Three Transfer Portal Replacements for Aidan Chiles at Michigan State
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Now that the 2025 regular season has concluded, the offseason transfer portal chaos is beginning to ramp up. Several college football stars have already announced their intention to enter the portal, including Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles.
With Chiles set to transfer and Michigan State's quarterback depth very thin, there's a strong chance that the Spartans and new head coach Pat Fitzgerald will look to bring in a quarterback from the portal to replace Chiles. Here's a look at three potential options that make the most sense for Michigan State to target.
Three Transfer Portal Quarterbacks Michigan State Should Target
Before exploring the transfer portal options, it is worth noting that there's a real possibility that Alessio Milivojevic will end up being Michigan State's starter next season. However, with a new coaching staff, it remains likely that the Spartans will at least bring in someone to compete with Milivojevic via the portal.
1) Katin Houser, East Carolina
Things have a chance to come full circle this offseason for Katin Houser, who recently announced his intention to transfer from East Carolina. Houser began his career with Michigan State as a member of the Spartans' 2022 recruiting class and entered the portal at the end of the 2023 season.
Houser has served as East Carolina's starting quarterback for the last two seasons and has totaled 6,438 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions over his college career. While it's hard to tell whether he'll have interest in returning to East Lansing, he's a different player than he was when he left, and a new staff could encourage him to consider coming back to Michigan State.
While Michigan State fans may not have the fondest memories of Houser's time with the Spartans, he has developed into a solid player and has the talent to compete in the Big Ten. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 511 overall portal player and the No. 45 quarterback.
2) Mason McKenzie, Saginaw Valley State
Mason McKenzie doesn't have any Division I football experience and has been the starting quarterback for Saginaw Valley State, a Division II program, for the past two seasons. However, he's a talented prospect, and his Michigan ties could make him an intriguing portal prospect for the Spartans.
Not only has McKenzie emerged as a star at Saginaw Valley, throwing for 2,086 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions this season while adding 942 yards and 10 scores on the ground, but he's also a Michigan native who attended Caledonia High School.
Given the fact that he grew up less than an hour away from East Lansing and his production at the Division II level, it would make sense for Michigan State to target McKenzie out of the portal at the very least to compete with Milivojevic. 247Sports ranks the Saginaw Valley transfer as the No. 215 overall portal prospect and the No. 14 portal QB.
3) Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, Colorado State
While Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi isn't the most talented or exciting quarterback in the transfer portal, there aren't many players who have seen more football than the former Colorado State quarterback. He has been with the Rams since 2022 and entered the transfer portal after the program parted ways with former head coach Jay Norvell in October.
He played only three games in 2025, but he has had an impressive career at Colorado State, throwing for a total of 6,938 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions over 28 starts. While Fowler-Nicolosi may not have a high ceiling, he's a veteran player that Fitzgerald could trust with his offense in his first season as Michigan State's head coach.
It would make a lot of sense for the Spartans to pursue Fowler-Nicolosi, as he'd come in and compete for the starting job. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 149 overall player in the transfer portal and the No. 11 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.