10 Potential Quarterback Targets for UVA Football in Transfer Portal

Of the many, many roster needs Virginia must address in the transfer portal, none is more urgent or significant than the quarterback position. The Cavaliers are losing both of their quarterbacks who had any starting experience with Tony Muskett having exhausted his eligibility and Anthony Colandrea entering the transfer portal. And while there are some promising quarterbacks on UVA's roster heading into 2025 - including former New Mexico State transfer Gavin Frakes and incoming freshmen quarterbacks Bjorn Jurgensen and Cole Geer - it's evident that Virginia needs to get a more experienced quarterback (or quarterbacks) in the transfer portal.

With the transfer portal window officially open, let's take a look at 10 quarterbacks Virginia could consider going after in the transfer portal:

Braylon Braxton, Marshall

A coaching change at Marshall sent Braylon Braxton into the transfer portal just hours after he led the Thundering Herd to a 31-3 rout over Louisiana in the Sun Belt Championship Game, garnering MVP honors. A 6'2" senior from Frisco, Texas, Braxton began his career at Tulsa, where he played in 19 games over three seasons before transferring to Marshall. Braxton went 8-0 as the starter for the Herd, throwing for 1,624 yards and 19 touchdowns to just two interceptions while completing 60.2% of his passes. He also rushed for 610 yards and four touchdowns to lead Marshall to its first 10-win season since 2015.

Kaidon Salter, Liberty

Virginia's search for an experienced quarterback could end up requiring the Cavaliers to look just down the road to Lynchburg, where Kaidon Salter has played 35 games over the last four seasons for the Liberty Flames, amassing 5,887 passing yards, 56 touchdowns to 17 interceptions, and a 59% career completion percentage. His 2023 season was his best, as Salter threw for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns to just six interceptions. Salter's production took a dip this season, but he still had a quality campaign, throwing for 1,886 passing yards and 15 touchdowns to six picks for Liberty, who turned in an 8-3 record. Salter is one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks available in the portal, racking up 2,063 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns in his career.

Ethan Vasko, Coastal Carolina

The transfer portal often brings players back to their home states and if the Cavaliers want to go that route, as they did with Tony Muskett, they could turn to a quarterback they faced this season in Coastal Carolina's Ethan Vasko. A 6'3" redshirt sophomore from Chesapeake, Vasko completed 55% of his passes and threw for 2,110 yards and 14 touchdowns to eight interceptions, while also rushing for 447 yards and five more scores on the ground. In the matchup against Virginia, Vasko threw for 222 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Vasko has two years of eligibility remaining.

Malachi Singleton, Arkansas

Virginia is looking for an experienced quarterback in the portal and Singleton doesn't really check that box, appearing in five games as a redshirt freshman in 2024. But he more than makes up for it with his potential and Tony Elliott has not ruled out the possibility of taking multiple quarterbacks in the portal. A 6'1", 225-pound QB from Kennesaw, Georgia, Singleton was a consensus four-star recruit and highly-rated dual-threat quarterback coming out of high school and Virginia was involved in his recruitment before he wound up at Arkansas. Singleton completed 21 of 28 passes for 358 yards and one touchdown in five games this season.

Chandler Morris, North Texas

A true product of the transfer portal, Chandler Morris started his career at Oklahoma, then transferred to TCU for three years, then played this past season at North Texas, where he threw for 3,774 passing yards and 31 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and also rushed for 242 yards and four rushing touchdowns. A native of Highland Park, Texas, Morris has played his entire football career in Texas or Oklahoma, so it may be difficult to lure him away from that region, but it could be worth a shot.

Update: Chandler Morris will reportedly take a visit to Virginia starting on Wednesday. Read more here: UVA Football Set to Host North Texas Transfer QB Chandler Morris

Keyone Jenkins, Florida International

A 6'0" junior from Miami, Keyone Jenkins has thrown for nearly 5,000 yards and 33 touchdowns over the last two seasons at FIU. In 2024, Jenkins completed 62% of his passes for 2,557 yards and 22 touchdowns to eight interceptions. The Panthers went 4-8 this season, but Jenkins led the Conference USA in passing touchdowns and was third in passing yards. Jenkins is in the portal with two years of eligibility remaining.

Conner Harrell, North Carolina

Virginia could take a look at the quarterback room of its ACC rival in Chapel Hill. A 6'2" sophomore from Alabaster, Alabama, Harrell appeared in 11 games over two seasons at North Carolina. As the Tar Heels struggled to stabilize their QB position after Max Johnson went down with an injury in the season opener, Harrell ultimately lost the battle for the open starting job to Jacolby Criswell. Harrell played six games this season, throwing for 282 yards and two touchdowns to one interception. He enters the portal with two years of eligibility remaining.

Thomas Castellanos, Boston College

Looking again within the Atlantic Coast Conference, UVA could take a look at Boston College's Thomas Castellanos, who was the team's starter until November, when the Eagles benched Castellanos in favor of Grayson James, who proceeded to lead BC to a 3-1 finish to the season. In 2023, Castellanos racked up 2,248 passing yards and 15 touchdowns in 13 games, but also threw 14 picks. He reined in the interceptions this season, but struggled with accuracy which led to his benching. Castellanos still recorded 1,366 passing yards and 18 touchdowns to five interceptions in eight games. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Grant Jordan, Yale

A 6'2" senior from New Orleans, Grant Jordan waited in the wings for his opportunity and made the most of it in his senior year at Yale, throwing for 1,938 yards and 22 touchdowns to just three interceptions, leading the Bulldogs to a 7-3 season. Jordan also rushed for 360 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Sam Huard, Utah

A former five-star recruit, Sam Huard began his career in his home state at Washington, where he played in five games and made one start before transferring to Cal Poly at the FCS level. In 2023, Huard threw for 2,247 yards and 18 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He then transferred to Utah, but never saw the field as an injury derailed his season and sent him once again to the transfer portal.

Of course, there are more than 100 quarterbacks already in the transfer portal, giving the Cavaliers a target rich environment from which to pursue their next signal caller.

Keep track of all of UVA's transfer portal activity, including outgoing and incoming transfers here: Virginia Football Transfer Portal Tracker

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