The Tennessee Vols have a wealth of talent in their quarterback room entering the 2025 season thanks to the program’s strong recruiting efforts over the last few years.
Redshirt sophomore Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star recruit, will serve as the Vols’ starter in 2025. Redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger, the No. 11 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, will serve as the primary backup to Iamaleava.
Tennessee’s newest addition to the quarterback room is true freshman George MacIntyre, a Nashville area native who was rated as the No. 2 player in the state of Tennessee during the 2025 recruiting cycle.
The 2025 season will most likely be a development year for MacIntyre, but the 6-foot-6 quarterback is a player that’s already turning heads through his first couple of spring practices.
True freshman wide receiver Travis Smith Jr, a former four-star recruit from Atlanta, told reporters on Monday that he was surprised to learn how fast MacIntyre is.
“He [is] a dog,” said Smith when asked about MacIntyre. “He’s faster than what I expected — don’t let him see that. But George, you know, he’s been doing his thing, getting out of the pocket, escaping it, and mastering the offense. So he’s been doing his thing. It’s been fun catching passes from him, too.”
It’s not a surprise to hear that Smith thinks MacIntyre is a “dog”. After all, MacIntyre chose to sign with Tennessee despite the Vols already having Iamaleava and Merklinger on the roster. Additionally, Tennessee received a commitment from 2026 five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, the No. 1 player in the nation, four months before MacIntyre officially signed with the Volunteers.
“I was never going to be scared of competition,” said MacIntyre last week during his first media session with reporters at Tennessee. “I was going to go where I wanted to go and set my path from there.”
“I’m just going to prepare every day the same,” added MacIntyre. “And I’ll let the coaches figure [the depth chart] out.”
You’ve gotta love that mindset if you’re a Vols fan. MacIntyre is the type of competitor that belongs on a championship-caliber team.