$6 Million QB Expected to Take College Football by Storm

Plenty of new players came to each college football program in January as a result of the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle.

Of the thousands of transfers to participate in the 2026 portal cycle, only seven ranked as five-star transfers. Not all of them transferred out of their previous school for the same reason, but a handful of these five-stars entered the portal in hopes of playing on bigger stages with greater earning potential.

One five-star transfer heading to a larger stage in 2026 is former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who committed to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are the third program Sorsby will play with in five seasons, promising him a hefty NIL deal and better surrounding talent.

A proven producer like Sorsby is the help Texas Tech was looking for after its offense withered in the spotlight of the College Football Playoff. Sorsby's name was the second on Chris Hummer of CBS Sports' list of the 13 budding stars college football insiders expect to take the sport by storm in 2026.

"Sorsby thrived at Cincinnati in a QB-friendly scheme. What positions him to emerge as a 2026 CFB superstar is opportunity. Texas Tech is the most talented roster in the Big 12, and Sorsby is a massive upgrade over Behren Morton," Hummer wrote.

"Expect Sorsby to throw for 3,000-plus yards, Texas Tech to win 10-plus games, and Sorsby to be in the mix for the Heisman. He's already enjoyed outsized success in the Big 12 the last two seasons. Now, he'll benefit from a new scheme and the most talented roster in the conference."

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) warms up before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Why Sorsby lacked surrounding talent at previous stops

While it has gained an understanding of its true power since its College Football Playoff National Championship victory, Indiana did not hit on portal evaluations under Tom Allen the way it has under Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers finished the 2023 season 3-9, but Sorsby totaled 1,587 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions to go along with 286 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in limited starts.

Cincinnati was two years into its time as a Power Four school when Sorsby arrived, making it a harder sell for the best portal prospects. The Bearcats posted a 12-12 overall mark with Sorsby as their quarterback, but he finished his two years there with 5,613 passing yards, 45 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions to go along with 1,027 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground.

Texas Tech has become a juggernaut on the NIL front in college sports. Billionaire booster and Red Raider offensive lineman Cody Campbell has injected unprecedented funding into the Texas Tech athletic program, much of which is spent on athletes. The deal Sorsby struck with Texas Tech is reportedly worth $5.1 million.