"I'm going to ask him to be Joey Aguilar": CFB insider makes prediction for Josh Heupel & Tennessee after dramatic QB trade

Tennessee is poised for a breakout season in 2025 under Josh Heupel despite the absence of Nico Iamaleava from the roster. UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar will take the reins and throw for the team as QB1 in his final year of college eligibility.

The offseason has been quite dramatic for Heupel and Co., as Iamaleava's request of a $4 million contract led him to leave the school and join UCLA, resulting in a gradual pay cut. Within days of this move, Heupel made a surprise addition by bringing in UCLA transfer commit Aguilar to the program.

According to On3 insider J.D. PicKell, Aguilar must prove his worth in the SEC as Tennessee fans hope the program make the playoffs again.

“I'm going to ask him to be Joey Aguilar. Like, don't come out here and try to be Joe Milton, the Henson Hooker,” J.D PicKell said on the On3 podcast on Tuesday. [Timestamp - 46:00]

The analyst wants Aguilar to be himself and not try to imitate somebody else, and give up on his gameplay.

“Like, go do what you do. Go do what got you to this spot, which is you pull the trigger, you let it rip brother. I think Joey Aguilar playing to his own strengths, and Josh elevating That's going to be a massive part as to why Tennessee is successful, not because he's trying to, you know, keep it all to the vest, and trying to make the big mistake, like, just go, let it rip, dude, let Josh he Josh he let him make those mistakes.

"But you go, be you. I think the biggest part of this now, what's going to make him successful, though, is what happens upstairs for him, like the processing of it all at Tennessee,” he added.

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Josh Heupel aims for a big season in 2025

The Vols finished the 2024 season with a 10-3 record, earning a playoff spot. After losing 42-17 to Ohio State in the first round, it boosted morale since they'd finally ended a long drought of not making the postseason in the competitive SEC.

With recent changes in the 12-team playoff - where the selection committee will release their rankings - Tennessee is expected to contend for the championship. Moreover, it is also vital for Aguilar to build his stock if he intends to make a career in the NFL, as he will be eligible for the 2026 draft.