Jarrett Guarantano
Quarterback – 2016 Class
6’4, 200 pounds
Oradell, NJ. (Bergen Catholic)
Other top offers
Ohio State, Penn State, Alabama, Clemson, Rutgers
Status
Guarantano went big in announcing for the Vols in April, releasing a Bleacher Report-produced video in Times Square with his decision to commit to Tennessee over Ohio State and Rutgers being revealed at the end. As he said in the video, that was his choice. There was certainly a lot of pressure for him to stay home and play at Rutgers, where his dad, Jim, was a star receiver, but Guarantano felt comfortable with the Vols. It also helped that Butch Jones was a GA at Rutgers when Jim was there – giving the Vols a connection. That pressure won’t go away anytime soon, but there’s no reason at this point to think that he won’t end up a Vol in February.
Ratings
247Sports: ★★★★
ESPN.com: ★★★★
Rivals.com: ★★★★
Scout.com: ★★★★
RTI average: 4-stars
How He Fits
The Vols will likely only take one quarterback this class after taking three in 2015 (Quinten Dormady, Jauan Jennings and Sheriron Jones) to go along with rising junior Joshua Dobbs, who most likely will still be on the roster in 2016, though there are no guarantees on that front.
It’s fair to say that UT would be glad to hold onto Guarantano and call it a day at that position. And while it’s not a pressing need because there could be as many as four quarterbacks on the roster in 2016, Dobbs would be a rising senior at that point and odds, and history, point to at least one of the quarterbacks in the 2015 class seeking other options within a year or two. So landing one really good QB prospect in the 2016 class is important to keep depth and competition healthy at the most important position on the roster.
Guarantano has fantastic size, a cannon arm and great athleticism for the position as well. He’s a picture-perfect example of what would be ideal in Butch Jones’ offense. There’s a reason he’s one of the top overall QBs in this class and it wouldn’t be stunning to see him get that fifth star at some point in the recruiting process.
Video
