still has a lot of skill, and head coach Kalen DeBoer is a great guy. There has been a significant departure, though, and DeBoer will need to demonstrate that he can attract players on par with Saban.
With the pledge of George MacIntyre, another five-star quarterback, on Monday, Tennessee football is as well-positioned as any programme to take advantage of a drop off from Alabama.
MacIntyre is from Brentwood, Tennessee, and is six feet five. In the 2025 class, he is ranked 15th overall by the 247 Sports Composite rankings. Not only does he rank third among quarterbacks, but the Vols have selected a quarterback ranked in the top three for the second time in three classes.
The previous No. 2 quarterback in the 2023 class is Nico Iamaleava. Being an extremely skilled athlete, he is prepared to guide the Vols into the 2024 campaign. It’s likely that he will play for the next two seasons, after which, if all goes as planned, he will depart Tennessee football to play in the NFL.
Prior to 2025, when Iamaleava would be starting his junior season, MacIntyre would be eligible to sign on. It looks like Tennessee football will have a five-star quarterback playing for the next four to five years if MacIntyre decides to redshirt and play for another two to three seasons.
Tennessee football under Josh Heupel has failed to make it to either the College Football Playoff or the SEC title game. However, with it growing to 12 teams this season, it appears that the Vols will make that move shortly. Tennessee, with its exceptionally bright quarterback future, is the only SEC programme that seems likely to benefit from an Alabama drop-off.
On Tuesday morning, Tennessee received significant news on the offensive line. Glen Elarbee, the offensive line coach, will benefit greatly from the return of offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins in 2024. Only a few days have passed since Lance Heard, the offensive tackle for LSU, announced his transfer to the University of Tennessee. Nico Iamaleava, a redshirt freshman quarterback, now has a solid group of offensive linemen at his disposal in Tennessee.
