Georgia Tech QB Hot Board 1.0: Who Could Replace Aaron Philo?

Georgia Tech lost its projected starting quarterback for the 2026 season after Aaron Philio decided to enter the transfer portal. Now, with the majority of the staff and a former Georgia Tech player likely to end up in Florida, Brent Key will be looking to replace a good chunk of his offense. It starts with the offensive coordinator, then getting the quarterback position right.

So, where does head coach Brent Key look at the quarterback position in the portal? Let’s take a deeper look at some options.

North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker

Latest — Oct 10, 2025; Denton, Texas, USA; North Texas Mean Green quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) warms up prior to a game against the South Florida Bulls at DATCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Mestemaker decided to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday afternoon. He will be a heavily sought-after prospect for the Mean Green. He led North Texas to the American Championship with his stellar play. He finished first in the NCAA in passing yards this season with 4,129 passing yards. Mestemaker also had 31 touchdowns to just seven interceptions and ranked 25th in QBR (quarterback rating) with a 74.8.

Mestemaker was a redshirt-freshman and will still have at least two more years in college football. He will give the Yellow Jackets a viable option at quarterback and one who could play as soon as he arrives on campus.

Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola

Now this one carries a little bit of risk because Raiola suffered a season-ending broken right Fibula injury against USC. It will be interesting to see if he is the same player or has the same level of mobility.

Raiola has two years of playing experience at Nebraska and started as a true freshman for the Cornhuskers after playing his final collegiate season with the Buford Wolves. He was very productive with the Cornhuskers, throwing for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns. In his final season with Nebraska, he improved his completion percentage from 67.1% to 72.4% and his touchdowns from 13 to 18. As a passer, Raiola has all the tools, but the injury could limit him somewhat, when he was predominantly a player from inside the pocket.

Florida QB DJ Lagway

Lagway is a player who comes with a lot of risk and probably will be very expensive for the Yellow Jackets. His production hasn’t been the best at the quarterback spot with 28 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in his two-year career. Lagway was a former five-star prospect and struggled at Florida, putting together wins at a consistent level.

The one thing he brings is his ability to improvise and make big plays. It’s also a double-edged sword because those same spectacular plays he can make can also lead to interceptions and bad plays down the field. Lagway has the talent to be an elite quarterback in college, but his production hasn’t been at that level yet.

Old Dominion QB Colton Joseph

Joseph is an intriguing option who would come from the Sun Belt Conference. He had a career year with the Monarchs, throwing for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns. His best game of the year came against App State, where he threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns.

He would fit the Yellow Jackets offense because he is a great dual threat. In addition to passing, Joseph also ran the ball at a high level, finishing with 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns. In his last three games, he rushed for at least 90 yards on the ground. Certainly, an option the Yellow Jackets have to consider.

Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby

Sorbsy is probably the best passer on this list. He can really light you up if you give him time to survey the defense and dissect at a high level. He’s a veteran quarterback who has played in the Big 10 and the Big 12. At Cincinnati, he finished his career with 5,613 passing yards and 45 touchdowns.

One of the traits you enjoy with Sorsby is his ability to protect the football. In 2025, Sorsby had 27 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He hasn’t had a season in his playing career where he has surpassed seven interceptions. He’s also improved each year as a runner. This past season, he set a new career-high with 580 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.

Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles

Chiles is an interesting player who has hit the portal and could be an option for the Yellow Jackets. He played two seasons with the Michigan Spartans and improved his completion percentage and turnovers in his final year with the team. He improved from a 59.4% completion rate to 63.1%. His interceptions went down from 11 to three. Chiles finished tied-eight in interceptions and 41st in QBR (quarterback rating) at 68.3.

Chiles also became more of a red-zone threat on the ground this season, rushing for a career-high six touchdowns. Not sure how much of an option he will be for Georgia Tech, but he could be a guy they bring in for competition for Graham Knowles in the spring and for fall camp in 2026.

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt

Leavitt was one of the first quarterbacks to hit the transfer portal when the option arose. A player from the Big 12 who played at a high level for Arizona State, guiding them to the College Football Playoff and the quarterfinals in his redshirt freshman campaign. In his first season with the Sun Devils as the starter, he threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns.

This past year for Arizona State, he suffered a Lisfranc injury that ended his season. Leavitt finished with 1,628 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, and a major upset victory over Texas Tech in 2025. He is certainly a quarterback who plays well on the big stage and gives the Yellow Jackets another dual-threat guy who can play in big-time ACC games and not miss a beat. A great option for the team.