SMU Transfer QB Preston Stone Reveals Northwestern Recruitment Details

The 'Cats have a new leader who appears to be all in.

Nov 30, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Preston Stone (2) passes for a touchdown to wide receiver Key'Shawn Smith (not pictured) during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Following a rocky 4-8 campaign where four different Wildcats took snaps under center, Northwestern attempted to shore up its quarterback position in the transfer portal. The 'Cats' biggest prize of the offseason came in the addition of SMU quarterback Preston Stone.

Stone, who threw for 3,198 yards, 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions for the Mustangs in 2023, arrived in Evanston after a season in which SMU reached its first-ever College Football Playoff. On Thursday morning, Stone met with the media for the first time after a spring practice and detailed how he ended up with the Wildcats.

The college football transfer portal opened following the regular season while SMU was still alive in pursuit of a national championship. Stone entered the portal as a graduate transfer, but did not step away from the program so he could continue to support the players who had been there for him over the past several years.

"I knew I wanted to stay with SMU through the rest of the season because we work all year to get to those primetime games," Stone said. "I was a captain on the team and I still wanted to be there for my teammates, so that was a really important decision for me."

On the Sunday before SMU played Penn State in the College Football Playoff First Round, Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashley allowed Stone to fly to Evanston so he could meet Northwestern coach David Braun and the Wildcat staff.

Between preparing for Penn State, finishing his final exams and finding a future team, Stone described the week as "crazy." The quarterback said that Braun and Northwestern's coaching staff were incredibly supportive of his "team-first" choice to stay with SMU until the end of the season, and after arriving in Evanston, Stone was sold on the 'Cats.

"When I spoke with Coach Braun, there was a level of belief and desire to get me here that was different than everyone else," Stone said. "Once I stepped on campus and got to meet the staff, meet some of the leaders on the team, I knew this was going to be home.”

Stone lost the SMU quarterback battle to star sophomore Kevin Jennings in 2024, but Jennings led the Mustangs to new heights after taking over the starting role. Northwestern offensive coordinator Zach Lujan called Jennings a "Heisman Hopeful" on Thursday and said that Stone losing the starting spot was not a "knock" on him at all.

The senior quarterback appeared in seven games last season, throwing for 421 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in limited action.

Northwestern will be hoping that Stone provides more stability to the quarterback position. In 2024, the Wildcats ranked 111th in the FBS in passing offense.