Tennessee Should Be Thrilled by Jarrett Guarantano's Performance at the Opening

Jarrett Guarantano made waves in the recruiting world when he announced his commitment to the Tennessee Volunteers in Times Square with Bleacher Report, and now he's impressing the masses on college football's biggest stage.

The 6'4", 194-pound dual-threat quarterback from Oradell, New Jersey, has been consistently near the top of the daily Elite 11 rankings and played well during Thursday's first round of seven-on-seven action.

"I thought Guarantano had  a strong day yesterday," said Bleacher Report national recruiting analyst Sanjay Kirpalani. "He was accurate, made quick decisions, and had the arm strength to put the ball in tight windows. In terms of the quarterback group, he's been one of the few have been consistently sharp for the entire week."

Tennessee fans and coaches should be thrilled with his performance at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Here's why:

More Than Just a Dual-Threat

Too often, dual-threat quarterbacks get labeled as athletes who play quarterback rather than quarterbacks who truly possess dual-threat skills.

Guarantano isn't a just "an athlete who plays quarterback"; he's a gunslinger with the added dimension similar to Clemson's Deshaun Watson.

Think about this for a second. He's in a quarterback competition based primarily on passing ability and has consistently been ranked alongside some of the best pro-style passers in the country.

"He's almost too talented. ... He's got everything you could ever want," Elite 11 coach Trent Dilfer told Paul Myerberg of USA Today. 

It's Dilfer's event, so it's not too surprising to hear him compliment the players he and his staff invited to Oregon. So if you don't believe him, just check out his downfield accuracy courtesy of Derek Tyson of ESPN.com.

Dual-threat...pro-style...it doesn't matter. That kind of accuracy is what will make Guarantano dangerous at the next level, particularly in a Tennessee offense that—as rising junior quarterback Joshua Dobbs showed last year—thrives with a dual-threat quarterback who can make the tough downfield throws.

The Right Player at the Right Time

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If all goes well for Tennessee this year, Dobbs—a true junior—will have a decision to make in January on his future. Will he jump to the NFL or stick around and play his senior season on Rocky Top?

For Guarantano, that's a win-win situation.

He will step on campus next year and battle with Sheriron Jones, Quinten Dormady and Jauan Jennings for either the backup or starting job, with all of those other contenders being either true sophomores or redshirt freshmen depending on how head coach Butch Jones manages his roster in 2015.

Dobbs and Guarantano are together in Oregon this week, and you can bet more than just your bottom dollar that the current Vols quarterback is giving some pointers to the quarterback of the future.

The options are endless for Guarantano on Rocky Top. He could come in and be the No. 1 right away if Dobbs jumps to the NFL or serve as Dobbs' backup in 2016 either as a true No. 2 or as a "2B" who plans on redshirting unless needed for a prolonged period of time.

However the position evolves, Guarantano provides upside and insurance for Jones, which is huge for a Vols roster that's building some impressive depth.

Players are the Best Recruiters

Every year shortly after national signing day, recruiting services come out with lists containing the best recruiters in the country.

Those doesn't matter. At least, not as much as it seems.

The seemingly never-ending camp circuit and accelerated recruiting cycle have placed much more importance on commitments serving as primary recruiters.

Guarantano is proof of that. He is actively recruiting some of the best players in the country to join him on Rocky Top, as ESPN.com's Erik McKinney noted.

"

Vols QB commit Jarrett Guarantano recruiting WRs, RBs at The Opening http://t.co/cMWLJTKuQK

— ESPN SEC (@ESPN_SEC) July 7, 2015"

Recently, we've seen how important players are during the recruiting process. Ole Miss had Denzel Nkemdiche already on campus when his brother Robert was the No. 1 overall prospect in 2013. Great players gravitate toward great players, and the Rebels ended up with a stellar class that cycle that included wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and safety Tony Conner—all of whom could be high draft picks next year if they jump early.

Guarantano doesn't exactly have the same name value as the younger Nkemdiche did in 2013 quite yet but could use a targeted approach to help get Jones and his staff to the recruiting finish line with another stellar class in 2016.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.