NCAA Quarterback Transfer Portal Already Heavy with Activity
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Long gone are the days when a quarterback’s duty at the collegiate level was to hand the ball off 40 times a game attempting 10 basic passes on third and long situations without little baring on the outcome of the game. The complex offenses of the modern era put a heavier point of emphasis on the play in the pocket with a talent that is one-part cerebral and one-part gunslinger. College programs in need of a developed talent in a hurry might get lucky in this year’s quarterback transfer portal.
A few former four-star field generals have already entered the portal and found new homes. Some of those highlighted on the list includes McKenzie Milton, Central Florida to Florida State, Ja’Quinden Jackson, Texas to Utah, and Jacob Sirmon, Washington to Central Michigan.
There are even players who started for their team during the 2020 season, guys like Jarrett Guarantano at Tennessee, Georgia’s D’Wan Mathis, Hendon Hooker at Virginia Tech, Rocky Lombardi at Michigan State, Charlie Brewer at Baylor, and Grant Gunnell at Arizona, who have hit the open market seeking greener pastures.
While the quarterback meeting room at Virginia Tech, Central Florida, and Tennessee will look drastically different this spring, same holds true at Mississippi State. Bulldogs’ head coach Mike Leach has already brought in two transfer quarterbacks; Jack Kristofek from Sam Houston State and Jack Abraham from Southern Miss.
For a second consecutive year, Utah has been a landing spot for former Texas quarterbacks. After landing Cameron Rising in the last offseason, Ja’Quinden Jackson has followed Rising to the Utes’ QB room.
The following is a list of former four- and three-star quarterbacks who have entered the transfer portal.
Transfer Completed
4-Star McKenzie Milton – UCF to FSU
4-Star Ja’Quinden Jackson – Texas to Utah
4-Star Jacob Sirmon – Washington to Central Michigan
4-Star Garrett Shrader – Mississippi State to Syracuse
4-Star Jalen Mayden – Mississippi State to San Diego State
4-Star James Foster – Texas A&M to Charlotte
4-Star Kasim Hill – Tennessee to Rhode Island
4-Star Quincy Patterson – Virginia Tech to North Dakota State
4-Star D’Wan Mathis – Georgia to Temple
4-Star Peter Parrish – LSU to Memphis
4-Star James Graham – Georgia Tech to Georgia Southern
3-Star Anthony Russo – Temple to Michigan State
3-Star Taylor Powell – Missouri to FAU
3-Star RJ Harvey Jr. – Virginia to UCF
3-Star Jack Abraham – Southern Miss to Mississippi State
Quarterbacks on the Open Market
4-Star Hendon Hooker – Virginia Tech to –
4-Star Chris Robinson – FAU to –
4-Star Jawon Pass – Louisville to –
4-Star Patrick O’Brien – Colorado State to –
4-Star Tanner Mordecai – Oklahoma to –
4-Star Grant Tisdale – Ole Miss to –
4-Star Jarrett Guarantano – Tennessee to –
3-Star Grant Gunnell – Arizona to –
3-Star Ty Evans – N.C. State to –
3-Star Chase Brice – Duke to –
3-Star Jack Coan – Wisconsin to –
3-Star Rocky Lombardi – Michigan State to –
3-Star Eli Williams – TCU to –
3-Star Tyler Lytle – Colorado to –
3-Star Jason Shelley – Utah State to –
3-Star Chris Katrenick – Duke to –
3-Star Kade Renfro – Ole Miss to –
3-Star Charlie Brewer – Baylor to –
3-Star Darriel Mack – UCF to –
3-Star Kennique Bonner-Steward – Temple to –
3-Star Jakson Thomson – LA Tech to –
Ben Wooldridge – Fresno State to –
Logan Bonner – Arkansas State to –
Devin Larsen – Iowa State to –
Photo credit: Tennessee Athletics; No. 2 Jarrett Guarantano