Tennessee has added several graduate transfer players this offseason to help fill some holes on the roster. The Vols have added three grad transfer players as of now, and they’re likely still looking to add another one or two if possible. And one national football analyst believes that one of the Vols’ newest players is the most intriguing grad transfer to watch heading into the 2018 season.
Mike Farrell, the national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, released his list of the 10 graduate transfer players to watch in 2018, and Stanford transfer quarterback Keller Chryst, who’s now with Tennessee, topped his list.
“I was never as high on him as some others because I worried about his competitiveness just based on a few camps and games I watched,” Farrell said of Chryst coming out of high school. “I wasn’t sold that he wanted it as much as some others, but his talent was too much to keep him outside the Rivals100. He could be an instant shot in the arm at quarterback for the struggling Vols offense.”
Chryst was rated as the No. 64 overall player and No. 2 pro-style quarterback in the 2014 class according to Rivals, and he served as Stanford’s starting quarterback for the last half of the 2016 season and the first part of the 2017 season. He threw for 1,926 yards, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing 55.4 percent of his passes while at Stanford. He also ran for 165 yards and three scores.
Though he won’t be joining Tennessee’s roster till after the spring semester, Chryst is considered by some to be the favorite to win the Vols’ starting quarterback job this fall. Right now, Tennessee only has rising redshirt sophomore Jarrett Guarantano and rising sophomore Will McBride on the roster during spring practices. Chryst and true freshman J.T. Shrout will join the battle in the fall.
But Chryst isn’t the only new addition to Tennessee’s roster who made Farrell’s list.
Coming in at No. 5 on Farrell’s top 10 is Michigan State grad transfer running back Madre London. The Vols added London as a grad transfer in early March, and he’s expected to come in and be an immediate contributor on offense this year.
“I loved his running style as a big back and thought he was a great fit for what Michigan State likes to do with its backs,” Farrell said of London. “Despite the injuries, I really like this fit for the Vols, as well, because he will keep his legs churning and he will get some tough yardage and help wear down defenses. I thought he was under-ranked out of high school, but he hasn’t proven that yet. Maybe this will be the year.”
London was a four-star by Rivals’ recruiting standards and was the No. 175 overall player and 17th-best running back in the 2014 class. He made his biggest impact at Michigan State as a freshman, running for 500 yards and three touchdowns on 119 carries. Injuries and slipping down the depth chart limited him to just 424 yards and five scores on 111 carries his next two years with the Spartans.
If London can stay healthy with Tennessee, he’ll challenge rising sophomore Ty Chandler for the starting job at running back and is likely destined to be the Vols’ No. 2 back this season.
A former Vol is also on Farrell’s list. Former Tennessee offensive lineman Venzell Boulware comes in at No. 4 in Farrell’s rankings. Boulware is transferring to Miami and will have two years of eligibility remaining to play for the Hurricanes.
“Boulware was a Rivals250 prospect who was clearly an interior lineman with good feet that just needed to add some size and toughness out of high school,” Farrell said. “We liked his ability to pass block and he was a solid run-blocker, so he should help Miami early on the inside, especially improving the work against the pass rush. I like this pickup a lot for Miami.”
Boulware redshirted in 2015 and made an impact as a redshirt freshman in 2016, playing in seven games and starting three. But he failed to see the field last season and elected to transfer mid-season.
