Tracking the top 20 quarterbacks in the 2026 transfer portal

As evidenced by the 2025 College Football Playoff final four, quarterback play is extremely important to win a national championship.

All four finalists ― Indiana, Oregon, Ole Miss and Miami ― used the NCAA transfer portal to find their ‘franchise quarterback’ to guide them to the semifinal round of the CFP bracket. That’s why the position will be just as important this offseason for filling out a future CFP berth.

CFP semifinalists like Indiana and Miami need a QB for the 2026 season, while Oregon could be in the market, depending on Dante Moore’s NFL draft decision. Penn State, Florida and LSU are three teams with coaching changes in need of a new signal caller.

And of course, don’t discount another Trinidad Chambliss committing to a program as a potential backup and emerging as a superstar, as Chambliss has during Ole Miss’ run to the CFP semifinal.

Here’s a look at our tracker for the top quarterbacks in the portal this season, according to the 247 Sports Transfer Portal Rankings.

1. Sam Leavitt

• Old team: Arizona State
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 2 years

Leavitt is the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 transfer portal rankings. He threw for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in 2025.

2. Brendan Sorsby

• Old team: Cincinnati
• New team: Texas Tech
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

The Cincinnati QB is the No. 2 overall player in the portal, as well as the No. 2 QB. Sorsby is expected to be one of the most impactful players in the portal this cycle. He has totaled 5,613 passing yards, 1,027 rushing yards and 63 total touchdowns in two seasons with the Bearcats. Sorsby will take the baton from Behren Morton under center for the Red Raiders.

3. Drew Mestemaker

• Old team: North Texas
• New team: Oklahoma State
• Eligibility remaining: 3 years

Mestermaker opted to follow his North Texas football head, Eric Morris, to Oklahoma State. He led the Mean Green to a 12-2 record during the 2025 college football season and to the American Conference Championship game.

4. Dylan Raiola

• Old team: Nebraska
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 2 years

Raiola suffered a season-ending broken right fibula against USC in early November, but should be ready to contribute to his next team in 2025. The former 5-star QB was originally committed to Georgia before flipping to have an opportunity to play as a freshman with the Cornhuskers.

5. Josh Hoover

• Old team: TCU
• New team: Indiana
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

Hoover has been entrenched as the Horned Frogs’ starting QB since his redshirt freshman season, making 31 straight starts for TCU. He has 9,629 career passing yards and 71 passing touchdowns, which lead all returning QBs in 2026. However, he needs to cut down on his turnovers, with 33 career interceptions thrown.

6. Rocco Becht

• Old team: Iowa State
• New team: Penn State
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

Like Mestemaker, Becht followed his former head coach, Matt Campbell, to his new destination at Penn State. He has made 39 career starts and could be someone to plug in right away in the Big Ten and play well.

7. DJ Lagway

• Old team: Florida
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 2 years

Lagway seemed to be the player who would save Billy Napier and the Florida program. However, following an injury-plagued 2025 season, Lagway is in the portal following Napier’s firing and the hiring of Jon Sumrall.

8. Byrum Brown

• Old team: USF
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

Brown could follow his head coach, Alex Golesh, from USF to Auburn. He has been the perfect fit in Golesh’s offense with an FBS-best 42 touchdowns during the regular season. With 32 career starts, Brown is one of the most experienced QBs in the portal this cycle.

9. Deuce Knight

• Old team: Auburn
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 3 years

Despite showing flashes of his potential for Auburn, Knight is in the portal and will play for a new team in 2026, with Alex Golesh taking over as the head coach. Knight finished 17-of-25 passing for 259 yards with two touchdowns and added 13 rushes for 178 yards and four scores as a true freshman.

10. Kenny Minchey

• Old team: Notre Dame
• New team: Nebraska
• Eligibility remaining: 2 years

Minchey completed 20 of 26 passes for 196 yards and rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown as the backup to CJ Carr after losing the QB competition this season. The redshirt sophomore could likely step in as a starter at Nebraska, who needs to replace Dylan Raiola.

11. Aidan Chiles

• Old team: Michigan State
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

Chiles has never lived up to the promise he showed as a freshman with Oregon State, but he did show flashes with Michigan State under Jonathan Smith. He is in a prove-it year in his final year of eligibility and could still prove to be a good addition.

12. Beau Pribula

• Old team: Missouri
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

The 2025 season was a trying one for Pribula, but he showed off his talent and toughness. He led Missouri to a 5-0 start behind 1,941 and 17 total touchdowns, but suffered a dislocated left ankle. Pribula returned in less than a month from the injury and started the final two games for the Tigers.

13. Colton Joseph

• Old team: Old Dominion
• New team: Wisconsin
• Eligibility remaining: 2 years

The Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year committed to Wisconsin on Sunday, Jan. 4. He threw for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns, while adding 158 rushes for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns, for the Monarchs in 2025.

14. Aaron Philo

• Old team: Georgia Tech
• New team: Florida
• Eligibility remaining: 3 years

In two seasons with the Yellow Jackets, Philo has made just eight career appearances, but has shown flashes as Haynes Kings’ backup. However, with offense coordinator Buster Faulkner leaving for the Gators, Philo will continue his career in Gainesville, Florida.

15. Austin Simmons

• Old team: Ole Miss
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 2 years

Simmons began the 2025 season as the starter for Ole Miss, but lost his spot not due to poor play, but because of the emergence of Trinidad Chambliss following an injury to Simmons. The left-hander is expected to stick with Ole Miss for its playoff run before heading to Missouri.

16. Ethan Grunkemeyer

• Old team: Penn State
• New team: TBD
• Eligibility remaining: 3 years

The redshirt freshman stepped into a starting role following a season-ending injury to starter Drew Allar. He started the final seven games, which included four straight wins to end the season. Grunkemeyer finished his first year with 1,341 passing yards, nine total TDs and four interceptions.

17. Lincoln Kienholz

• Old team: Ohio State
• New team: Louisville
• Eligibility remaining: 2 years

Kienholz competed with freshman Julian Sayin for the starting position for the Buckeyes this past season. However, with Sayin’s strong season, the path for Kienholz is closed. He committed to Louisville and playing for coach Jeff Brohm on Jan. 3.

18. Cutter Boley

• Old team: Kentucky
• New team: Arizona State
• Eligibility remaining: 3 years

Cutter Boley committed to Arizona State on Jan. 3 and will be in line to replace Sam Leavitt. As a redshirt freshman in 2025, he threw for 2,160 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Boley started the final 10 games for Kentucky this season.

19. Katin Houser

• Old team: East Carolina
• New team: Illinois
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

The former Michigan State QB threw for 3,300 yards with 28 total TDs and 10 turnovers and led ECU to an 8-4 record. With his performance with the Pirates, he will to return to the Big Ten for his final year of eligibility at Illinois, replacing Luke Altmyer.

20. Jaden Craig

• Old team: Harvard
• New team: TCU
• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

The Harvard star threw for 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2025. Over his career, he has been a 24-game starter with 6,074 career passing yards with 63 career total touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He could prove himself for the NFL with a strong performance in the Power 4 conferences. He’ll replace Josh Hoover, who entered the portal and committed to Indiana.