Butch Jones and his staff landed what might possibly be the most important piece in their 2016 recruiting class Wednesday.
Jarrett Guarantano, a consensus four-star quarterback out of Oradell, New Jersey, chose the Vols over Ohio State, Rutgers and more than two dozen other offers. Guarantano is the No. 131 overall player in the country according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and he is Tennessee’s highest rated commit in the 2016 class.
Guarantano’s commitment signifies a change that has happened in Knoxville over the last few seasons.
The Vols pulled in three quarterbacks with a four-star rating last season in Butch Jones’s second full recruiting class, and he helped bring in two four-star quarterbacks in the 2013 class as well, including current starter Josh Dobbs. The Vols have asserted themselves as players in the biggest names around the country, something that had fallen to the wayside in the few years before Jones took the helm.
Guarantano also chose the Vols over the Ohio State, the reigning National Champions. Buckeye head coach, Urban Meyer, is a renowned quarterback guru who has coached the likes of Tim Tebow and has three quarterbacks on the roster at Ohio State who are predicted to be NFL prospects. Landing Guarantano over Meyer and the Buckeyes shows Jones and the Vols are able to go toe-to-toe with top programs around the country.
Adding Guarantano this early in the 2016 recruiting cycle is also a huge benefit for the rest of the class. As it stands right now, the Vols have seven commits in the 2016 class, with four of those players rated as four-stars.
With Guarantano now in the fold, more high profile players should start flocking to the Vols. Adding an elite quarterback has proven to be one of the most significant boosts to a recruiting class, as other elite talent will follow a top quarterback to a school to play with them.
The Vols desperately need running back commitments to bolster their depth at the position, and improving their wide receiver numbers is also a top priority. With Guarantano’s commitment, players like four-star running back Elijah Holyfield, four-star wide receiver Diondre Overton, and four-star wide receiver Mykel Jones might give Tennessee more thought.
In limited action his junior year, Guarantano threw for 887 yards and 8 touchdowns while running for 340 more yards and four rushing scores. His 6-foot-4, 200 pound frame and 4.59 second 40-yard dash time is strikingly similar to Dobbs’s size and mobility.
Quarterback is the most important position on the field for any team, but especially one that runs the style of offense that Jones and the Vols run. Guarantano can run just as well as he can pass, and he has the potential to be one of the most talented quarterbacks the Vols have landed in recent memory.
