The NCAA transfer portal has been kind for quarterback-needy teams thus far. The winter window, which officially closed in January, saw more than 100 FBS quarterbacks with varying levels of experience and upside enter the portal in search of new homes.
247Sports gave 18 quarterbacks a four-star grade in its transfer rankings database, more than any other cycle since the NCAA approved a one-time transfer eligibility waiver in 2021. That includes several prominent names, including former starters at Ohio State and Oklahoma, along with two five-star prospects from the class of 2023. Of those, each name ranked inside the top 10 has already made a commitment, with most enrolling at their new schools.
While it's great for optics for a school to tout a top-10 transfer addition at the most important position on the field, fit actually matters. When determining fit, there are a few things to consider. Scheme is at the top of the list -- will that QB actually be in a position that maximizes his skills? -- but coaching, talent around the quarterback and projections matter as well. A lot of 247Sports' top transfer QBs don't have much experience.
With that in mind, it felt appropriate to grade the fit for each notable quarterback transfer during the 2024 cycle so far.
QB Transfer Grades
| School | Player | Previous School(s) | Analysis | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Mack | Washington | Mack didn't see any action for the Huskies as a true freshman in 2023 and took a redshirt. Then, he entered the portal and followed coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to Alabama, giving that new coaching staff a QB it clearly covets. Mack was a top-100 recruit out of high school and definitely catches the eye with his 6-foot-6 frame, but there's just a lot of unknown with how his game will translate to the collegiate level. DeBoer and Grubb know quarterbacks, though, so it's safe to trust their judgement and there's a good chance Mack turns out just fine. | B- | |
| Dequan Finn | Toledo | Baylor desperately needed an injection of energy at quarterback -- for its whole offense, really -- and it's absolutely getting that in Finn, one of the most exciting playmakers in college football. Finn was named MAC MVP in 2023 after logging 3,220 total yards and 29 touchdowns. Finn is going to take his chances, and that will lead to some turnovers -- he has 21 interceptions over the past two years -- but that's a trade Baylor should be willing to take if it wants to reintroduce an interesting brand of offensive football. | B | |
| Malachi Nelson | USC | Nelson never got much of a chance to shine at USC, falling behind Miller Moss on the depth chart and attempting just three passes on the year. There's too much unknown to give this a high ranking, no matter what his high school projection might suggest, though he gives Boise State more reason for excitement about the quarterback position than it's had in a while. | B- | |
| Maalik Murphy | Texas | This is, without a doubt, one of the most enticing moves of the 2024 transfer cycle. Murphy's potential is sky-high. He's built like an edge rusher with a 6-foot-5, 238-pound frame and his arm talent is almost unparalleled at the college level. He doesn't have a lot of experience but new Duke coach Manny Diaz poached SMU offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer in the same role. Brewer knows QBs and has a proven track record of turning inexperienced names into effective starters. He should be able to get the most out of Murphy. | A | |
| DJ Uiagalelei | Oregon State, Clemson | At worst, this move gives Florida State a fairly comfortable floor at quarterback. But therein lies the problem. Jordan Travis was a legitimate playmaker that made a lot of things happen for the Seminoles. Uiagalelei is more of a game manager who doesn't do a whole lot to truly raise an offense's ceiling. That seems like an issue for an FSU team that's losing around 75% of its receiving production. | C+ | |
| Brock Vandagriff | Georgia | Vandagriff makes a lot of sense from a scheme perspective. The former five-star prospect is a pure pro-style passer, with a scouting report from high school that touts his accuracy in the short to intermediate game. But the problem with Vandagriff is that his high school tape, from four years ago, is about all we have to evaluate when it comes to meaningful game-time film. He's attempted 21 total passes at the collegiate level while sitting behind Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck. Will Levis worked out for the Wildcats when he came over from Penn State as a career backup, but Vandagriff is a relative unknown by comparison, and there are concerns about a guy who couldn't win the one legitimate QB battle he's been involved with thus far. | B- | |
| Cameron Ward | Washington State, Incarnate Word | Ward, who flip-flopped between the portal and the NFL before landing on Miami, is a creative passer that can hit off-platform throws akin to USC's Caleb Williams. Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson comes from an Air Raid background that Ward should be plenty familiar with from his time at Incarnate Ward and then at Washington State, which still spreads things out. He will be able to play free and showcase that dazzling arm talent while giving Miami's passing game a much higher ceiling than it's had recently. | A | |
| Aidan Chiles | Oregon State | Jonathan Smith recruited Chiles to Oregon State and then specifically brought the talented young signal-caller with him when he left to take the helm at Michigan State. Smith clearly thinks the world of Chiles, who received at least one drive of work in nine of Oregon State's games last season despite the presence of Uiagalelei. Chiles can now blossom with the Spartans, where we'll get a better sense of his true talent. Certainly a situation to keep an eye on, but if a former quarterback like Smith clearly vouches for him that's hard to discount. | B+ | |
| Grayson McCall | Coastal Carolina | McCall faded from the limelight a bit during an injury-riddled 2023 campaign, but he's long been one of the most prolific non-power conference passers in the nation. He finished his Coastal career with more than 10,000 yards passing and 88 touchdowns. More importantly, he takes care of the ball. From 2021-23, he had just eight interceptions. He also has decent rushing ability, which fits an NC State offense that just had QB Brennan Armstrong as its leading rusher. | B+ | |
| Riley Leonard | Duke | Anytime you can get a quarterback via the transfer portal that was once thought of as a first-round pick, it's a huge win. Pairing Leonard with new OC Mike Denbrock is another win. Denbrock just mentored Heisman winner Jayden Daniels at LSU, and though Leonard and Daniels aren't a one-to-one comparison, there are some similarities. Daniels had more than 1,000 yards rushing in 2023, a lot of which was designed, while Leonard had 352 yards in seven games while dealing with an ankle injury. They both also have accurate arms with the ability to deliver precise throws at every level. This could be college football's premier coach-QB pairing entering the 2024 season. | A | |
| Will Howard | Kansas State | Howard's 7.4 yards per attempt in 2023 would rank dead last among Ohio State QBs since Day became head coach in 2019. For comparison, former Buckeyes starter Kyle McCord had 9.1 yards per attempt in 2023, the lowest mark for a QB in the Day era. Howard does bring the kind of grit that Day has emphasized in recent years and is an adequate enough passer to where Ohio State won't have to totally rework its scheme, but some adjustments will have to be made to get the most out of his toolset. It's an odd pairing, one that will be hard to pin down without actually seeing it put into practice. | B- | |
| Dante Moore | UCLA | Moore flashes of brilliance as a part-time starter in 2023 but struggled once Pac-12 play rolled around, throwing eight of his nine interceptions against conference foes. He boasts a great 6-foot-3 and 210-pound frame and a livewire arm that just needs some fine tuning. Moore can take the time to work on that with Oregon's addition of Dillon Gabriel. He's got plenty of upside for the Ducks. Though the move might not pay off right away, this is a good marriage between situation and Oregon finding the opportunity to add a high-upside future option. | B | |
| Dillon Gabriel | Oklahoma | Gabriel is the perfect fit as a one-year loan in Oregon's offense. He doesn't necessarily have any physical traits that wow you, but that's okay in an Oregon system that puts the quarterback in a traditional point guard role relying on effective distribution over flashy playmaking. A lot of Will Stein's scheming emphasizes getting the ball into the hands of playmakers and letting them go make plays. Gabriel is a proven veteran with great decision-making skills and even has an ideal schematic background from playing in high-tempo offenses at UCF and Oklahoma, which rely on making quick reads and sharp deliveries to keep things rolling. | A+ | |
| Kyle McCord | Ohio State | McCord is a serviceable collegiate starter that should give Syracuse the consistency it's so desperately lacked from the quarterback position in recent years. When he's not under pressure, some might even consider McCord elite. He delivered on 72% of his attempts for 2,782 yards and 22 touchdowns with just three interceptions with a clean pocket. His deep ball is particularly effective when given time to throw. He doesn't perform well out of structure, so it's very important for Syracuse to shore up an offensive line that gave up a whopping 73 sacks in 2023. | B- | |
| Tyler Van Dyke | Miami | Van Dyke is an experienced quarterback, but it seems like his best days might be behind him. He was benched for a freshman in 2023 and then returned when that freshman suffered an injury. That doesn't bode well for a Wisconsin offense that had just over 220 yards passing per game last season, which looks decent among its Big Ten compatriots but falls just below the proverbial Mendoza Line nationally. Van Dyke also has an extensive history of injuries that raise some red flags. Maybe Van Dyke can regain his 2021 form under offensive coordinator Phil Longo, but this move does little to spark excitement on its face. | C- |
