Ultimate Transfer Quarterback Roadmap For 2023
The transfer portal is college football's free agency. With minimal restrictions as it currently stands, it's also college football's Wild West. However, it gives student athletes the chance to find better opportunities, a critical tool after many of them were recruited during COVID-restricted times.
2023 saw an unprecedented number of quarterbacks transfer elsewhere. The twist this year was that it wasn't just high recruits buried on the depth chart– it was full on starting QBs in no danger of losing their position.
In total, 27 FBS starters from Week 1 of the 2022 season hit the portal. A handful more rising starters also looked for greener grass. Below, we'll go over all starters, rising starters, and impactful QBs that found new homes for 2023.
Transfer Quarterbacks: The Big Names
Sam Hartman: Wake Forest to Notre Dame
If Hartman were to have declared for the NFL Draft, he'd likely be selected in the mid-rounds. For Hartman, the opportunity to return for one more season and increase his draft stock outweighed the fourth-round contract he'd likely receive. In the days of NIL, who can blame him?
Hartman threw for over 12,000 yards and 110 touchdowns at Wake Forest, leading them to back-to-back AP ranked seasons for the first time since 2007-08. He started five seasons for the Demon Deacons, one of which seasons was lost to injury.
He plays his sixth and final season in South Bend with Notre Dame.
DJ Uiagalelei: Clemson to Oregon State
The highly-touted five star never really came to form in Clemson and was eventually replaced by another highly-touted five star, freshman Cade Klubnik. Before the season, DJ U transferring seemed unthinkable. But after Klubnik stepped in, it was inevitable.
"Big Cinco" gets a fresh start with a talented roster in Corvallis under Jonathan Smith. Oregon State was widely believed to be a good quarterback away from being a top-10 program in 2022 and they return much of their starters for 2023.
The Beavers finished 17th in the AP Poll after beating Florida 30-3 in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Spencer Sanders: Oklahoma State to Ole Miss
Sanders was one of the truly shocking names to enter the transfer portal. His head coach, Mike Gundy, stays in place as well as most of the offensive coaching staff. 2022 was marred by injury for Sanders as Oklahoma State finished 7-6.
Sanders wasn't the only player from Stillwater to find a home elsewhere; the Pokes saw a mass exodus of talent in the offseason.
He was a late commitment in the cycle, landing on Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss. Sanders joins five-star Walker Howard and incumbent Jaxson Dart– also a five star– in Oxford in what should be one of the most interesting QB battles of the offseason.
Devin Leary: NC State to Kentucky
Leary was a trendy preseason Heisman dark horse at NC State. He didn't really shape out with the expectations, and then suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in October. In four seasons with the Wolfpack (only two of which were full), Leary passed for 6,800 yards, 62 touchdowns, and just 16 interceptions.
His offensive coordinator, Tim Beck, left to be the head coach for Coastal Carolina, potentially leading to Leary looking elsewhere. He joins Liam Coen in Lexington, who re-joined Kentucky after a year with the LA Rams. Coen led Will Levis to new heights and the Wildcats offense to program-best marks in 2021.
Leary has up to two years of eligibility at UK. However, a good enough season in 2023 could see him become a first-round draft prospect.
Phil Jurkovec: Boston College to Pitt
An extremely talented quarterback, Jurkovec couldn't catch an injury break. He missed the 2022 season from Halloween on and only played six games in 2021. Jurkovec moves onto his third school after stints with Notre Dame and Boston College, staying in the ACC footprint with Pitt.
Once again, Jurkovec has high expectations. He shone when healthy at Boston College (a notoriously-difficult place to stand out), passing for over 5,400 yards, 37 touchdowns, and only 17 interceptions.
He fills a void left by Kedon Slovis, who transferred himself.
Tanner Mordecai: SMU to Wisconsin
It was widely believed that Mordecai was off to the NFL given the stock he built up at SMU. Instead, he'll play his sixth year of eligibility out at a revamped Wisconsin. The Badgers notably have a brand-new coaching staff led by accomplished coach Luke Fickell. Fickell brought on North Carolina OC Phil Longo to modernize the Wisconsin offense.
Mordecai passed for over 3,500 yards in back-to-back seasons at SMU to go along with 72 touchdowns in two seasons. He's a beacon of consistency who's experienced with high-volume attempts and a fast-paced offense.
Wisconsin revamped their entire QB room, but Mordecai will almost certainly be the starter moving forward.
JT Daniels: West Virginia to Rice
Daniels transferred to his fourth school this offseason. On the surface, it may seem like a shocking and nonsensical transfer, at least in the FBS scheme of things. However, Daniels is a multi-year Honor Roll student at USC, Georgia, and West Virginia and already has two bachelor degrees under his belt.
Rice is an academic powerhouse, ranking sixth among US universities, per Niche. Clearly, this is preparation for a life after football, even if Daniels has a stint in the NFL.
The move also makes Rice interesting. They've made quiet strides forward, even making a bowl game in 2022. While Daniels never lived up to his "Next Great USC Quarterback" moniker given to him by the media, he's immediately one of the most talented QBs in the American, which Rice begins its membership of this year.
Jeff Sims: Georgia Tech to Nebraska
If you're asking yourself, "who?" that's OK. While not a household name like Leary or Hartman, Jeff Sims was one of the most talented QBs in the ACC, hidden by the brand of Georgia Tech.
Sims was closely tied to the SEC and southeast, of which he's from (Jacksonville), but ended up joining Matt Rhule in Nebraska. The Huskers also pulled away OC Marcus Satterfield, a hot name from South Carolina.
He's not a triple-option QB, either. Ramblin' Wreck ditched the system a few seasons ago. Sims is a bonafide star who may shine in the Big Ten West with new weapons around him.
Brennan Armstrong: Virginia to NC State
Last year was a disaster. For Armstrong, for the Virginia offense, all of it. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall left the program after the 2021 season and the Hoos brought in Clemson OC Tony Elliott. They went 3-7 despite returning most of a six-win team the year prior.
Most alarming: Armstrong finished with 2,200 yards, seven touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while completing just 54.7% of his passes.
OK– so why is he here?
In 2021, Armstrong led the nation with almost 4,500 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Coaching completely wrecked his 2022. So, he left the Virginia program for NC State, who hired accomplished Syracuse OC Robert Anae to fill their OC void. It's a nice fit, and expect a major rebound for Armstrong.
The Rest Of The Starters
Power Five Starters To Power Five Programs
- Hudson Card, Texas to Purdue: Card didn't last as the Texas starter with Quinn Ewers rising. With Ewers returning and Arch Manning incoming, Card found a new home in Purdue.
- Emory Jones, Arizona State to Cincinnati: Jones was a star at Florida before moving onto Arizona State last season. Now joins Cincinnati, making their Power Five debut in the Big 12 this season.
- Cade McNamara, Michigan to Iowa: McNamara was the Wolverines' starter in 2021 and took them to the CFP. Was overtaken by J.J. McCarthy in 2022.
- Graham Mertz, Wisconsin to Florida: Former four-star recruit, highest-rated QB recruit in Wisconsin history. Likely Gators starter in 2023.
- Jack Plummer, Cal to Louisville: Plummer follows his old coach Jeff Brohm to Louisville after spending three years with him at Purdue. Likely starter, succeeding Malik Cunningham, who left for the NFL.
- Drew Pyne, Notre Dame to Arizona State: Pyne wasn't the Week 1 starter, but he started Weeks 3-on due to a Tyler Buchner injury. Left when Sam Hartman announced his transfer to Notre Dame.
- Kedon Slovis, Pitt to BYU: After Pitt hired Boston College OC Frank Cignetti, Slovis heard he was bringing QB Phil Jurkovec with him. Slovis found a home with BYU in their first year in the Big 12.
- Mike Wright, Vanderbilt to Mississippi State: Wright was beat out for the starting job down the back half of the season and is likely a backup at Mississippi State behind Will Rogers.
Starters Transferring Between Power Five and Group Of Five Programs
- Connor Bazelak, Indiana to Bowling Green: Bazelak was the starting QB for Missouri in 2021 and the starting QB for Indiana in 2022. He transfers into Bowling Green as one of the most talented starters in the MAC.
- John Paddock, Ball State to Illinois: Paddock joins Ole Miss transfer Luke Altmyer at Illinois after a strong showing at Ball State in 2022.
- Collin Schlee, Kent State to UCLA: After the entire Kent State coaching staff was poached by other schools, Schlee plays his final two years out in SoCal.
Go5 Starters Transferring To Go5 Programs
- Hank Bachmeier, Boise State to Louisiana Tech: Left Boise State after his OC was canned after Week 4 this season. Lands with Sonny Cumbie at Tech, a pass-first system.
- Davis Brin, Tulsa to Georgia Southern: Extremely talented QB who missed time due to injury this year. Tulsa brings in new regime, so Brin left for the Sun Belt.
- Layne Hatcher, Texas State to Ball State: Two-time transfer who moves in to fill a vacancy left by Paddock in Muncie.
- Dylan Hopkins, UAB to New Mexico: Two-year starter, followed OC and interim HC Bryan Vincent to New Mexico after UAB did not retain him.
- Chandler Rodgers, ULM to North Texas: Started both seasons with ULM, passed for over 2,400 yards last season. North Texas moves to the American this year.
- Daniel Richardson, Central Michigan to FAU: High-flying QB who regressed a bit in 2022. Joins Tom Herman in Boca Raton.
FCS Starters Set To Be FBS Starters
- Tony Muskett, Monmouth to Virginia: Muskett was named the top FCS QB transfer by On3. Threw 17 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in 2022.
- Shadeur Sanders, Jackson State to Colorado: The bigger name of the FCS guys. Follows his father Deion to Colorado, will start immediately. Four-star player recruited by Alabama and others in high school.
Did Not Start In 2022, But Notable
- Luke Altmyer: Ole Miss to Illinois
- Alan Bowman: Michigan to Oklahoma State
- Jacolby Criswell: North Carolina to Arkansas
- Nick Evers: Oklahoma to Wisconsin
- Malik Hornsby: Arkansas to Texas State
- Walker Howard: LSU to Ole Miss
- Sam Jackson: TCU to Cal
- Mikey Keene: UCF to Fresno State
- Haynes King: Texas A&M to Georgia Tech
- Alex Padilla: Iowa to SMU
- Donovan Smith: Texas Tech to Houston
- Jack Tuttle: Indiana to Michigan
The initial transfer window opened in December and closed January 18. The window opens again May 1 and closes May 15 as camp starts up. Grad transfers may move at any time.
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