Top transfer portal QB linked to major college football program after 2,500-yard season

A Power Four quarterback has been linked to a major college football program after deciding to transfer.

Oklahoma State's Kyran Duhon (33) pressures Iowa State's Rocco Becht (3) in the first half of the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday Nov. 29, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The list of college football players who have decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal has grown exponentially.

More recently, the quarterbacks have begun to make their way toward the portal. Some intriguing quarterbacks to enter the portal include DJ Lagway of Florida, Brendan Sorsby of Cincinnati, Josh Hoover of TCU, Drew Mestemaker of North Texas and Sam Leavitt of Arizona State.

The latest quarterback to add his name to the growing list of portal entries is former Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht. He will enter the transfer portal with one season of eligibility remaining.

Chris Hummer of CBS Sports logged an early prediction as to where Becht could land after he officially enters the portal.

Penn State is the early team to watch here, sources tell @CBSSports. Becht is expected to be a popular option for schools, though. https://t.co/grGhaCTNwB

— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) December 20, 2025

Penn State is an easy linkage for Becht as the Nittany Lions hired Matt Campbell as their successor to James Franklin on Dec. 7. Campbell brought former Cyclones offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser with him to serve in the same role in State College.

Penn State began its 2025 season with non conference victories against Nevada, Florida International and Villanova. However, a three-game skid featuring losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern prompted the Nittany Lions to move on from Franklin on Oct. 12.

Becht arrived at Iowa State in 2022, playing in just three games to maintain a redshirt. He finished his first season in Ames 7-of-15 passing for 65 yards and an interceptions, most of which was in a 62-14 loss at eventual Big 12 champion TCU.

The Cyclones named Becht as their starter in 2023. He passed for 3,120 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for another 63 yards and three touchdowns. Iowa State was 7-6 with a Liberty Bowl loss to Memphis (36-26) in 2023, but Becht earned the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award.

Iowa State Cyclones' quarterback Rocco Becht (3) | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa State finished the 2024 regular season with 10 wins, the first time it accomplished the feat in program history. Becht threw for 3,505 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for another 318 yards and eight touchdowns.

Becht's production in 2025 did not match that of his prior two seasons as the Cyclones' starter. The final tally for Becht this season was 2,584 passing yards, 16 touchdown passes and nine interceptions while he rushed for 116 yards and eight touchdowns.

The NCAA transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, 2026, on the final day of FBS bowl games. It will remain open until Jan. 16, 2026.