Fansided

Tennessee lands 2017 top quarterback recruit Hunter Johnson

By Nathaniel Reeves

Oct 11, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones on the sideline against the Chattanooga Mocs during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 45-10. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones on the sideline against the Chattanooga Mocs during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 45-10. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tennessee Volunteers are on track to be a contender in the SEC in the not-too-distant future.

Next: 30 Greatest College Quarterbacks Of All-Time

Butch Jones’ successful rebuilding program at Tennessee took another big step forward on Sunday.

The Volunteers received a verbal commitment from 2017 top quarterback prospect Hunter Johnson, according to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports. Jones started recruiting Johnson in July of 2014 and was able to hold off other finalists Notre Dame and N.C. State.

A 6-3, 197 pound pro-style prospect out of Brownsburg (Ind.) High School, Johnson is the No. 11 overall prospect in the country for 2017 according to 247Sports. His verbal commitment continues a trend of excellent recruiting by Jones since he arrived in Knoxville prior to the 2013 season, with Johnson being perhaps the biggest piece so far.

Personal quarterback coach Levar Johnson said Hunter Johnson is a strong athlete and could fit into any offense Tennessee may be running thanks to his great arm strength.

"“I think it’s a good fit because people underestimate his athleticism and I think this season you’ll get to see a lot more of that…He fits into a lot of different sets of offenses. He gets pigeon-holed as a pocket passer, but he’s athletic. His hands are huge. He can make all the throws. He can extend plays with his legs. When a kid runs track for the first time and he’s on a 4×400 team that runs a 3:17 you have to be pretty athletic.”"

Adding to the coup that is Johnson is a belief that he may continue growing before his freshman season, which will give him a great mix of size and speed.

It’s become clear that Jones is steering the Volunteers in the right direction faster than most anticipated, picking up the pieces after Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley left the program in a state of disarray. Tennessee went 7-6 last season, its best record since 2009, and was much more competitive against top-tier programs than in recent years.

The Volunteers demolished a decent Iowa team in the TaxSlayer Bowl, their first bowl win since 2008, and are expected to do more in 2015. Tennessee is ranked 25th in the preseason AP Poll and has a shot to finish near the top of the SEC East.

Jones’ rebuilding effort has been accelerated by terrific recruiting. 247 Sports has Tennessee as the fourth-best recruting class for 2015 and No. 15 so far for 2016. Johnson will surely help the Volunteers be ranked near the top again for 2017.

Of course, it will take more than recruiting to get Tennessee back to competing for national championships. Just about every team in the SEC has strong recruiting, so Jones will have to prove his ability to develop those players. However, Tennessee fans have to be happy with the direction in which the program is moving.

It’s a little too early to project what Tennessee’s depth chart may look like by the time Johnson arrives. However, there will be some competition, with highly touted quarterback recruit Jarrett Guarantano arriving next season.

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