Sleeper College Football QBs with Potential for Turnaround 2025 Seasons

Whether it be injuries, lack of opportunities or being blocked by better players, there are a lot of quarterbacks not on your radar who will have the chance to put up much better numbers in the 2025 season.

Some of them could break out and become stars.

As the transfer portal has shown us time and time again, sometimes, all it takes is a change of scenery, the right circumstances and a fresh look to flip the talent switch in some players, and it's our job to take a look over the college football landscape and give you some candidates.

From veterans who feel like they're in their last chance to showcase to young guys who now have a spot to shine, this is a diverse group.

Guys you won’t find on this list are players who have shown big-time talent or were starters who put up good numbers (even if they lost their jobs). So, players like Miller Moss (transferred from USC to Louisville), Jackson Arnold (transferred from Oklahoma to Auburn) and Noah Fifita (struggled a little after a huge 2023 season) won’t be here. They aren’t exactly sleepers.

Here are a few we do think fit the bill.

Devin Brown, California Bears

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When Devin Brown came from high school in Utah as a high 4-star recruit, he expected to eventually battle Kyle McCord and win the job in Columbus. That never transpired.

Even after McCord beat him out for the job in 2023, he decided to leave and the Buckeyes openly searched the transfer portal for somebody who was better—a search that ultimately landed on Kansas State's Will Howard and resulted in a national title—Brown stayed.

Now with Julian Sayin lined up to replace Howard, Brown is leaving (though he stayed for the ring as Howard's backup). The situation he finds in Berkeley may be better, but how much?

The Bears have elite signal-caller Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele waiting in the wings after he transferred from Oregon. But Brown is a veteran presence who will be given every opportunity to replace Fernando Mendoza.

Still, Brown is largely unproven, too. He's attempted just 27 collegiate passes in three years, completing 57 percent of them for three touchdowns.

It would make sense for coach Justin Wilcox to give Brown a shot to win the job since he's championship-seasoned and has been in school for three years. But with a couple of seasons of eligibility left, can Cal risk Sagapolutele transferring if the on-field gap isn't that big?

Everybody will see in 2025, but the guess is Brown gets the initial nod and does a good job for the Bears, whether they elect to eventually put Sagapolutele on the field or not.

Aidan Chiles, Michigan State Spartans

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It's far too early in Aidan Chiles' career to call him a bust, but one of the top signal-callers in the 2023 transfer portal certainly didn't do anything to overwhelm you in his first year as a starting quarterback in 2024.

As a matter of fact, it was all over the place.

Chiles followed coach Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State, where he was plugged into the Spartans' starting spot.

The team went 5-7, and the signal-caller was up-and-down, completing 59 percent of his passes for 2,415 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

He also rushed for 225 yards and three more scores, but you hardly ever heard his name because he didn't do anything scintillating. Still, there were flashes.

Now, the 6'3", 217-pound rising junior from Long Beach, California, knows what to expect in year two in the Big Ten, and Smith should have a better supporting cast around him. It was never going to be a quick fix in East Lansing, after all.

Everybody up there is hoping for more of the quarterback everybody saw glimpses of in 2023 when he was with the Beavers, backing up DJ Uiagalelei.

There aren't any quarterbacks on this list with a higher ceiling than Chiles, who can do it all on the field. It could be exciting to watch him develop if he has a couple of big early-season games and gets some confidence.

He's definitely one to watch.

Rickie Collins, Syracuse Orange

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The transformation of Kyle McCord from a serviceable collegiate quarterback at Ohio State to the catalyst for a Syracuse turnaround was one of the most underrated storylines of the season.

What Fran Brown did in his first year guiding the Orange was remarkable on his way to a 10-3 campaign. Now, the next talented player under center Brown and veteran offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon get to mold is LSU transfer Rickie Collins.

You probably haven't heard of Collins, a 6'2", 205-pounder who was a 4-star prospect out of high school and never gained any traction at his hometown school. He completed all seven of his collegiate pass attempts for 38 yards but wasn't going to get a shot in Baton Rouge.

While you may not call that a "turnaround," going from a benchwarmer to a dude who has the potential to throw up big numbers is a worthy pivot.

Collins has a lot of talent, and while he isn't guaranteed the job, he does have a good chance.

Jakhari Williams would be another worthy talent to invest time in, but Collins probably saw a much clearer path to the field with an elite freshman in his way than he did at LSU where Garrett Nussmeier is expected to be one of the nation's top signal-callers who will then give way to Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren Jr.

If Collins plays his way into that starting lineup, he will thrive in the Orange's system.

Hauss Hejny, Oklahoma State Cowboys

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One of the most intriguing players on this list is a guy I was high on when he came out of high school and signed with the TCU Horned Frogs. Hauss Hejny has a lot of upside and a ton of athletic ability.

But he wasn't going to bypass Josh Hoover in Fort Worth, so he elected to move on to Oklahoma State, where he may have a chance to shine.

Things couldn't get much worse than they were in 2024 for coach Mike Gundy, who needs a major turnaround this season, maybe to keep his job. With running back Ollie Gordon II and quarterback Alan Bowman gone, it's time to mention the word "rebuild."

Hejny could be the catalyst for that move in the right direction. With all four seasons of eligibility in front of him, he's a worthy investment. Yes, Garret Rangel, Maealiuaki Smith and Zane Flores are there too, but Hejny has the chops to win this gig.

According to GoPokes247's McClain Baxley, Hejny ran a verified 4.4 forty and 10.68 100-meter, but he also threw for 2,773 yards and 27 touchdowns his senior season at Aledo (Texas) High School.

"I want to get Oklahoma State back to where they used to be," Hejny said. "I'm going to bring excitement to Stillwater.”

The 6'0", 190-pound freshman will be exciting to watch grow.

Walker Howard, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns

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If you've given up on Walker Howard's talent, well, you aren't the only one. But he wasn't rated a high 4-star prospect coming out of high school for no reason, and he gets the nod on this list over Malachi Nelson.

Both are former top-tier signal-callers who haven't been able to find any traction in college. They are both moving on to their third teams: Howard to Louisiana after stops at LSU and Ole Miss, and Nelson to UTEP after failing to win jobs at USC and Boise State.

Howard, though, is heading home. The Lafayette native will have every opportunity to replace Ben Wooldridge, who led the Ragin' Cajuns to a 10-4 record in 2024 under coach Michael Desormeaux.

At St. Thomas More High School in the city, Howard was one of the most celebrated QBs in the history of the state, and the comfortability of coming back home should be huge. He will have three seasons of eligibility remaining, and while his career hasn't gone the way he expected, there's still time.

There's nothing wrong with being an elite playmaker in the Group of Five, and plenty of signal-callers get their NFL shot after productive careers. Howard will get every chance to start and sparkle in 2025, and big stats could follow.

Max Johnson, North Carolina Tar Heels

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There are no guarantees Max Johnson gets the start in Chapel Hill this upcoming season, but if he does, there should be plenty of opportunity for a Comeback Player of the Year nod.

Last year, the former Texas A&M signal-caller who transferred to the Tar Heels was all set to be their quarterback but broke his right leg in the third quarter of the season opener against Minnesota. That ended his year and started the downward spiral of the Mack Brown era.

The Tar Heels have now made the most intriguing hire of the past decade of college football, tabbing Bill Belichick to lead the way. The legendary New England Patriots coach has had a bit of luck with pocket passers who are accurate but may not have the strongest arm.

Johnson has a ton of college starting experience after stints in College Station and at LSU before that, and his career has seemingly lasted forever. But he's got one more go of it.

If he can win the job following the injury, he would give a bit of development time for star freshman Bryce Baker to learn the system, along with fellow freshman Au'tori Newkirk. Former Purdue signal-caller Ryan Browne could enter the mix, too.

But it makes a lot of sense for Belichick to at least start his UNC career with a veteran under center, and Johnson has a lot of positives about his game to potentially be a key playmaker in 2025.

Nicco Marchiol, West Virginia Mountaineers

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Throughout the first part of his West Virginia career under coach Neal Brown, Nicco Marchiol has played predominantly as a backup quarterback. But that all will change in 2025, unless the Mountaineers hit the portal for the spring.

With coach Rich Rodriguez taking over for his second stint in Morgantown, Marchiol is set to take over for Garrett Greene, who is out of eligibility. Truthfully, Marchiol is exactly the type of QB who thrives under Rich Rod.

Can he turn the junior into a quality player good enough to lead a Big 12 program?

Marchiol is a dual-threat quarterback who has shown flashes in three seasons. In limited action, he's completed 58 percent of his passes for 742 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions. He's also gained 285 more yards and scored a trio of touchdowns on the ground.

Rodriguez has always been known for molding athletic signal-callers. This past year at Jacksonville State, Tyler Huff accounted for 3,887 all-purpose yards and 29 touchdowns. When he was hurt, backup Logan Smothers added 298 more yards and three rushing scores.

Marchiol has some ability to gain yards with his arm and his feet, but it's not so easy to churn out big gains in the Big 12.

With Greene gone, this should be Marchiol's team. If he beats out Charlotte transfer Max Brown, he's going to have a couple of years to develop and try to lead the way.

Justyn Martin, Maryland Terrapins

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If you want a super sleeper signal-caller who could do big things in 2025, how about Justyn Martin, who will take over for Billy Edwards Jr. in Maryland?

This is a huge year for coach Mike Locksley, as the Terrapins need to start winning some games and making some noise in the Big Ten. It was a crushing blow when Edwards—who had played so well in 2024 after Taulia Tagovailoa left for the NFL—decided to head to Wisconsin.

It may have been puzzling when Maryland went after Martin, who played sparingly at UCLA a season ago. But the Florida Gators and others wanted him, too. 

At 6'4", 220 pounds, the sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining has terrific size and was a big-time prospect. While he couldn't get on the field in Westwood much, he could thrive in the right situation.

In two seasons, Martin has played in five total games. Last year, he completed 24-of-35 passes  for 179 yards and a touchdown. That's just too small of a sample set to make a judgment on him either way.

"I was mainly looking for a new opportunity and focusing on having a chance to get on the field," Martin told InsideMDSports’ Wesley Brown.

That should tell you all you need to know about the Terps' plans for him. Even though Locksley has struggled to win games in College Park, his quarterbacks have put up big numbers.

Expect the same from Martin.

Blake Shapen, Mississippi State Bulldogs

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After a strong start to his career at Baylor, things haven't gone the way Blake Shapen had hoped they would during his college playing days, but things were looking up a season ago.

He had transferred to Mississippi State where first-year coach and noted quarterback developer Jeff Lebby was building his program in Starkville. The 6'1", 210-pound Louisiana native was off to a strong start to the year when he was sidelined for the season.

He injured his shoulder in the fourth game of the year against the Florida Gators and finished with 974 passing yards, eight touchdowns and an interception.

Shapen has a lot of potential, but he just hasn't been able to put everything together and stay healthy just yet.

Now, he will return to Starkville, and with his replacement—Michael Van Buren, who dazzled for a freshman—off to LSU, this is Shapen's team again. He could get pushed by talented former Florida State quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, but he is likely lined up to be Shapen's heir.

Lebby's quarterbacks traditionally have posted big numbers, and even though the Bulldogs have to play in the rugged SEC week after week, the passing game shouldn't be an area of worry.

Shapen will lead the way with some quality numbers, and this could be a nice transitional year for Lebby as he looks to get the program back on firm footing.

Conner Weigman, Houston Cougars

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Tons of promise has surrounded Conner Weigman in each of his first three seasons in College Station, but the former 5-star prospect hasn't lived up to those expectations yet.

He still has to beat out Zeon Chriss for the job, but he has a lot of ability that is hard to ignore. Even so, he will need to turn the page from a miserable 2024 season that started with him injuring his shoulder in the season opener against Notre Dame and missing three games.

There's still plenty of time for him to get his college career on track, but with Marcel Reed entrenched for the Aggies, Weigman is heading elsewhere. Now, he will try to get things going for coach Willie Fritz at Houston.

When he returned, he was wildly ineffective and was benched in favor of Reed. He finished the year with just three touchdowns and five interceptions. It was a far cry from the promise he'd shown earlier in his career that had him pegged for a breakout player a year ago.

For his career, he's completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,694 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions and ran for 261 more yards.

There is a lot of excitement around this fresh start for the Cypress, Texas native with the Cougars. Fritz has enjoyed some excellent quarterback play dating back to his time at Tulane, and Weigman is the most talented signal-caller he has ever coached.

It will be interesting to see if Weigman's career turns a corner.