Former Vanderbilt QB Johnny McCrary Will Transfer to Mercer

Johnny McCrary started 12 games over two seasons and was a one-time SEC Freshman of the Week for Vanderbilt. He'll bring those credentials to FCS Mercer to finish his college career.

The Bears announced his signing on Monday:

We are excited to officially welcome Johnny to the Mercer football family. He is an outstanding young man both on and off the field and brings a wealth of experience and talent to our program.

- Mercer Football Head Coach Bobby Lamb

McCrary was one of Vanderbilt's highest-rated recruits when he arrived on campus in 2013. The former Army All-American was a consensus four-star player and one of James Franklin's brightest prospects. However, he struggled to adjust to the speed of SEC defenses. In two seasons with the Commodores he had only 15 touchdown passes but threw 20 interceptions. He completed just 53.4 percent of his pass attempts for Vandy.

Those numbers should improve significantly against FCS competition. The knock on McCrary was never his physical limitations but his ability to make good decisions with the ball. He's got a powerful arm and at 6'4 and 220 pounds was a load for any defender to bring down. He also suffered from inconsistent offensive line play during his Vanderbilt career. If Mercer can keep him from facing pressure every third down, he has all the tools to be successful in the Southern Conference.

McCrary will be eligible to play immediately for the Bears. He'll have two seasons of NCAA eligibility left after graduating from Vanderbilt this spring.