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National Analyst Says Tennessee Has Best QB Room In CFB

On3's JD Pickell went through the exercise of ranking college football's top quarterback rooms and came away thinking the Tennessee Volunteers have the best group.
Evan Crowell|
National Analyst Says Tennessee Has Best QB Room In CFB
National Analyst Says Tennessee Has Best QB Room In CFB

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Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee and quarterback excellence are quickly becoming synonymous. The Vols produced an all-time NFL great, Peyton Manning, but that was before the new millennium. Many programs have one-off success stories, but head coach Josh Heupel is creating a trend.

Hendon Hooker spent two seasons with Heupel on Rocky Top after leaving Virginia Tech. 24 months later, he could become a second-round draft pick, according to reports. You can see a similar improvement in Joe Milton III, the presumed 2023 starter; he threw ten touchdowns and zero interceptions in 2022 after spending the first few years of his career at Michigan as one of the most inaccurate, turnover-prone players in the sport.

On3's JD Pickell recognized these developments when he ranked the top quarterback rooms in college football for the 2023 campaign. Quarterbacks succeed under Heupel, period. It's a safe bet to assume that whoever gets the bulk of the reps will succeed. It happened with McKenzie Milton at UCF, Drew Lock at Missouri, and Landry Jones at Oklahoma; Heupel breeds production.

The selling point for this season's quarterback room isn't even Heupel. Milton and freshman phenom Nico Iamaleava are easily two of the most physically gifted players in the sport. Milton is 6-5 and 245 pounds with a rocket attached to his right arm. There isn't a throw he can't make, and he has impressive athleticism at a towering stature.

Meanwhile, Iamaleava has No. 1 NFL Draft pick intangibles. He's 6-6 and 200 pounds with long arms and a quick release. While his arm isn't as strong as Milton's, it's much more talented; he routinely makes off-platform throws, can change his arm angle, and has unique improvisational skills.

Their sheer talent at the position will breed competition in spring practice. Projecting that Tennessee's quarterback room will be tops in the sport isn't even betting on Milton; he may only start part of the year. It's betting on the winner surviving an all-out brawl over the next six months, being pushed by savvy veterans, talented young players, and their coaching staff.

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Evan Crowell
EVAN CROWELL

Evan Crowell is currently pursuing a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and has various media experiences throughout his young career. He's been committed to marrying the fan's perspective of the game of football to the technical intricacies installed in each game by coaches and players. Crowell has been working at Fan Nation since 2020 and has covered high-profile college football games, recruiting events, and more during that five-year tenure. While he never played football, he's worked relentlessly to continue improving his understanding of the game while still covering the unique stories of each individual he covers.

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