Quarterback Tiers: Where The Athletic ranks Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar

The Athletic has the same concerns for Joey Aguilar as most others seems to have while he battles for the Tennessee quarterback job: The 24 interceptions he threw over the last two years at Appalachian State, including 14 last season. 

“He can trust his arm too much,” The Athletic’s Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales wrote in July, “… as evidenced by his rising interception total last year. He’ll have to take better care of the ball in the SEC. But he’s confident and fearless.”

The Athletic, while putting all projected starters for all 137 FBS teams into tiers, had Aguilar in Tier 5, out of seven tiers in total.

“You’ve probably seen these QBs before,” The Athletic wrote for the Tier 5 group. “Many have played well in college but haven’t put it all together consistently yet and bring some ‘what-ifs’ into 2025. There’s some lower-end Power 4 guys here, but if you’re a Group of 5 fan, there are some really good ones here.”

Three Tennessee quarterbacks battling for starting job

Aguilar, who is battling with Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre for the starting job at Tennessee, arrived in Knoxville in May and spent the summer learning Josh Heupel’s uptempo offense. He transferred from UCLA after former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava signed with the Bruins out of the NCAA Transfer Portal. 

Aguilar, a native of Antioch, Calif., had transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA in December, after throwing for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions over 25 games in two seasons at App State.

“There will be plenty of eyes on Aguilar because of his place in the Nico Iamaleava saga,” The Athletic wrote. “He gained an extra year via the Diego Pavia ruling and, after two years as a starter and a coaching change at Appalachian State, transferred to UCLA in the winter. 

“But Iamaleava’s arrival in Westwood prompted another transfer, and Aguilar is now in position to be Iamaleava’s successor in Knoxville — though he must beat out Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre for the starting role.”

The Athletic noted that Aguilar’s skills “translate well to what Tennessee does” and quoted a former Group of 5 recruiting director saying Aguilar has “a cannon.”

Josh Heupel on Joey Aguilar: ‘I really like overall what he’s done’

“So that will fit that (Tennessee) offense perfectly with how many deep shots they take,” the former G5 recruiting director told The Athletic. “And he’s a better runner than you think.”

Heupel said after Saturday morning’s scrimmage at Neyland Stadium that he both likes what Aguilar has done so far while also knowing where he needs to keep making strides.

“With what we’re doing offensively in our installs,” Heupel said, “from protections to run games, controlling it, and what he’s seen on the other side of the football, how multiple he’s been here in the early part of training camp, I really like overall what he’s done.

“There’s still more for him within the structure and the details of it, but I like what he’s done.”