Why Arizona Should Explore a Quarterback in the Transfer Portal

With the 2025 college football regular season complete and the bowl season in full swing, college coaching staffs across the country are in full preparation mode for the upcoming January transfer portal window.

Arizona and head coach Brent Brennan are expected to be active in the portal this offseason to address the roster's most pressing needs, but will the Wildcats consider adding a quarterback?

Will the Wildcats Target a Transfer Portal Quarterback?

On paper, it doesn't necessarily make sense for Arizona to target a quarterback in the transfer portal. For starters, Noah Fifita, who has started for the Wildcats over the past three seasons, is expected to return in 2026 and will likely be among the nation's best signal-callers.

In addition to Fifita's return, Brennan has added solid depth at the position over the past two recruiting cycles, bringing in three-star Luke Haugo and three-star Sawyer Anderson to the Wildcats' 2025 class and four-star Oscar Rios to the 2026 class.

However, in today's college football landscape, depth, especially at the quarterback position, is never secure. With Fifita in Tucson for only one more season, Brennan and his staff may look to bring in a young quarterback via the portal to compete for the starting job when Fifita departs.

Arizona helme — Nov 25, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of an Arizona Wildcats helmet on the field during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While adding a quarterback in the 2026 portal isn't vital to Arizona's success next season, it's certainly an option the Wildcats could pursue. If Brennan does opt to target a signal-caller, here's a look at a few who could make sense to bring in.

Two Transfer Portal Quarterbacks Arizona Could Target

1) Jaydn Davis, Michigan

Jaydn Davis was a four-star quarterback in the 2024 class from Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Several schools pursued him, but he ultimately signed with Michigan, where he's spent the past two seasons. He's thrown only two passes in his career, but if he were willing to sit behind Fifita next season, he could realistically take over as Arizona's starter in 2027.

Team Maize quarterback Jadyn Davis (2) makes a pass against Team Blue during the second half of the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

247Sports' transfer portal rankings list him as a three-star prospect, the No. 289 overall player in the portal, and the No. 29 quarterback.

2) Stone Saunders, Kentucky

Stone Saunders was a three-star recruit in the 2025 class from Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He signed with Kentucky but did not play a snap for the team last season. He enters the portal with four years of eligibility remaining and could be a young player the Wildcats decide to target.

247Sports' transfer portal rankings list him as a three-star prospect, the No. 538 overall player in the portal, and the No. 50 quarterback.

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