{"id":170838,"date":"2022-12-28T17:11:07","date_gmt":"2022-12-28T17:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/breaking-down-the-state-of-the-transfer-qb-market\/"},"modified":"2022-12-28T17:11:07","modified_gmt":"2022-12-28T17:11:07","slug":"breaking-down-the-state-of-the-transfer-qb-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/breaking-down-the-state-of-the-transfer-qb-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking down the state of the transfer QB market"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The transfer portal dominos are falling fast as the calendar charges toward the new year with 40 of the top 50 transfers in the 247Sports transfer rankings currently committed. But the quarterback market isn’t moving quite as quickly. While several high-profile quarterbacks like Devin Leary<\/b> (Kentucky), Hudson Card<\/b> (Purdue) and DJ Uiagalei<\/b> (Oregon State) have come off the board, there are still some significant names \u2013 and teams \u2013 in search of a starting signal caller.<\/p>\n

With the spring semester set to begin nationwide in the coming weeks, here’s a look at some QB-needy teams in the portal and where they could turn.<\/p>\n

Notre Dame Fighting Irish<\/strong><\/p>\n

Notre Dame has quietly been the top dog in the quarterback market all offseason. With some long-term questions about Tyler Buchner<\/b> \u2013 both health and production \u2013 and Drew Pyne<\/b> <\/span>headed to Arizona State,<\/span> the Irish need to add another arm to their room. They’re likely to do so with Sam Hartman<\/b> in the coming days. <\/p>\n

Hartman, a graduate transfer by way of Wake Forest, has been speculated as a potential transfer for weeks now, and the Irish have always been at the forefront of that conversation when talking to industry sources. There will be other schools who pursue Hartman, the leading passer in Wake Forest history, but Notre Dame is the favorite to land him. Hartman has a transfer rating of 94 per 247Sports and is the No. 1 quarterback transfer per our rankings. <\/p>\n

Oklahoma State Cowboys<\/strong><\/p>\n

There’s a quarterback question in Stillwater for the first time since 2018 during Spencer Sanders’ true freshman season. While Sanders didn’t win the job that year, he’s held it down every campaign since \u2013 until now. Sanders opted to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 5, and the Cowboys need to bolster a QB room that only includes second-year passer Garret Rangel<\/b> and Gunnar Gundy<\/b>a former walk-on QB who’s also the head coach’s son.<\/p>\n

Brennan Armstrong<\/b> is the Cowboys’ main target. The former Virginia QB, who ranks as the No. 37 overall player in 247Sports’ transfer rankings, took an official visit to Stillwater ahead of the dead period. Armstrong could step in right away and help OSU contend in the Big 12 next year. The Cowboys are competing with Wisconsin and NC State for Armstrong.<\/p>\n

Illinois Fighting Illini <\/strong><\/p>\n

with Tommy DeVito<\/b> officially moving on, the Illini need an impact starting quarterback. Illinois made a strong run at Card before he picked Purdue, so they’re very much in the market. The name to watch here is former Ole Miss quarterback Luke Altmyer<\/b>. The No. 196 overall player in the 2021 class, Altmyer brings an intriguing amount of upside wherever he ends up. Altmyer visited Illinois ahead of the dead period, and I think the Illini are in good shape with him. Others in the mix include Baylor and NC State. <\/p>\n

Altmyer ranks as the No. 10 overall QB in the 247Sports transfer rankings and is a four-star prospect.<\/p>\n

Auburn Tigers<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the teams at the forefront of the quarterback carrousel this offseason, the Tigers made notable runs at Devin Leary<\/b> and Grayson McCall<\/b>. Leary picked Kentucky and the Tigers ultimately moved off McCall. So, who’s next? I reported last week the Tigers have had exploratory conversations with Sanders, the former Oklahoma State quarterback.<\/p>\n

Sanders is considered a good system fit for the offense of new Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze<\/b>. Even if it isn’t Sanders, expect Auburn to add someone this offseason. The Tigers want more competition in their quarterback room alongside Robert Ashford <\/b>a former transfer himself. <\/p>\n

Louisville Cardinals <\/strong><\/p>\n

Malik Cunningham<\/b> is gone, which creates a question we haven’t seen at Louisville in a long time: Who will play quarterback? Brock Domann<\/b> was the program’s backup in 2022, and while he handled himself reasonably well in relief of Cunningham in multiple outings, he still completed 54.9% of his passes. There’s room to upgrade and you better believe new coach Jeff Brohm will be looking to do so. <\/p>\n

The obvious name to watch here is Jack Plummer<\/b>. A 12-game starter for the Cal Bears this season, Plummer threw for 3,095 yards and 21 touchdowns this season while completing 62.5% of his passes after transferring in from Purdue. Plummer started 12 games for Brohm across three seasons in West Lafayette, so it’d be a natural reunion at Louisville. Plummer would be an ideal bridge QB for a season.<\/p>\n

Cal Golden Bears<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking of Plummer, the Bears have several openings in their quarterback room after losing both Plummer and his backup, Kai Millner<\/b>, to the transfer portal. A name to watch with the Bears is Louisiana-Monroe quarterback transfer Chandler Rogers<\/b>. An under-the-radar name for most CFB fans, Rogers had the seventh-highest adjusted completion percentage in the FBS this year, per PFF.<\/p>\n

Other Schools To Watch For Transfer QBs:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wisconsin<\/strong>: The Badgers already added former Oklahoma QB Nick Evers<\/b> via the transfer portal, but they’d like to bring in a more experienced arm as well. They’re in the thick of it for Armstrong.<\/p>\n

NC State<\/strong>: The Wolfpack have what many people think to be their QB of the future on campus (M. J. Morris<\/b>), but they are exploring options in the portal. Armstrong is particularly interesting given that NC State’s new OC, Robert Anae<\/b>served as Armstrong’s play-caller at Virginia in 2021 when Armstrong led the Power Five in passing yards.<\/p>\n

Ole Miss<\/strong>: The Rebels have an established starting quarterback with Jackson Darts<\/b>, but sources indicate they want to add another QB to the room to bolster depth and crate competition. Sanders is a name to watch in Oxford.<\/p>\n

Baylor<\/strong>: The Bears have a starting quarterback (Blake Shapen<\/b>) and … that’s it. Baylor lost 2021 four-star Kyron Drones <\/b>to the transfer portal and saw high-profile 2023 recruit Austin Novosad <\/b>flip to Oregon on the first day of the Early Signing Period, which leaves Shapen as the lone wolf in the QB room. The Bears have to add someone to the mix via the portal. <\/p>\n

Stanford<\/strong>: The Cardinal are in a new, more aggressive era with the transfer portal under head coach Troy Taylor<\/b>which could mean a portal addition at QB with Tanner McKee<\/b> off to the NFL.<\/p>\n

Missouri: <\/span><\/strong>The Tigers appear to be set at quarterback with 2022 starter <\/span><\/span>Brady Cook<\/b> <\/span>eligible to return and 2022 four-star <\/span><\/span>Sam Horn<\/b> <\/span>on campus. But they’re still a team to keep an eye on with lots of offensive changes happening on the coaching staff.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Quick Note On Grayson McCall<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n

I’d be remiss not to mention McCall in this piece. Arguably the top quarterback in the transfer portal \u2013 247Sports ranks him third behind Hartman and Leary \u2013 McCall would be an instant additive offensively wherever he ends up. But his status is a bit more complicated than just a football fit. Auburn had to his transfer visit initially, per a source, due to some academic cancel concerns, and those questions aren’t exclusive to Auburn. McCall would be a huge add for any QB-needy team. It’s just a question of whether a school can make it work academically. McCall played in Coastal Carolina’s bowl game Tuesday evening, suffering an apparent head injury. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n