Top 5 transfer portal landing spots for Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles

Quarterback Aidan Chiles followed head coach Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State, but that move didn't go as expected for either.

Smith was fired after two dismal seasons, including a 4-8 finish last year, and Chiles paid his price for those struggles as well, getting benched after starting the first eight games.

Chiles passed for 1,392 yards, 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and rushed for 227 yards and 6 TDs in those eight games, which wasn't actually better in some ways than his 2024 season when he passed for 2,415 yards, 13 TDs and 11 INTs with 225 yards and 3 TDs on the ground.

But there was no denying Michigan State's offense had stalled under Chiles, who had 1 TD pass and 2 INTs over his final four starts with 4 rushing TDs as the Spartans sustained one blowout loss after another.

Now, he'll look for a fresh start and reset while re-entering the transfer portal with one season of eligibility remaining. Coming out of high school in Downey, California, he was rated a three-star prospect by Rivals/On3 and a four-star by 247Sports.

Chiles is the 16th-ranked QB and No. 86 player overall in On3's transfer portal rankings among players who have already announced their transfer intentions.

Here are some potential landing spots for Chiles.

(The college football transfer portal window is Jan. 2-16. Players can't officially enter the portal or be contacted by other schools until then.)

Where will former Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles land next as he re-enters the transfer portal? | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

1. Cincinnati Bearcats

On3 transfer market guru Pete Nakos reported that Cincinnati was one of two schools standing out for early interest in Chiles, after the Bearcats lost star QB Brendan Sorsby to the portal.

This makes some sense from a fit standpoint, as the Bearcats utilized Sorsby's rushing ability (580 rushing yards and 9 TDs this season) as well as his arm, and Chiles is a capable runner.

Cincinnati presumably doesn't have the money to spend with the top suitors in the QB market, and with Chiles rated a middle-tier option, it may be the right fit for what the Bearcats are prepared to invest in the position.

2. Nebraska Cornhuskers

On3's Pete Nakos also listed Nebraska as a school note in Chiles' recruitment, but noted that the Cornhuskers were looking at a lot of quarterbacks after losing star QB Dylan Raiola to the portal.

It's a little surprising that Nebraska would see Chiles' struggles within the Big Ten -- and up close, as he was 9-of-23 passing for 85 yards and 2 INTs with 2 rushing TDs vs. the Huskers this season -- and decide he was the answer.

But then, Nebraska might be a tough sell to transfer QBs. Even with Raiola, a former five-star prospect, the Huskers ranked in the middle of the FBS in passing at 228.2 yards per game, while their rushing attack with Emmett Johnson was the identity of the unit.

Johnson declared for the NFL draft, though, and with Raiola gone as well, the Huskers need to totally rebuild. It's possible they see Chiles' struggles at Michigan State as partly a product of his circumstances, as nothing went particularly well for the Spartans.

He was well-regarded coming out of Oregon State, where he was an efficient passer in very limited opportunities (24 of 35 for 309 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs with 3 rushing TDs).

And if Nebraska does want to bring Chiles in, the interest should be mutual, as it would seem his best opportunity to get a second chance in the Big Ten.

3. UNLV Rebels

Coach Dan Mullen found success in his first season at UNLV with a quarterback transfer from the Power Four ranks in Virginia transfer Anthony Colandrea, who is now back in the portal looking to cash in on his breakout season and land in a bigger spotlight.

It only makes sense that Mullen will look to repeat his success with Colandrea by reeling in another talented quarterback who struggled a bit at the P4 level and needs a fresh start and reset.

The parallels are intriguing. Colandrea tossed 26 TDs and 20 INTs over two seasons at Virginia, but he proved an immediate fit for Mullen's offense while winning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors this season after throwing for 3,459 yards, 23 TDs and 9 INTs and rushing for 649 yards and 10 TDs.

Chiles wouldn't have the opportunity to use a year at UNLV to bounce back to a bigger program, but he could use the opportunity to build his NFL draft stock in his final season if he can make the same individual leap Colandrea did in his time with Mullen.

This is honestly the most intriguing match on this list for Chiles.

4. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest managed a successful 8-4 season despite the struggles of QB Robby Ashford, who passed for 2,167 yards, 9 TDs and 7 INTs and rushed for 504 yards and 7 TDs.

Ashford is out of eligibility, leaving Deshawn Purdie (618 passing yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs last season) as the most experienced quarterback on the roster.

Chiles might be a better version of Ashford, and he knows Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert well. Chiles was recruited by Washington State and took an official visit to Wazzu when Dickert was the head coach and Eric Morris was the offensive coordinator.

Morris was probably the bigger factor there, as Dickert is a defensive coach by trade, but the connection exists all the same, as does the need and potential fit.

5. Oregon State Beavers

What a about a full-circle return to where it all started?

Chiles chose Oregon State out of high school for a multitude of reasons, and it was understandable that he'd leave with his head coach and offensive coordinator for a big opportunity in the Big Ten.

But now a return to Corvallis, Oregon, holds some intrigue. Oregon State just hired a young coach in JaMarcus Shephard, who was the co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach at Alabama the last two years. Before that, he was the passing game coordinator at Washington from 2022-23, when the Huskies offered Chiles.

It's unclear what connection they established then, and it's also unclear how Shephard assesses his quarterback situation.

Neither Maalik Murphy (1,805 passing yards, 9 TDs, 8 INTs) nor Gabarri Johnson (503-2-3) looked to be the answer for the Beavers last season. There was buzz that Johnson was going to usurp Murphy down the stretch this fall, but he didn't exactly seize the job either.

Shephard could evaluate the situation and decide that pursuing Chiles is the best option for the program, which may not be among the big spenders in NIL nationally, but has been able to bring in high-profile QB transfers like DJ Uiagalelei and Murphy in previous years.