Top QBs in the 2023 College Football Transfer Portal
If you didn't think the "silly season" in college football could get any sillier, the past few seasons have given us the penalty-free, one-time transfer. As a result, transfer-portal season is now absolutely bonkers.
The past couple of seasons, it's truly gone out of control—and there's no position that can change a team quicker than quarterback. And, boy, is there a bounty of them in there this year.
Get the right guy, and your expectations are transformed. The examples are everywhere, but if you need the biggest one, all you need to see is that the top three Heisman Trophy candidates are all transfers.
Oregon's Bo Nix was an Auburn legacy. Michael Penix Jr. had four season-ending injuries before leaving Indiana for Washington, where he reconnected with his former offensive coordinator, Kalen DeBoer. And Jayden Daniels found a second life at LSU after leaving Arizona State.
This list doesn't even include potential stars like Toledo's Dequan Finn, Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff, high-upside former NC State signal-caller MJ Morris, or veterans like Tyler Shough (Texas Tech) and Max Johnson (Texas A&M), among others.
So, who is on it? Taking into consideration instant-impact ability, potential upside and on-field resume, here are the top quarterbacks already in the portal.
Aidan Chiles
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If you were going to take a swing at a quarterback from the portal to be your man for the future, there may not be a better option than Oregon State freshman Aidan Chiles, who will have three remaining years of eligibility wherever he goes.
It just so happens there is the potential to follow former coach Jonathan Smith, who is essentially starting his Michigan State Spartans program from scratch and has a wide-open quarterback room that could use a budding star. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren is at Sparty, too.
They recruited Chiles once, and they'll likely do it again. According to 247Sports, several prognostications already have pegged the 6'3", 200-pound dual-threat quarterback to end up in East Lansing.
The Downing, California, native tossed four touchdown passes while completing 24 of 35 passes (68.6%) for 309 yards backing up starter DJ Uiagalelei with the Beavers this past year. He added 79 rushing yards and three scores.
When he is on the field, exciting things happen. Chiles just seems to have that moxie to extend plays, make things happen and distribute the ball all over the field.
Even if he doesn't wind up at Michigan State, there will be tons of opportunities. Take into consideration that he likely could start at any of the major programs in his home state next year—USC, UCLA, California and Stanford.
This kid is going to have his pick.
Dillon Gabriel
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No quarterback has posted better stats or played more meaningful football than Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel, who shocked some on Monday by putting his name in the portal.
Where will he go for his one remaining season of eligibility?
Gabriel was a star-in-the-making under Josh Heupel while at UCF, then he left the Knights and moved on to Oklahoma, where he ran Jeff Lebby's system flawlessly for the past two seasons.
Will the unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection follow Lebby to Starkville, Mississippi, to play his final season? The tandem did great things at both of Gabriel's stops, so it would be a safe assumption that the Bulldogs will be in the mix.
For the Sooners this season, Gabriel led the Big 12 with 3,660 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. It was yet another highlight in a career that has seen him throw for 14,865 yards, 125 touchdowns and just 26 interceptions.
Plenty of teams run wide-open spread offenses right now, and Gabriel's veteran leadership and his ability will make him a coveted commodity. At 5'11", 204 pounds, he isn't the biggest quarterback in the portal, but that's never stopped him from putting up staggering numbers.
The Hawai'i native could move to the West Coast for his final year, hook back up with Lebby or make another SEC team very happy. He is going to have a lot of options and has played the transfer-portal game before, so he's a vet at this, too.
Taylen Green
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Boise State quarterback Tayven Green is dipping his toe into the waters of the transfer portal, but he is noncommittal right now about definitely leaving the Broncos.
Perhaps he just wants to see what options may come his way.
Unfortunately for Boise, there are probably going to be a lot of suitors for a kid who has the physique and skill set of an NFL quarterback already, albeit an unfinished product.
He may not be "closing the door" on Boise, but will the Broncos move on? The transfer portal door swings both ways.
The 6'6", 221-pound sophomore has two seasons of eligibility remaining, and he showed the world what he can do in the Broncos' Mountain West Conference championship game win over UNLV in which he threw for 226 yards on 12-of-15 passing, had 90 yards rushing and accounted for four total touchdowns.
That game, however, was not indicative of the Lewisville, Texas, native's season. He was demoted to part-time starter at one point and finished with just 1,752 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Any team that pulls the trigger on Green will be gunning for potential.
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Will Howard
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If you want a pure drop-back passer to fit your offense, Will Howard would be an exceptional option to make a quick impact on a program.
The former Kansas State quarterback who led the Wildcats to a Big 12 title just last year didn't take a major leap forward this year in the "Little Apple," but he still had a stellar season.
As coach Chris Klieman began inserting exciting dual-threat true freshman Avery Johnson into the scheme as a change-of-pace option, Howard wasn't the only option for K-State. Perhaps that played into his decision, but maybe he just wanted to exercise his graduate-transfer option to impact another team.
Somebody is going to get a strong-armed veteran who has played a lot of meaningful football, and there will be a lot of suitors.
Kansas State's On3 reporter Derek Young recently reported Howard and USC coach Lincoln Riley were going to meet as Riley plans for life after Caleb Williams. Others will be in the mix, too.
There's a lot to like about a guy with so much starting experience who has thrown 48 career touchdowns and 25 interceptions, as well as 5,786 yards. He's going to land somewhere and provide a soft cushion for a team, even if he doesn't have a lot of years to play.
Don't sleep on his athleticism, either; Howard isn't a statue. He has rushed for 921 career yards and 19 touchdowns. This is a big move for him, as he looks to prove his game translates anywhere before preparing for the NFL.
Riley Leonard
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The transfer portal is set up for players to transfer at any time for any reason, so it's difficult to fault somebody like Duke junior signal-caller Riley Leonard for looking to bolt Durham.
His coach, Mike Elko, just left Duke—a tough place to win on the gridiron that he had transformed into a noise-making program in just two years—to return to Texas A&M to be the head coach. Elko was the Aggies' defensive coordinator before taking the Duke job.
Leonard was the catalyst that made everything tick, and now the athletic playmaker is set to go elsewhere to finish his collegiate career.
The big rumor right now is that Notre Dame is the leader in the clubhouse for Leonard's services, reported by several outlets.
It appears plucking a star ACC transfer is going to be Marcus Freeman's M-O in South Bend. Last year, he got graduate transfer Sam Hartman from Wake Forest, and the former Demon Deacon had a strong season. Now, he may wind up with Leonard for a season to help bridge the gap to the C.J. Carr era.
A year ago, the Alabama native threw for 2,967 yards passing and 20 touchdowns to six interceptions. He also ran for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns. This season, he battled injuries for much of the year after getting hurt on the last play against the Fighting Irish.
Now, it appears he may finish his career trying to help that program take a major leap forward. If he goes anywhere else, Leonard could make a quick impact there, as well.
Grayson McCall
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Few quarterbacks have the mullet magic that Coastal Carolina signal-caller Grayson McCall has, and his decorated Chanticleers career will make him a legend at the school.
It was a surprise when he elected to go back to Conway, South Carolina, and play this season when coach Jamey Chadwell left for Liberty and Tim Beck took over. It wasn't the best of seasons for McCall, so he's heading elsewhere to finish his career after an injury-riddled '23.
How will his game translate on a larger level?
According to PackInsider.com's Matthew Bradham, North Carolina State is in hot pursuit of the three-time Sun Belt player of the year and sixth-year senior. He is from outside Charlotte, and playing for the Wolfpack would be a homecoming, of sorts.
Certainly, other schools will be mentioned unless McCall's heart is set on playing for Dave Doeren and the ACC program that had a surprisingly strong season despite myriad quarterback issues. Inserting McCall's veteran leadership and grit will be big for somebody.
Over his Chanticleers career, the 6'3", 220-pound offensive ringleader threw for 10,005 yards, 88 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. He also ran for 1,113 yards and 18 more scores.
When Coastal Carolina needed a play, McCall made it, and everybody became a fan of his during the COVID-shortened 2020 season when the 'Chants made their storied run. Now, he gets a bigger stage.
Kyle McCord
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First-year Ohio State starting quarterback Kyle McCord had his moments this year, but he was far from the consistent, game-changing force under center that the Buckeyes are used to having.
The offensive continuity and production dropped off considerably following the departure of C.J. Stroud, and while it's holding McCord to extremely high standards to expect there would be a seamless transition to him, he obviously struggled at times.
Still, with a big arm, experience and two remaining seasons, McCord is going to be a steal for somebody, even if he maybe isn't the right guy to lead Ohio State back to the Promised Land.
Also, does this indicate the Buckeyes are going to be active in trying to find a dynamic signal-caller in the portal? Or will they go with Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz, Air Noland and Co.?
The 6'3", 215-pound McCord threw for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions, even though he was at times just a game manager. Maybe McCord decided to move on after Day dodged questions about whether McCord would start in the bowl game.
There haven't been any potential landing spots bantered about yet for McCord, but could he return to his New Jersey home and play for Rutgers? Maryland has an opening after Taulia Tagovailoa exhausted eligibility. He will have other options, too.
Maybe it would be best for McCord to get out of the national spotlight in Columbus and have a nice career elsewhere.
Dante Moore
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When it comes to the "ceiling" of a transfer prospect, maybe nobody has a higher one than former UCLA signal-caller Dante Moore.
He made some of the biggest headlines of the 2023 recruiting cycle when he flipped to the Bruins from Oregon late in the game and came in to give coach Chip Kelly one of his biggest recruiting victories.
Moore didn't win the starting job right out of fall camp but ultimately was inserted into the lineup for a handful of games before being turnover-prone, proving he wasn't ready and getting yanked again.
Now, he's ready to get out of Westwood after an uneven year that saw him throw 11 touchdown tosses against nine interceptions.
So, where's he going to go? The former 5-star prospect hails from Detroit, so the major focus right now appears to be on his home-state programs. New Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith is a known developer of signal-callers, and there's playing time to be had in East Lansing.
If J.J. McCarthy decides to enter the transfer portal after the College Football Playoff, the Michigan Wolverines could potentially become a destination point for Moore, giving him the opportunity to play big-time college football right away. Then there's Ohio State and USC, too.
Options will abound. The battle for Moore will be one of the biggest of the portal season.
Will Rogers
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When Will Rogers was running coach Mike Leach's Air Raid offense in Starkville, the Mississippi State quarterback was putting up pinball numbers and looked like one of the SEC's top signal-callers.
Then, Rogers' production dipped significantly in an injury-plagued season after Zach Arnett took over.
Now, he's looking to complete his career elsewhere, and his one season of eligibility needs to be exhausted in an offense that is predicated on timing and precision, a short passing game and a tightly wound offensive system.
How about Kalen DeBoer's Washington Huskies, which will have a flashing "vacancy" sign over their quarterback position after Michael Penix Jr. departs following the College Football Playoff.
"The heavy favorite for Will Rogers is Washington," 247Sports analyst Chris Hummer said, via Transfer Portal Palooza. "He would be an excellent bridge quarterback after Michael Penix Jr. exits the program. He's a plug-and-play starter and someone who has thrown for a ton of yards during his career. He would be great for that system."
The 6'2", 215-pound Brandon, Mississippi native has completed 69 percent of his career passes for 12,315 yards, 94 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. DeBoer could work wonders with a player who doesn't have the biggest arm but knows where, when and to whom to place the ball.
Could Washington make a bigger portal splash? Maybe. But this is a move that would benefit Rogers and the Huskies.
DJ Uiagalelei
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A season ago, nobody quite knew what to expect from the rest of DJ Uiagalelei's career after he left Clemson, where he was recruited as a 5-star talent.
Now, with one season of eligibility remaining, he is leaving Corvallis, Oregon, where he attempted to resurrect his career for Oregon State under former coach Jonathan Smith.
Whoever gets him has to feel pretty good about Uiagalelei's development, skill set and ability.
Uiagalelei is still far from a perfect product. He completed just 57 percent of his passes last year for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions, numbers that are in line with what he did for Dabo Swinney's Tigers.
Still, you know what you're getting with Uiagalelei—a game manager who may not be able to put a team on his shoulders and carry it but can do a good job keeping the ship on course.
The interest is already hot for Uiagalelei, who could wind up at Ohio State (according to Eleven Warriors' Chase Brown) or Florida State (via Noles247's Chris Sonnone). The other common name in both those articles is former Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward, so you have to think whoever gets one, the other will go elsewhere.
His brother Matayo plays for Oregon, which faces life without Bo Nix, too.
One thing is certain, though: After a strong season in Corvallis, Uiagalelei is wanted yet again by the blue bloods—much as he was coming out of high school when he battled Bryce Young for the title of top signal-caller in the rankings.
Tyler Van Dyke
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Tyler Van Dyke is searching to try to return to the form that he exhibited in 2021 as a redshirt freshman.
At that point, he looked like one of the ACC's stars of the future, completing 63 percent of his passes for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. Since then under coach Mario Cristobal, though, Van Dyke has regressed.
A season ago, he threw for just 1,844 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. This season, he displayed improvement at times but still threw 12 interceptions to go along with his 19 touchdowns.
He needs a change of scenery.
"We feel really strongly about the young guys," Cristobal said earlier this week on the Joe Rose Show, via CBS Sports' Cameron Solerno, foreshadowing Van Dyke's decision. "Super proud of what Tyler did. Gotta figure it out, man."
Brad Crawford of 247Sports listed North Carolina, NC State, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Nebraska as potential landing spots for Van Dyke, and while he isn't going to offer any of the thrills and excitement as some portal guys, he'd be a good, solid fit.
Think along the lines of what Devin Leary did at Kentucky, Jack Plummer did at Louisville or what Graham Mertz did at Florida. He could help solidify somebody's bad quarterback potential, and if he's a fit with the coordinator, he could replicate his production from a couple seasons ago. Van Dyke will be on a lot of lists.
Cameron Ward
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Arguably the best signal-caller with the most one-year upside in the entire transfer portal right now is former Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward.
He's so good that it's possible he grades out in the top couple of rounds of the NFL draft and winds up there instead of at another college football program in 2024.
The former Incarnate Word signal-caller moved to Pullman before last season, following his coach, Eric Morris, who left to become the Cougars' offensive coordinator. Even after Morris left Wazzu to become North Texas' head coach this season, Ward progressed.
The 6'2", 223-pound West Columbia, Texas, native has to learn to read defenses a little better, and while he has the athleticism to do it, Ward has never been much of a runner except for when the pocket breaks down.
He can make all the throws, though, and if you insert him onto a good football team, he immediately makes them a College Football Playoff contender.
Throughout his career at Incarnate Word and Washington State, Ward has thrown 119 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, completing 64 percent of his passes for 13,874 yards. The offenses in which he's played tailored their style around his massive skill set.
CBS Sports' Will Backus mentions Oregon and Washington as potential destinations, considering both will have vacancies at the position. There will be many others, including perhaps Texas A&M, closer to Ward's Texas home.
Ward is going to have his pick of any team needing a quarterback nationally.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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