December 22, 2022
CFB InsiderTop QB's in the Transfer Portal
Following NCAA changes to transfer rules and eligibility, the transfer portal has become massive over the past couple of years. The addition of NIL opportunities convinces players that there may be a better spot for them. There are currently over 1,200 college football players in the portal today. The portal can be a blessing or a curse, as 43% of all NCAA athletes don't land at a new school for their sport. We will be diving into the top college football quarterbacks in the transfer portal, who shouldn't have any issue finding their new homes.
DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson
DJ Uiagalelei, one of the nation's top prospects when he started his career at Clemson University, entered the transfer portal after an underwhelming performance this past season. The junior, originally from Inland Empire, California, ended the regular season with a 31-30 loss to the University of South Carolina. Questions about transferring were brought up throughout the season, especially when he was benched after a disappointing first two possessions in the ACC Championship game against UNC-Chapel Hill, going 3-and-out twice in a row. However, his backup, Cade Klubnik, had a stellar performance, going 20-of-24 for 309 total yards and scoring two touchdowns, and that performance solidified Uiagalelei's transfer decision. Uiagalelei is expected to go somewhere out west and completed an unofficial visit to UCLA this past week. Other contenders for final destinations for the player with two more years of eligibility include Notre Dame, Oregon, and Arizona State.
Devin Leary, NC State
At the beginning of this past football season, Leary was projected to be a top quarterback in the ACC. However, a midseason injury, specifically a torn pectoral muscle on his right side, left him on the sidelines for the remainder of his season. The junior from New Jersey initially held a fourth or fifth-round NFL draft grade going into the season but has since decreased in rankings. He will now be a grad transfer student using his sixth year of eligibility. Leary, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, generated a lot of buzz surrounding his passing game and ability to be a fantastic leader and play caller. He is a top-rated player in the transfer portal at this time. In the 2021 season, the year before his injury, he threw 35 touchdowns, racked up 3,433 passing yards, and had two rushing touchdowns of his own. It does not seem he will have a shortage of transfer options, and he has reportedly been in contact with Kentucky, Auburn, and Missouri.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
One of the surprises of the transfer portal this season has been Grayson McCall, the rising senior and first-ever three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year. His entrance into the portal from Coastal Carolina comes after his former head coach Jamey Chadwell transferred to Liberty University to fill their head coaching position. The North Carolina native is one of the top players in the portal, who finished his Coastal Carolina career with 8,019 passing yards,78 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, a 70.4% pass completion rating, and averaged 10.3 yards per attempt. Often called "the most productive QB in the portal," McCall was a finalist for the Manning Award, a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, and was the conference Freshman of the Year. With numbers and awards like that, many schools are expressing interest, including Liberty, NC State, Auburn, Florida, and Oregon.
Hudson Card, Texas
With Arch Manning, one of the nation's top recruiting prospects, committed to the University of Texas, Texas football has depth in its offense that did not give Card a lot of future playing time. Card started five games during his three years with the Longhorns and made show promise within his performance, but he was benched this past season behind current starting QB Quinn Ewers. The Texas-raised quarterback will enter his next destination as a redshirt junior but has up to three years of remaining eligibility due to NCAA-granted waivers. The former ESPN top-40 recruit threw for 1,523 yards and 11 touchdowns in the past two seasons, on top of a very promising high school career. His top destinations appear to be TCU, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin, but his agility and high completion percentage have prepared him for many programs.
Donovan Smith, Texas Tech
Smith, a native of Texas, entered the transfer portal with a couple more seasons of eligibility, and he was a pivotal contributor to Texas Tech's bowl eligibility this past season. The Red Raiders will face Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. The sophomore quarterback played 21 games for the Red Raiders, finishing his Texas Tech career with a 64.2% completion percentage, going 231/360 for 2686 yards, 19 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. Smith led the Red Raiders to a few wins throughout the season, including the thrilling overtime win against their rival Longhorns, but was eventually sent to the bench behind starting senior QB Tyler Shough. Despite some inconsistency issues with his performance, Smith will make a great addition to any program, and the top contenders right now include NC State, Notre Dame, Boston College, and Boise State.