Former five-star QB heavily linked to two college football programs

A coveted quarterback prospect is being connected to two college football programs after entering the transfer portal.

Auburn quarterback Deuce Knight (9) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Mercer Bears | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NCAA transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, 2026 for college football players looking to compete at new schools next season. The portal will stay open for the following two weeks.

The dominant news in the weeks following the conclusion of the regular season is the shifting of quarterbacks that will occur across college football in 2026. Multiple Power Four programs have lost quarterbacks to the portal and are searching for replacements.

A more recent decision by a quarterback to search for new horizons is Deuce Knight transferring out of Auburn. He will have four seasons of eligibility at his second school.

Hugh Freeze recruited Knight to Auburn as a five-star prospect from Lucedale, Mississippi. He was ranked as the No. 6 quarterback in the 2025 class by 247Sports.

Knight was the third-string quarterback for Auburn in 2025 behind Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold and Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels. He appeared in two games and started in the Tigers' win over Mercer (62-17). Knight finished his lone season with Auburn 17-of-25 passing for 259 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 178 yards and four touchdowns.

Knight's upside as a prospect out of high school and in his limited college sample size will draw interest from many different college football programs. Pete Nakos of On3 reported that two different college football programs are zeroing in on Knight as their next starting quarterback.

NEW: Michigan, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Auburn and others are in position to land top portal prospects as the window nears⌛️

On3’s @PeteNakos has the latest…

Intel: https://t.co/5fIaiA7Pb7 pic.twitter.com/QEECq8FzSv

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) December 31, 2025

Ole Miss

Even though Lucedale and Oxford are on opposite sides of Mississippi, Knight would be playing college football in his home state should he commit to the Rebels out of the transfer portal.

From the Ole Miss perspective, the quarterback situation is rife with uncertainty. Trinidad Chambliss is among the group of college athletes fighting for an extra season of eligibility in the Diego Pavia case. If Chambliss is granted another season of eligibility in the next few weeks, he could enter the transfer portal.

If Chambliss leaves, Austin Simmons could be a potential path forward for Ole Miss should he choose not to transfer. If Simmons were to leave, Knight would have a clear path to start for the Rebels.

Boston College

Boston College Eagles quarterback Dylan Lonergan (9) drops back to pass against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Edward Finan-Imagn Images

The 2-10 mark posted by Boston College is the worst of any team in the ACC in 2025.

The primary quarterbacks receiving run for the Eagles this season were Grayson James and Dylan Lonergan. James is out of eligibility, so Lonergan and Shaker Reisig are the two current options for Boston College in 2026.

As it relates to Knight, former Auburn assistant general manager Kenyatta Watson was hired as the Eagles' general manager on Dec. 8. Knight could immediately be in a position to win a quarterback battle at Boston College.

Auburn quarterback Deuce Knight (9) run in for a touchdown against the Mercer Bears at Jordan-Hare Stadium | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images