$4 Million QB Listed as No. 1 Player for Washington After Transfer Portal Chaos

A major media outlet has named a $4 million quarterback as the No. 1 player for Washington in 2026 following flirtation with the NCAA transfer portal.

Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) in the first half of the LA Bowl against the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Turmoil took over the college football landscape in the form of the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle from early December all the way to the end of January.

During that period, thousands of players from every level of college football decided to scour around for better opportunities in the 2026 football season. The transfers who received the most attention nationally were the quarterback who left their starting roles at Power Four schools for other Power Four opportunities.

A near entry into the portal at quarterback was Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. Despite efforts from other programs to entice him into the portal, Williams resisted the temptation and remained with the Huskies.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder was a top 20 quarterback prospect when he committed to Arizona in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Arizona was one of the programs affected by Nick Saban's retirement at Alabama; Wildcats head coach Jedd Fisch departed to fill the vacancy left by Kalen DeBoer at Washington. A week after he enrolled at Arizona, Williams entered the NCAA transfer portal to follow Fisch.

Former Mississippi State starter Will Rogers opened 2024 as the Huskies' starter, although Williams appeared in all 13 games and started the final two contests. In total, Williams threw for 944 yards, eight touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 282 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. (2) runs the ball and makes a touchdown during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl | GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington named Williams its starter for the 2025 season. He passed for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions and ran for 611 yards and six touchdowns while guiding the Huskies to a 9-4 overall record.

Max Olson of ESPN compiled a list of the top returning players on each team featured in ESPN's way-too-early top 25 on Tuesday. Olson listed Williams as the No. 1 player for Washington heading into the 2026 season.

"Now this was a wild situation. Days after signing a new deal with Washington that ESPN sources indicated was in the mid-$4 million range for 2026, Williams declared on his Instagram that he planned to transfer," Olson wrote.

"His expected destination was LSU, but those plans fell apart within 48 hours amid the significant challenges his move would have faced. Williams then declared he was fully committed to staying and had to put in the work to repair his relationships with his coaches, team and fan base."

Washington plays a pair of 2025-2026 College Football Playoff participants on its 2026 schedule in Indiana and Oregon, although not until the final two weeks of the regular season. Purdue and Michigan State are the only programs on Washington's 2026 Big Ten schedule to not participate in the 2025 postseason.

Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) during warmup before the game against the Oregon Ducks | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images