Tennessee’s 2027 quarterback commit Derrick Baker is getting some extra reps with a familiar name from the Vols’ past.
A photo posted by Rocky Top Now showed the three-star signal caller working on the practice field with former Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, giving Baker a chance to sharpen his game with a former VFL in the mix.
Baker, who plays at Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga., is rated by 247Sports as the No. 39 quarterback in the 2027 class and the No. 94 player in Georgia. He was also among 36 players honored earlier this week by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta on its All-State Football Team.
He’s already off to a strong start this season, too. Milton opened with a 30-29 win over North Cobb High School last Friday, and Baker played a big role in it.
According to MaxPreps, he completed 14 of 24 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown while also carrying the ball 11 times for a team-high 92 yards and two scores. The Eagles are back in action Friday, Aug. 28, against Blessed Trinity.
“Stocky dual-threat quarterback with the toughness to power a rushing attack,” 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins wrote about Baker in a February evaluation. “Creates chances while on the move, but can also drive the ball from the pocket with a sturdy base… Confident as a ball carrier and resembles almost a running back on designed runs as he finds creases with his agility and sheds tacklers.”
Guarantano’s own Tennessee résumé runs deep. The Lodi, N.J., native spent five seasons with the Volunteers, redshirting as a freshman before starting the final six games of Tennessee’s 2017 season as a redshirt sophomore. In all, he appeared in 41 games and made 32 starts for UT.
His most productive passing year came in 2019, when he threw for 2,158 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. For his Tennessee career, Guarantano finished with 6,174 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
Baker is one of 19 commits in Tennessee’s 2027 class, which currently sits at No. 22 nationally on 247Sports.
In Other News...
Josh Heupels Friday Night Visit Says Plenty About Tennessees Future
Josh Heupel spent a Friday night in Knoxville doing what plenty of college coaches do this time of year, taking in a high school football game and keeping an eye on the next wave of in-state talent. Tennessees coach was on hand for West High School against Maryville High School, a matchup that carried extra local intrigue with a Volunteers commit on the field and a family name that still resonates around the program.
Maryville linebacker J.P. Peace, a 2027 Tennessee commit and the grandson of former Vols coach Phillip Fulmer, made his presence felt by forcing a fumble and recovering it. Heupels son, Jace, is a sophomore quarterback at West, though he did not play in the game, adding another layer to a Friday night that said as much about Tennessees future connections as it did about the result on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Joey Aguilars Jaguars Path Just Got A Lot Tougher
Joey Aguilar had been making a case for himself in Jacksonville this preseason, showing enough promise to keep his name in the mix as the Jaguars sorted out their quarterback picture. For a player trying to turn summer momentum into a roster spot, every move around him matters, and the latest one in Jacksonville changed the math in a hurry.
The Jaguars sent a 2028 day three draft pick to Miami for Quinn Ewers, adding another quarterback to a room that was already shaping up to be crowded. Aguilar could still stick around on the practice squad, and there is always the chance another team takes a look, but the path to the active roster just got much narrower. [Read more 🡒]
Former Vols Get One Last NFL Chance Before Tough Decisions
Saturday brings the final round of NFL preseason games before the 2026 regular season begins, and a familiar cluster of former Tennessee Volunteers is still in the mix as teams make their last evaluations. Josh Dobbs, Jabari Small and Tyre West are expected to get a look for the Detroit Lions, while Hendon Hooker, Morgan Cox, Jalen McMurray and Alontae Taylor are among the ex-Vols slated to suit up for the Tennessee Titans.
For players on the fringe, this is the kind of weekend that can matter more than the box score suggests. A few former Vols are already listed as injured and are unlikely to play, including Cade Mays and Darnell Wright, leaving the spotlight on the rest of the Tennessee alumni trying to turn one more preseason chance into a roster decision before the league shifts into the games that count. [Read more 🡒]