Approximately 2-3% of the million-strong high school athletes make it to college football. And among them, just a handful make it big, while others slog in the depths of teams’ rosters waiting for their chance. It’s tough to make it as a successful college football player, and it would become a herculean challenge when a player has zero offers from FBS teams. But Joey Aguilar? The player is now going to play for one of the top playoff contenders in the SEC after getting zero offers as a high school kid, and he’s turning heads already.

Joey Aguilar’s rise to prominence on the biggest stage of college football (SEC) is mostly seen through the lens of Nico Imaleava’s exit. Still, when you look at his journey, becoming a top QB and rising from the ranks of JUCO college was never easy. “Honestly, I didn’t have anything. No college contact, nothing coming out of high school,” Aguilar said to NY Times. It was a struggle initially, and so he chose to enroll at City College of San Francisco back in 2019. While he was doing that, the dream of making it big still burned hot in his chest.

Aguilar played 41 games at the JUCO level and, with the help of a personal QB coach, honed his skills and spent almost 100 dollars in a commute from his pocket. “It was a lot of money that I didn’t have,” said Aguilar, and explained how, in those times, he even considered becoming a fireman. However, he persisted, with some insistence from his family and friends, waiting for his chance to shine. It didn’t come soon, but Appalachian State took notice, and the FBS route opened wide for Aguilar.

Kevin Barbay, the Appalachian State’s OC at the time, said he “liked” Aguilar’s attitude and was “very confident” in his qualities. The rest of the journey? With sheer hard work, it became easy as he passed for 3,003 yards last season for Appalachian State, won an extra year of NCAA eligibility, took a detour at UCLA, and finally landed in Tennessee, earning a $1.2 million contract (per ESPN). The money, the fame, and the prospects of greatness are quite fitting for Aguilar as he is now showcasing his abilities on practice number 3 of Fall Camp.

In a highlight video shared by 247 Sports, Aguilar can be seen perfectly landing those passes in the hands of WRs, as the concerns of him not ‘gelling’ with WRs seem to be fading. Of course, it’s a practice without pads, but Aguilar’s poise and confidence in the pocket are showing in every pass he threw. Want that dig route? Aguilar throws an inch-perfect pass with swerve and dip to tight end Ethan Davis. How about a deep ball? Aguilar got it covered as he threw a confident deep pass to Radarius Jackson. All in all, seems like Joey Aguilar has finally found his rhythm and is ready to terrorize Syracuse’s defense on August 30.

Not everyone is optimistic about Joey Aguilar

Nico Iamaleava’s exit surely would have hurt Tennessee at the time, considering Josh Heupel wanted to continue those playoff heroics. But now, with Joey Aguilar showcasing his talent and looking ready with his chemistry with the wide receivers, the concerns may not be there anymore. Despite that, many analysts are still not riding Aguilar’s bandwagon, including Berry Tramel, as he gave his verdict.

“Well, I’d be an idiot to do it in the SEC because those games are fairly. We sort of know what we’re getting. You know, I don’t think Tennessee is going to win the SEC with that dude from Appalachian State at quarterback,” said Tramel on ‘That SEC’ podcast. While the statement is harsh, Tramel might have a change of heart seeing Aguilar’s highlights from the fall camp. Still, this begs the question: Can Tennessee replicate those 2024 heroics?

The Vols are set to face Syracuse in their opening game, which could pose problems, considering the team is coming after a 10-win season. Apart from that, the Georgia game would be a tall hill to climb. Then the Alabama and Oklahoma game won’t be easy, as both teams are looking to finish strong this season. Lastly, they would have to be wary of the Gators and DJ Lagway. All in all, the schedule seems manageable, and with some innovation, 9-10 wins seem achievable.