After not signing a quarterback in the 2014 recruiting cycle, Tennessee jumped out to an early start getting a verbal commitment from in-state star Jauan Jennings. The 4 star QB/ATH from Murfreesboro, TN had offers from a number of schools including Alabama, Auburn, Northwestern among many more. This committment can not be overstated as the Vols did not sign a quarterback last season.

Though many scouts have Jennings as a safety target, all the major schools that recruited him recruited him as a dual-threat quarterback. Tennessee currently has 4 quarterbacks on scholarship but that number is misleading to an extent. Justin Worley is a senior and will leave after this year. The remaining 3, Dobbs, Ferguson, and Peterman all are in do or die situations. Peterman is perceived as the lowest of the four and many expect him to transfer this year. With Worley leaving and at least one of the three other quarterbacks expected to transfer the starting job could very well still be up for grabs. 

Jennings' scouting report leaves some to be desired. Though he is a great runner, his passing skill is very raw. He had some good accuracy but his technique was flawed to say the least. He does fit the system that Coach Jones seems to want to put in place at least. A great athlete at the quarterback position opens up a new playbook entirely. Teams like Ohio State, Miami, and Michigan all have very good athletes at that position and it works out well for them.

Jennings passed for 1,465 yards and 14 touchdowns in his junior year, including rushing for 815 yards for an additional 10 touchdowns. He stands 6'2 and weighs about 165 pounds. He needs to add some weight before he is ready to play in the SEC, but he has the frame to have the size needed for a quarterback (or safety) in the SEC. The important thing to remember about these numbers is that it was his first year as a starting quarterback. He is still largely learning the position. His potential there is obvious, if he can tap into that and improve his ceiling could be higher than anybody would have guessed. 

Jennings offers much needed depth and competiton to the position for the Vols. If he refines his passing and improves on accuracy he could be a great asset for the Vols moving forward. The Vols are still targeting a few other quarterback prospects, most notably number 1 overall dual-threat quarterback Torrance Gibson. That would change the impact Jennings has on the team for sure, but it is still a great get for a team in need of a starting quarterback.