Senior prospect fulfills dream of playing SEC college football
Vanderbilt's rebuild has another commodity at the game's most important position.
Canton (Ga.) Cherokee quarterback AJ Swann, who was long committed to Maryland, will now play in the SEC. He announced a commitment to Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon.
"The new staff, Coach (Clark) Lea, I have a lot of faith in him and what the program is capable of next year," Swann told Sports Illustrated. "Since I was a little kid, I grew up a Georgia fan, it's always been a dream to play in the SEC.
"I kind of want to flip a program around and try to get my name out there, show what I'm about. The SEC is the best place to do it, best conference in the country."
The 6'3", 200-pound senior, who threw for 65 touchdown passes in his varsity career, went to Nashville for a visit while still being committed to the Terps.
"I committed over the pandemic, so Vanderbilt had offered me right before I committed to Maryland," Swann said. "I was talking to them before I committed and still talked to them after...then as the season started back up they got back in contact with me and wanted me to come up to visit. I went up for the UConn game, October 2, and kind of fell in love from there.
"What got me about the offense is that it's a quarterback-run offense, basically. They give us the tools to work with and we kind of do everything else ourselves. It really prepares you for the next level."
For the month-plus to follow after the Vandy trip, including a return trip to College Park to make sure of the coming decision, a flip felt all but imminent.
"I went back up to Maryland to make sure I would know exactly how I was feeling, for the Penn State game," he said. "The atmosphere was great for that game, but something just felt a little off. I went back to, 'wow this is really far from home.'"
Staying close to his native north Georgia, the newest Commodore commitment won't celebrate and relax ahead of the Early Signing Period on December 15, when he can sign with the program. Instead, he will help Lea and his coaching staff build more in the pipeline state of Georgia and beyond.
"I've already told a couple of recruits I'm going there," he said. "So I've had a couple of big-time ones tell me they're coming with me. That will help in the future."
It includes the other quarterback already on board with the program in the class of 2022, Drew Dickey. The Austin (Texas) Regents star has been committed to VU since the spring.
"Me and Drew Dickey have work to do," Swann said. "I think he's a phenomenal athlete, I've actually been to a camp with him and we got to know each other a little bit. He's a great dude, great athlete. Me and him are going in to compete for a job with Mike (Wright) and -- if Ken (Seals) is still there -- with Ken."
Swann is a three-year varsity starter for Cherokee and was named an Elite 11 semi-finalist among the nation's top passers over the summer.
A final message as the commitment came down was simple.
"Go 'Dores!"