Tennessee Football Quarterback Target Announces Commitment Date

Tennessee could be landing its quarterback of the future soon.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel shakes University of Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White hand after winning a NCAA football game against Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Oct. 25, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Over the past couple of years, Tennessee has landed some big names at the quarterback position. In 2023, the Vols landed five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Then, in 2024, they signed Jake Merklinger, who ended up being a four-star but was at one point a five-star.

Similarly, George MacIntyre signed with Tennessee in the 2025 class as a five-star but was eventually dropped to a four-star. Then in last year’s recruiting cycle, Tennessee signed Faizon Brandon, who was the nation’s top quarterback prospect and a five-star recruit.

While not all of these players have panned out, it goes to show the top-notch recruiting work Heupel has done over the past few years. Tennessee also currently holds a commitment from Derrick Baker in the 2027 class.

As for the 2028 class, more quarterbacks are beginning to come off the board early. Five-star Christopher Vargas committed to Ohio State a few days ago, joining other top quarterbacks such as Jayden Wade, Kingston Preyear, and Neimann Lawrence, among other 2028 quarterbacks who have already committed.

Now, it seems as if it is Tennessee’s turn to get its quarterback of the future.

Tennessee Quarterback Target Announces Commitment Date

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Four-star quarterback Kaden Craft has been a target for Tennessee for some time now, and he recently announced that he will be committing on August 17th. The quarterback from Lake Norman (North Carolina) is ranked as high as the third-best quarterback in the country (ESPN rankings).

Along with Tennessee, Craft also included Florida, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Oregon in his top six.

Tennessee seems to have a slight edge as he recently received a crystal ball prediction from Rivals.

He visited Tennessee back in May, and we will see if Tennessee has done enough to land the talented signal-caller in a few days.

As a sophomore, he totaled 30 touchdowns, with an incredible 13 of them coming on the ground. Also, he only threw four interceptions in 12 games as he led his Lake Norman squad to an 8-4 record. He is also on the basketball team.

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