If Simmons hits portal, Razorbacks can’t afford to hesitate at QB

Arkansas doesn’t have many quarterbacks left, so if Austin Simmons hits the portal, the Hogs shouldn’t hesitate.

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Austin Simmons (13) waits for the snap during the second quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

There’s thin, and then there’s Arkansas thin.

Right now, the Arkansas Razorbacks’ quarterback room sits closer to “please form an orderly line” than anything resembling SEC depth.

That room took another hit when Grayson Wilson entered the transfer portal, leaving Arkansas with serious questions at the most important position in football.

That’s not drama. That’s math. At this point, the Hogs are a rolled ankle in practice away from chaos.

NEWS: Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per an ESPN source. He’s entering with a no contact tag, with Missouri as the favorite to land him. He’s expected to stay with Ole Miss through the CFP. pic.twitter.com/z7B6jaNhz6

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 2, 2026

When a roster loses quarterbacks faster than it gains them, the discussion stops being about development and starts being about survival.

That’s why the timing of ESPN insider Pete Thamel’s report matters so much. If Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons truly plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, Arkansas can’t afford to be passive.

Not curious or just interested or even “monitoring the situation.”

They need to be early.

Earlier this week I laid it out plainly that Arkansas’ quarterback depth is at a critical low point. Wilson’s departure shrank the room even further, and it left the Razorbacks with unanswered questions about how they plan to get through an SEC season that does not pause for rebuilding years.

Quarterback is not a position where you improvise with hope and vibes. It’s the engine. When it sputters, the whole thing shakes.

That reality is made more uncomfortable by broader questions raised in a separate SI report about Arkansas’ overall direction under new head coach Ryan Silverfield. The Razorbacks want to play physical. They want to recruit toughness. They want to compete in the SEC trenches.

All reasonable goals.

BREAKING: Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons plans to enter the @TransferPortal, he tells @On3Sports

He’ll be entering the portal as a grad transfer with 2 years of eligibility left

Simmons plans to finish out the season with the Rebels https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/RKYubRe3CG

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 2, 2026

But none of that works if the quarterback room looks like it’s one rolled ankle away from chaos.

This is where Austin Simmons enters the conversation.

Pete Thamel reported that the Ole Miss quarterback plans to enter the transfer portal. That’s not a rumor blog. That’s not message-board chatter. That’s an ESPN insider stating intent.

And intent is enough in today’s portal era.

Arkansas does not need Simmons to guarantee wins. It needs him — or someone like him — to restore basic roster functionality. SEC teams don’t survive with thin quarterback rooms, and they definitely don’t survive by waiting until August to fix them.

If Simmons enters the portal, the Razorbacks would be negligent not to explore it immediately.

There’s a temptation to overthink portal quarterbacks. Fans want stars. Coaches want perfect fits. Everyone wants certainty.

Arkansas doesn’t have that luxury.

This isn’t about chasing hype. It’s about adding a body who has taken snaps at the Power Five level and understands SEC speed. Simmons checks that box simply by experience alone.

With Wilson gone, Arkansas is staring at a quarterback room that lacks insulation. There’s no margin for error, no development buffer, and no safety net if injuries hit.

That’s not how SEC programs are built. That’s how seasons quietly unravel.

Silverfield’s early messaging has focused on physical football, NIL balance, and recruiting toughness. All of that sounds great in January.

But quarterbacks don’t just grow on slogans or cliches and the Hogs seem to always have a lot of those.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield during his introductory press conference at Frank Broyles Center. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

We have raised questions about how Arkansas balances its physical identity with the modern realities of roster building. The portal isn’t optional anymore. It’s the marketplace. And quarterback is the most expensive aisle in the store.

If Simmons is available, Arkansas can’t pretend it’s above the rush. SEC rivals won’t.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth — Arkansas doesn’t lose anything by reaching out early, but it risks a lot by waiting.

Portal recruiting moves fast. Quarterbacks especially. By the time a name is officially entered, agents, handlers, and staffers are already working phones.

Arkansas can’t be the program that checks availability after the line has already wrapped around the block.

The Razorbacks don’t need to win a bidding war. They need to be in the room. This moment says more about Arkansas than it does about Simmons.

The Razorbacks are at a point where quarterback depth isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. The SI reports paint a picture of a roster with ambition but uncertainty, especially at the position that touches the ball every play.

If Simmons enters the portal, Arkansas shouldn’t overanalyze it. They should act.

Because in the SEC, hesitation is usually answered on the scoreboard.

Key takeaways

• Arkansas’ quarterback room is critically thin after Grayson Wilson entered the transfer portal.
• Pete Thamel reported Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons plans to enter the portal, creating a timely opportunity.
• Arkansas cannot afford to wait or be passive at quarterback in today’s SEC landscape.