Three Transfer Portal Replacements for Sam Leavitt at Arizona State
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The 2025 regular season has concluded, and the offseason transfer portal chaos has now begun. Arizona State has already seen a couple of players announce their intentions to transfer, with none more notable than quarterback Sam Leavitt.
Leavitt still hasn't officially entered the portal. Still, all signs point to him eventually doing so, which leaves a significant need at the quarterback position for the Sun Devils heading into 2026. The good news is that several talented signal-callers have already become available in the portal. Here's a look at the three that make the most sense for Arizona State and head coach Kenny Dillingham to target.
Three Transfer Portal Quarterbacks Arizona State Should Target
Before getting into the transfer portal options it should be noted that there is a possibilty that Dillingham turns to former 2025 four-star Cameron Dyer or 2026 four-star Jake Fette to take over the quarterback duties in Tempe. However, with both Dyer and Fette being so young, a portal addition makes the most sense for Arizona State.
1) Colton Joseph, Old Dominion
Colton Joseph just finished his redshirt sophomore year with Old Dominion and was one of the most electric quarterbacks in the country in 2025. He finished the season with 2,624 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while rushing for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He's already garnered interest from several programs, but given Dillingham's track record of developing quarterbacks, he would likely be interested in the Sun Devils. Joseph would be a great fit in Arizona State's offense, with his ability to make plays as both a passer and a rusher. Overall, he'd be a welcome addition in Tempe.
247Sports ranks the Newport Beach, California native as the No. 12 overall player in the transfer portal and the No. 2 quarterback prospect.
2) Trey Owens, Texas
Trey Owens is a 6'5" redshirt freshman Texas Longhorns transfer out of Cy-Fair High School in Cypress, Texas. He's appeared in three games so far during his college career, completing a total of four passes for 19 yards.
While Owens may not have the experience Arizona State is looking for, he definitely has the talent. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and 247Sports' composite rankings listed him as a top 300 player in the 2024 class.
He's not a proven option, but at the very least, he would be able to come in and compete for the starting job with Dyer and Fette. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 36 overall player in the portal and the No. 6 quarterback.
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, Colorado State
If Dillingham wants to add a proven veteran starter, there are few better options in the transfer portal right now than Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. He has been at Colorado State since 2022 and entered the transfer portal in October after the Rams parted ways with head coach Jay Norvell.
While Fowler-Nicolosi only played in 3 games in 2025, he's put up impressive numbers over his career at Colorado State, throwing for 6,938 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions in 28 starts. While he's not the most flashy candidate for Arizona State, he's a high-floor veteran college player who would be able to learn the Sun Devils' offense quickly.
It's unlikely that Arizona State will end up pursuing Folwer Nicolosi, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 91 overall player in the transfer portal and the No. 7 quarterback.
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Max Doresy serves as the Western United States College Recruiting Beat Writer On SI. He graduated from the prestigious Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Before that, he worked for the Pro Football Network and was part of the recruiting department for Syracuse University's football program.
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