ESPN predicts who the Tennessee Vols’ starting quarterback will be in 2026
The Tennessee Vols are expected to have a full-blown quarterback competition this spring and fall.
The Tennessee Vols are expected to feature a three-man quarterback competition this spring/fall.
With Joey Aguilar unlikely to return in 2026, the Vols will turn to either rising redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, incoming five-star signee Faizon Brandon, or Colorado transfer Ryan Staub.
Those three quarterbacks are talented, but they’re short on experience.
MacIntyre attempted just nine passes as a true freshman in 2023, Staub has two career starts in three seasons, and Brandon obviously hasn’t played a snap of college football yet.
ESPN predicts who Tennessee’s starting QB will be in 2026
The general feeling is that MacIntyre has the inside track to win the Vols’ starting quarterback battle.
There’s some concern about how MacIntyre will hold up against the grind of a nine-game SEC schedule (he still needs to add some weight), but he has a year of practicing in Josh Heupel’s offense under his belt.
ESPN’s Eli Lederman, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg took a shot at predicting who will start at quarterback for each Power-4 team in 2026.
And they agree that MacIntyre is the most likely option to start for the Vols next fall.
“It’s hard to tell what the plan is for the Vols right now,” noted ESPN. “Starting quarterback Joey Aguilar is seeking an additional year of eligibility as a former junior college transfer. Tennessee was in the hunt for transfers Sam Leavitt and Beau Pribula and missed out. For now, MacIntyre is the safest pick. The Franklin, Tennessee, native was the No. 109 overall recruit in the 2025 SC Next 300 and threw for 69 yards on 7-of-9 passing in two non-conference appearances during his redshirt season.”
While ESPN sees MacIntyre starting in 2026, they view Brandon as Tennessee’s quarterback of the future.
“The short-term situation might be in question at the moment, but Faizon Brandon gives Tennessee an elite prospect to build around over the next few years,” added ESPN. “The 6-foot-4, 206-pound passer from North Carolina was ESPN’s No. 9 overall recruit in the 2026 class and will look to compete for the starting job and prove he’s ready to lead this team as a true freshman.”
It’s still possible that Aguilar could gain another season of eligibility, but it would be a surprise at this point if he’s back at Tennessee in 2026.
If Aguilar doesn’t return in 2026, it will be the fifth time in six seasons that Heupel has a new starting quarterback at Tennessee.
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