The ink has finally dried, and Harrison Bailey is officially a Tennessee Volunteer. The longtime Tennessee commit and former Michigan flip signed with the Vols during the early signing period this week.
Prospect Overview
Bailey is a four-star recruit, per 247Sports composite, and he has been battling for that fifth star with some stellar camps and a strong senior season. He ranks as the fourth-best pro-style quarterback in this class. Overall, he is a top 150 player in the nation at 124th. Bailey had offers to play all over the country, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, and Oklahoma among others. In all, the talented Marietta, Georgia product had 22 offers and 21 offers from Power 5 schools. We look at what Harrison Bailey brings to the Tennessee 2020 class.
Harrison Bailey is a prototypical pocket passer who is very accustomed to winning. During his senior season, he helped his team to a Georgia state title with 44 touchdowns against only nine interceptions. His career passing yardage ranks fourth all-time in the state of Georgia behind Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson, and Jake Fromm. He will have another chance to chase the coveted fifth star as he makes an appearance in the Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio on January 4th. His mechanics are polished for a high school player. This was a key reason offensive coordinator Jim Chaney has been high on Bailey since he was OC at Georgia. He can make every throw in the playbook and is an excellent field general to provide leadership for the offense.
Harrison Bailey to Tennessee
Bailey has been an integral cog in Tennessee’s 2020 class: not only as a prospect but as a peer recruiter. He worked to reach out to other blue-chip prospects in the class to build something special on Rocky Top. If Tennessee is able to flip five-star tight end and athlete Darnell Washington from Las Vegas, Bailey will be a key contributor to the success. On the field, he has the potential to be the star quarterback Tennessee has searched for since Josh Dobbs. His large frame and powerful arm work perfectly in Jim Chaney’s pro-style offense.
Tennessee invested in the running game in the 2019 class, with five-star linemen Darnell Wright and Wanya Morris and four-star running back Eric Gray. Harrison Bailey will add balance, stretching the defense with a strong play-action game. This will force defenses to play honest and allow Tennessee to put more wrinkles in the gameplan. With a few more key pieces in the 2020 and 2021 class, Tennessee’s offense could be elite. Harrison Bailey has the talent and potential to be the foundation for that resurgence.
