The best quarterbacks currently available in the transfer portal
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The 45-day winter transfer portal period officially began on Monday, December 5th, and there's expected to be plenty of players in there. In the 2021-2022 academic year, a record 3,085 players entered the transfer portal, with only 866 (28%) finding a transfer home for the 2022 season.
We'll begin this portal transfer series with a look at the most important position on offense, quarterback. Auburn returns quite a few signal callers on next year's roster, including starting QB Robby Ashford and Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada (UPDATE: Calzada has entered the portal), as well as holding a commitment from 3-star Keyone Jenkins. TJ Finley, who opened the season as the starter but lost the job after the third game of the season, is eligible for a redshirt and could return but has been rumored to be a potential transfer this winter.
QB DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson: A two-year starter at Clemson, Uiagalelei never quite met the expectations of being named the #1 pro-style quarterback of the 2019 class. He projects to have two years of eligibility remaining.
QB Graham Mertz, Wisconsin: Mertz started 32 games over three seasons for the Badgers, with a 19-13 record. Two remaining years of eligibility.
QB Haynes King, Texas A&M: Twice winning the starting job out of fall camp, King has lost the starting job both times - due to injury in 2021 and early season ineffectiveness in 2022. Three years of eligibility remaining.
QB Phil Jurkovec, Boston College: Jurkovec started 24 games at Boston College, but knee and rib injuries ended his season in October. As a grad transfer, the dual-threat QB (5,405 career passing yards, 568 career rushing yards) will have one remaining year of eligibility. UPDATE: Jurkovec has committed to Pittsburgh.
QB Cade McNamara, Michigan: The former Wolverine led Michigan to the 2021 College Football Playoff, but lost his starting role to JJ McCarthy early in 2022 and then suffered a leg injury, necessitating surgery. He has committed to Iowa for his final year of eligibility. UPDATE: McNamara has committed to Iowa.
QB Hudson Card, Texas: After losing the starting QB battle to Quinn Ewers, Card was forced into action during Ewers' injury absence. He accumulated 928 yards and 6 TDs, giving him 11 TDs to 2 INTs in his collegiate career. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
QB Jeff Sims, Georgia Tech: A three-year starter at Georgia Tech under former head coach Geoff Collins, he has 4,464 yards and 30 touchdowns to 23 interceptions across 25 career games. With his 2022 season ending after a sprained foot against Duke, he projects to be healthy for spring practice at his new destination, where he'll have two years of remaining eligibility.
QB Hank Bachmeier, Boise State: A four-year starter for the Broncos, he has over 6,000 career passing yards and 41 touchdowns to 19 interceptions over his time in Boise. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
QB Luke Altmyer, Ole Miss: The former four-star recruit battled and lost the starting job to Jaxson Dart earlier this season. After playing in five games in 2021, he preserved a redshirt for this season, appearing in only three total games. He has three years of remaining eligibility.
QB Kedon Slovis, Pitt: The fourth-year quarterback just finished his single season at Pitt after three injury-filled years at USC. When healthy, he flashes amazing arm talent, but has frequently been injured throughout his college career. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
QB Devin Leary, NC State: Leary was entering his fourth season with the Wolfpack this year before suffering an injury six games into the season. He is sixth on NC State's all-time passing leaderboard and fourth in all-time passing touchdowns. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.
QB Jacolby Criswell, North Carolina: The former four-star quarterback lost the fall camp competition to Drake Maye at UNC this year. He has been with the Tar Heels for three seasons but has played sparingly - tossing a touchdown and a pick in garbage time through 11 games. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
QB Mike Wright, Vanderbilt: The junior dual-threat QB from Atlanta has played in 26 games over his three seasons at Vanderbilt, but only started in 11 of those. He's run for 905 yards and seven touchdowns with 2067 passing yards and 21 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He'll have two remaining years of eligibility.
QB Connor Bazelak, Indiana: The Missouri transfer did not have the season he expected when he joined Auburn's Shaun Shivers in transferring to Bloomington. Poor offensive line play and wide receiver drops limited him to 2312 yards and 13 TDs (to 10 INTs) at a 55% completion percentage after putting up over 5000 yards at a 66.4% completion rate over 20 starts for Missouri. He'll have one remaining year of eligibility.
QB Brennan Armstrong, Virginia: Armstrong absolutely LIT up the UVA record books, holding prominent records like single season passing yards (4,449 in 2021), single season passing touchdowns (31, 2021), and career passing touchdowns (57). The grad transfer will have one remaining year of eligibility.
QB Austin Reed, Western Kentucky: The #2 passer in the nation, by passing yards (4,247), touchdowns (36), and completions (353), Reed was a Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist in his first year as a Hilltopper. After signing with Southern Illinois out of high school, he led the West Florida Argonauts to a 2021 Division Two national championship before joining Western Kentucky. He'll have one remaining year of eligibility.
QB Zach Calzada, Auburn: Obligatory joke about this article being for the best transfer quarterbacks. Calzada enters the portal after a 2022 season where he entered fall camp expected to be the starter, but a lack of 1st team reps and then a mysterious shoulder injury ended his season before it began. After transferring from Texas A&M, Calzada will have three years of eligibility, although it remains to be seen if he'll receive a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately (having used his free transfer to move from Texas A&M to Auburn last offseason).
QB Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State: Sanders was the Big 12 offensive freshman of the year and made 2nd team All Big-12 in 2019. A four year starter, Sanders has over 9500 collegiate yards and 67 touchdowns as a 61% passer. He is a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.
QB Davis Brin, Tulsa: A two-year starter for Tulsa, Brin exploded onto the scene in 2021 with 3200 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Golden Hurricanes. With coach Philip Montgomery being fired last week, Brin is looking for a new home. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
QB JT Daniels, West Virginia: Daniels has been a journeyman throughout his time in college football. Once a five-star prospect at USC, Daniels has made his way around the states - heading to Georgia for a couple of seasons before landing at West Virginia for what many assumed to be his final year before declaring for the NFL Draft. The career 6,947-yard passer is on the move once more. In his most recent stop at WVU, Daniels threw for 2,107 yards and 13 touchdowns (nine interceptions) in 10 games. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
QB Daniel Richardson, Central Michigan: A two-year starter for the Chippewas starter, richardson has accumulated over 5500 yards and 43 touchdowns for Central Michigan. Originally a 3-star recruit out of Hollywood, FL, the pro-style quarterback will have two years of remaining eligibility.
QB Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina: A three-year starter for the Chanticleers, McCall is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in college football, completing over 70% of his passes for his career with 78 career touchdowns to only 8 interceptions. he has two remaining years of eligibility and has expressed interest in Auburn.
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