Although the collegiate football transfer portal formally becomes accessible on January 2nd, numerous quarterbacks nationwide have either indicated their plan to join it or publicly declared their search for a different educational institution.
We are meticulously documenting prominent athletes seeking to relocate institutions prior to the 2026 season, given that university football anticipates a significant wave of transfers in January, with participants granted only a single chance to switch affiliations this off-season.
Alonza Barnett (James Madison)
This starting player, active for two seasons, retains an additional year of eligibility for his subsequent academic institution. During the 2025 season, where the Dukes advanced to the College Football Playoff, Barnett completed 216 out of 370 passes for a total of 2,806 yards and 23 touchdowns, alongside eight interceptions. He also contributed significantly on the ground, carrying the ball 127 times for 589 yards and 15 touchdowns. In James Madison University’s initial CFP elimination by Oregon, his performance included 23 completions from 48 attempts for 273 yards and two scores, complemented by 12 rushes for 45 yards and one touchdown. Although JMU’s head coach, Bob Chesney, is transitioning to UCLA, Barnett’s potential move to the Bruins appears unlikely, as Nico Iamaleava has confirmed his return to the team for 2026.
Rocco Becht (Iowa State)
Having been a primary player for three years, Becht declared on December 20th his intention to join the transfer portal, possessing a single year of eligibility remaining. His departure from Iowa State follows Coach Matt Campbell’s acceptance of the head coaching role at Penn State during the recent off-season. Becht, whose father is former NFL tight end Anthony Becht, accumulated 64 touchdown passes throughout his tenure at Iowa State. Only Brock Purdy, with 81, surpassed this total.
Byrum Brown (USF)
Following a four-year period with USF, Brown is reportedly departing, according to various sources. At 21 years old, Brown saw action in merely four contests during his freshman year, throwing just 50 passes as USF concluded that season with a 1-11 record. In the subsequent year, Brown made a significant impact, guiding USF to a 7-6 standing and establishing a new institutional benchmark for single-season passing yards with 3,292. His performance included 26 aerial scores and an additional 11 rushing touchdowns, solidifying his status as one of the country’s premier dual-threat signal-callers.
Aidan Chiles (Michigan State)
Chiles initially joined Michigan State alongside former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith; however, Smith was dismissed by the university at the close of the 2025 season, and reports suggest Chiles is preparing to enter the transfer portal. Across 21 appearances for Michigan State, Chiles completed 320 of 526 passes, accumulating 3,807 yards and 23 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, in addition to rushing 195 times for 531 yards and 12 scores.
Anthony Colandrea (UNLV)
Colandrea is expected to transfer once more after completing a single season with the Rebels. Securing the primary quarterback position after training camp, he achieved 275 completions from 417 attempts, totaling 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns with nine interceptions during Coach Dan Mullen’s inaugural season. Colandrea further contributed to the Rebels’ highly productive offense, rushing 127 times for 649 yards and 10 scores. Prior to his move to UNLV, Colandrea played for two seasons at Virginia.
Ashton Daniels (Auburn)
Daniels participated with the Tigers for only a single season, having previously spent his initial three career seasons at Stanford. He competed in merely four matchups for Auburn in 2025, allowing him to retain his redshirt status for an additional year of eligibility. During his 33 game appearances over three seasons with the Cardinal, he completed 366 of 602 passes for 3,986 yards, contributing 21 touchdowns against 20 interceptions, along with 282 rushes for 1,117 yards and nine scores. In the 2025 season, Daniels accumulated 797 passing yards with a 57% completion rate.
TJ Finley (Georgia State)
Do you recall the previous LSU and Auburn quarterback? Finley might join his seventh academic institution should the NCAA grant him a seventh year of eligibility. His initial season was with LSU, after which he spent two years with the other SEC Tigers. He subsequently became the starting quarterback at Texas State in 2023, competed for Western Kentucky in 2024, and then moved to Tulane following that season. Nevertheless, he faced suspension in April due to an arrest and ultimately transferred to Georgia State, where he saw action in seven contests during 2025.
Josh Hoover (TCU)
Hoover participated in 35 games for the Horned Frogs throughout the last three campaigns. During 2024, he completed 313 of 471 passes, accumulating 3,949 yards and 27 touchdowns, alongside 11 interceptions. In the most recent season, Hoover connected on 272 of 413 attempts for 3,472 yards, tossing 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Over his career at TCU, he has amassed more than 9,600 passing yards and 71 touchdowns, maintaining an average of over eight yards per attempt.
Katin Houser (East Carolina)
Houser served as the primary quarterback for all 12 contests with the Pirates in 2025, completing 269 of 408 passes for 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions, in addition to scoring nine touchdowns on the ground. His collegiate journey began at Michigan State, where he redshirted during his inaugural year with the Spartans in 2022, subsequently transferring to ECU in 2024. He will possess one year of eligibility at his next institution.
DJ Lagway (Florida)
The highly-rated former five-star prospect is expected to depart Florida after two years, coinciding with Billy Napier’s exit. Across 24 games, Lagway exhibited remarkable potential, yet also left supporters of the Florida team desiring further achievements. In 2025, he completed 213 of 337 pass attempts for 2,264 yards and 16 touchdowns, but also recorded 14 interceptions. Notably, five of these occurred during the game against LSU, with an additional three coming against Kentucky.
Sam Leavitt (Arizona State)
A physical ailment restricted Leavitt to just seven contests in 2025, a season that followed his guidance of the Sun Devils to both the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff in the same year. Reports suggest Leavitt plans to enter the transfer portal in January, having been sidelined from play since October 25th. In 2024, Leavitt completed 216 of 350 passes for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns, with six interceptions, alongside rushing for 443 yards and five scores. His passing statistics saw a decline in 2025, where he managed 145 completions from 239 attempts for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns, coupled with three interceptions, before his season concluded unexpectedly.
Drew Mestemaker (North Texas)
Mestemaker is reportedly poised to join the transfer portal in January, subsequent to North Texas’s participation in the New Mexico Bowl on December 27th. This past season, the erstwhile walk-on amassed over 4,000 passing yards as North Texas vied for the American Conference championship and a potential College Football Playoff berth. Should Mestemaker enter the portal as anticipated, he is likely to be associated with former North Texas coach Eric Morris at Oklahoma State. Morris was appointed in November to take over from Mike Gundy.
Kenny Minchey (Notre Dame)
The redshirt sophomore did not secure the starting position, which was instead claimed by CJ Carr, in Notre Dame’s contest to replace Riley Leonard. Given Carr’s solidified role as the team’s primary quarterback for the 2026 season, following an impressive redshirt freshman year, Minchey is reportedly seeking a different academic institution. In 2025, he participated in six matchups, completing 20 of 26 passes for 196 yards, and also rushed seven times for 84 yards and one touchdown.
Aaron Philo (Georgia Tech)
Philo was widely regarded as the heir apparent to Haynes King at Georgia Tech, having spent two seasons as King’s understudy. Nevertheless, information surfaced indicating his intention to enter the transfer portal subsequent to offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner assuming the identical role at Florida under incoming Gators coach Jon Sumrall. Across eight contests for Georgia Tech, Philo completed 59 of 102 passes, tallying 938 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Beau Pribula (Missouri)
Pribula completed a single season with the Tigers, having transferred from Penn State prior to the previous year’s College Football Playoff. His tenure at Missouri commenced strongly, but the Tigers’ aerial attack significantly declined during SEC competition, resulting in him attempting only seven passes in Mizzou’s Week 14 triumph against Arkansas. Across 10 games, Pribula completed 182 of 270 passes for 1,941 yards, securing 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions, in addition to rushing for 297 yards and six scores.
Dylan Raiola (Nebraska)
Raiola’s campaign concluded prematurely with three games remaining in 2025, after he sustained a fractured fibula during the Cornhuskers’ November 1st defeat to USC. Prior to his injury, the sophomore completed 181 of 250 passes for 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns, against six interceptions. His performance metrics showed improvement from his freshman year, when he immediately entered play after signing as a five-star recruit. Possessing two years of remaining eligibility, Raiola stands to be the most highly coveted quarterback within the transfer portal.
Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati)
Sorsby functioned as Cincinnati’s starting quarterback for two seasons subsequent to his transfer from Indiana, and he retains one year of eligibility. He recorded only a single interception during Cincinnati’s initial eight contests of the season, prior to tallying four over the concluding four games as the Bearcats concluded the year on a four-game losing streak. In 2025, Sorsby completed 207 of 336 passes for 2,800 yards, achieving 27 touchdowns against five interceptions, while also gaining 580 yards and nine touchdowns via rushing.
