Tennessee has a lot to look forward to entering the 2020 season but one aspect of the program that many unfamiliar with the recruiting world may not yet be aware of is the program’s future at quarterback.

Jeremy Pruitt’s program signed a top 100 overall prospect from Marietta, Ga., during the Early Signing Period by the name of Harrison Bailey. The Georgia native is coming off a season in which he led Marietta to its first Georgia State Championship title in 50 years. According to 247Sports Composite Rankings, Bailey is listed as the No. 3 pro-style passer in the country for the 2020 recruiting cycle.

The 6-foot-5, 211-pound Georgia native is already enrolled in Knoxville and preparing for Tennessee’s upcoming spring camp. While Bailey may be rated as an elite passer coming out of high school, Tennessee is set to return three quarterbacks with college experience in Jarrett Guarantano, Brian Maurer and J.T. Shrout.

Does that mean Bailey should be penciled in for a redshirt season? Not according to Chad Simmons of Rivals.

The Rivals recruiting analyst recently shared his thoughts on five signees from across the country that he expects will make a big impact as true freshmen next season. The first player mentioned on Simmons’ list is Bailey, who he believes will be Tennesse’s starter by midseason:

It is going to be tough for Jeremy Pruitt to keep Bailey off the field in 2020. Bailey just stepped foot on campus a month ago, and he is already the most talented quarterback in Knoxville. He is coming off a spectacular senior season, where he won a state title, so he arrives at Tennessee with a lot of confidence. Will he start the season-opener? That is hard to know, but Bailey will play and look for him to be leading the Vols by mid-season. Bailey is poised to take that leadership role at Tennessee, and he is expected to make a big impact as a freshman.

Many Tennessee fans were already eager to hand the starting QB duties to Bailey upon his signing in Knoxville and comments like that are just going to increase the support for the true freshman heading into the spring.

Until we actually get to see Bailey participate this spring, we won’t know how realistic it is to think he could start next season but Tennessee’s Early Signing Day feature on the Georgia native makes it seem like a realistic possibility.