Tennessee already has a highly-rated quarterback committed to them in their 2020 recruiting class, and they’re looking to add a second QB to that class as well. The Vols are also targeting some high-level signal callers in the 2021 cycle, and one of the highest-rated quarterbacks in that class has UT among his top choices.
Brock Vandagriff is a borderline five-star prospect in the the 2021 class. He’s a pro-style quarterback who plays for Prince Avenue Christian School in Bogart, Georgia. On Tuesday, he released a video revealing his top six schools, and the Vols were included along with Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, and Clemson.
All glory to God. Thank you for guidance. Top 6 is here! To read more about each, the article is below. ? live by it… https://t.co/m6QlUSfkPg pic.twitter.com/YGgJjUzwHo
— brock vandagriff ? (@BrockVandagriff) June 4, 2019
According to the 247Sports rankings, Vandagriff is the No. 35 overall prospect, No. 4 pro-style quarterback, and No. 2 player in the state of Georgia in the 2021 class. Though he just finished up his sophomore season of high school, he already holds nearly two dozen offers, and many are from the top schools in college football. Along with the teams listed in his top six, he also has offers from Alabama, LSU, Miami, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State, and David Cutcliffe at Duke among others.
Tennessee has been a player with Vandagriff for a year now, and he was a focus of UT’s new staff just a few months after they took over. The 6-foot-2, 199-pound quarterback camped at Tennessee in June of 2018 and picked up an offer from the Vols then. He’s visited again since then, coming back to Knoxville when they hosted ETSU in September and visited again in mid-March of this year. Vandagriff has known new UT offensive coordinator Jim Chaney since about eighth grade, too.
Vandagriff has a connection to Tennessee outside of UT’s coaches having a relationship with him, too. His dad is from Knoxville and is a Vol fan. It’s also worth noting, though, that he has a connection to Auburn through his mother, too.
Not only is Vandagriff thought to be one of the best quarterbacks in the 2021 cycle, but he’s proven to be a solid overall athlete as well. He tested exceptionally well at a recent regional camp for Nike’s The Opening.
At the camp, Vandagriff ran a 4.69-second 40-yard dash and a 4.40-second shuttle. He also showed off a nearly 37-inch vertical leap.
On film, Vandagriff’s play-making becomes evident immediately. He has very good footwork and awareness, and he’s capable of completing passes into some very tight windows. He can throw a receiver open and can throw to spots just as easily as hitting a receiver in rhythm. Vandagriff is a true dual-threat quarterback, too, as he scampers around multiple times to prolong plays or takes off to gain chunks of yards. He reminds me a bit of Johnny Manziel — as a player, certainly not off the field — in the fact that he’s a strong improviser and makes some difficult throws look easy.
Last season as a sophomore, Vandagriff completed 64.9 percent of his 296 pass attempts for 3,190 yards, 28 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while also running for 1,001 yards and 23 scores on just 138 carries according to MaxPreps. He helped lead his team to a 11-2 overall record and had six games where he threw for three or more touchdowns and totaled four games where he eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark.
Tennessee is in a very good spot with Vandagriff thanks to his connection with Chaney and his family ties to Knoxville, but Georgia, Oklahoma, and Auburn will be difficult to fend off for his commitment.
Our Take:
Distance looks like it may play a bit of a factor with Vandagriff, and that really hurts Oklahoma. If not for that, the Sooners would probably be the leader for him. They may still be, but Tennessee, Auburn, and Georgia are all serious contenders here.
There’s still a lot to be determined with Vandagriff, but the Vols are definitely more than just a hat on the table with him. Expect them to be right in the middle of his recruitment all the way through it.
