Quarterbacks who could be ideal for Tennessee's football roster in 2025

USA Today

15-04-2025

Quarterbacks who could be ideal for Tennessee's football roster in 2025
The NCAA transfer portal will open on Wednesday and will close on April 25.
Tennessee redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal after no-showing for the Vols' final spring football practice and not playing in the Orange & White Game.
"Today's landscape of college football, it's different than what it has been, and it's unfortunate, just the situation and where we're at with Nico," Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. "I want to thank him for everything that he's done since he's gotten here. That's as a recruit to who he was as a player and how he competed inside of the building, so a great appreciation for that side of it.
'Obviously, we're moving forward as a program without him. I said it to the guys today, there's no one that's bigger than the Power T and that includes me, and they hear me say that a lot inside of that team room. This program's been around for a long time with a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players that came before that laid the cornerstone pieces, the legacy, the tradition that is Tennessee football. It's going to be around a long time after I'm done and after they're gone, and that's what's special about being here is that there is a legacy and a tradition that is so rich and a logo that's recognized not just across the nation but across the world too."
PHOTOS: Vols' QBs through the years
Ahead of the NCAA transfer portal opening Wednesday, Vols Wire looks at quarterbacks who could be ideal targets for Tennessee to replace Iamaleava. The Vols have redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and early enrollee freshman George MacIntyre on roster for their quarterback unit following the Orange & White Game.
Jalon Daniels, Kansas
Daniels has played at Kansas since 2020. The redshirt senior has completed 536-of-875 passing attempts for 6,751 yards, 45 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, while rushing for 1,043 yards and 19 touchdowns. The 6-foot, 220-pound signal-caller signed with Kansas over Middle Tennessee State, Army, Louisiana, Air Force and others.
Jeremy Hecklinski, Wake Forest
Hecklinski played three snaps for Wake Forest in 2024 against North Carolina. The 6-foot, 185-pound redshirt freshman is from Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia. Hecklinski's father, Randy Hecklinski, played quarterback at Bowling Green from 1990-95, and his uncle, Jeff Hecklinski, played quarterback at Illinois and Western Illinois.
Josh Hoover, TCU
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior appeared in 13 games for TCU in 2024, setting the Horned Frogs' season passing record with 3,949 yards. In 24 games from 2022-24, Hoover has completed 499-of-770 passing attempts for 6,157 yards, 42 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He also recorded -14 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 67 attempts. Hoover's father, Alex Hoover, was a linebacker at Colorado State and in the NFL.
Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Johnson has appeared in 21 games at Kansas State from 2023-24. The 6-foot-3, 188-pound junior has completed 254-of-438 passing attempts for 3,191 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Johnson has also totaled 901 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Gaston Moore
Moore played at Tennessee from 2021-24. He is no longer on roster, but has one year of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound signal-caller also played for Heupel at UCF in 2020. The 2020 season does not count towards Moore's eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Reese Poffenbarger, North Texas
Poffenbarger transferred to North Texas in Dec. 2024 from Miami. The 6-foot, 210-pound senior appeared in four games for the Hurricanes in 2024, completing 6-of-7 passing attempts for 20 yards as Cam Ward's backup. Poffenbarger also played at Albany from 2022-23, leading the FCS in passing touchdowns and yards in 2023. He also played at Old Dominion in 2021.
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
Robertson has played at Baylor from 2023-24. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound redshirt senior completed 295-of-485 passing attempts for 3,935 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with the Bears. He played at Mississippi State from 2021-22 before transferring to Baylor. Robertson's father, Stan Robertson, was a first-round pick of the Expos in the 1990 MLB draft and his cousin, Jarrett Stidham, played quarterback at Baylor and Auburn.
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