2019 QB impresses Canales at camp, earns Tennessee offer

Tennessee’s quarterbacks coach Mike Canales has hit the recruiting trail hard since joining the staff in January. The longtime position coach was able to land 4-stars Adrian Martinez and Michael Penix Jr., who visited Thursday, in the 2018 class, so Canales has turned his sights on 2019 and 2020 signal callers.

During camp season this summer, a number of quarterbacks have come to town to workout, with North Carolina native Garrett Shrader earning a UT offer following an impressive performance Thursday.

“I thought I did alright,” said Shrader, a rising junior who holds nine offers including from Alabama, Penn State, Mizzou and South Carolina.

“I thought I was a little inconsistent at times, but I showed what I needed to.”

The 2019 quarterback spent a lot of time under the watchful eye of Canales at the camp Thursday, later talking scheme and personnel with the Vols' assistant.

“He was coaching me up,” Shrader said of Canales. “They do a lot from the gun. That’s different from every camp. We run the same offense as they do here. It’s option, spread, power read, zone reads.”

Shrader, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 190 pounds, considers himself a duel-threat quarterback and likes Tennessee’s spread scheme. He clocked a 4.63-seconds 40-yard dash at UT on Thursday, but said he’s been timed in the “4.52s” at previous camps. “I don’t think I tested that good today,” he explained.

“But that’s to be expected after three camps in a row.”

Shrader has been on a barnstorming tour of the Southeast in the last week, visiting Alabama, Penn State, North Carolina, Tennessee and Auburn. The Charlotte Christian School (N.C.) threw for more than 2,500 yards as a sophomore, with 29 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also added 615 rushing yards with five scores on the ground.

Shrader has no current leaders and is in no rush to make a decision, but will consider Tennessee seriously moving forward following the offer.

“I’m going to come to a game this year,” he said. “I know they have a good home schedule.”