Transfer Portal Quarterback Updates

The first transfer portal window has been open more than a week now. We highlighted the top transfer quarterbacks Oregon State should target here. Since that time Jonathan Smith received a big extension/raise and the football team is officially in Las Vegas ahead of their bowl game matchup against Florida. Things have been frightfully quiet on the transfer portal front though for the Beavs.

Here’s the latest updates on some of the QB targets Oregon State should be fiercely pursuing:

• DJ Uiagalelei - News has been sparse on DJ Uiagalelei’s next move. Dabo Sweeny blamed the transfer portal ‘rules’ for DJ leaving before the Orange Bowl and I don’t expect him to make a decision for a few more weeks. UCLA, Notre Dame, Oregon, Arizona State and others have frequently been linked to Uiagalelei. I think one of the most telling indicators is wherever his younger brother Matayo Uiagalelei ends up. He’s a 5-star edge rusher in the 2023 class. All of the big schools are aggressively recruiting Matayo, will Matayo and DJ be a package deal for next season?
• Brennan Armstrong - It’s been reported that Armstrong is visiting Wisconsin and Oklahoma State soon. NC State and Notre Dame also look like potential destinations for Brennan Armstrong. Oregon State has not yet been linked to Armstrong and it does not appear likely that he will opt for a move out west.
• Kedon Slovis - Oregon State, Notre Dame, UCLA & BYU have all been in contact with Kedon Slovis according to Adam Gorney. Slovis has already visited BYU’s campus and had face-to-face visits with Notre Dame & UCLA coaches. He is on the Beavers radar, but it appears they are focused on their bowl game this weekend, but would like to host Slovis on a visit in Corvallis soon.
• Hudson Card - TCU and Notre Dame have both been strongly recruiting Hudson Card. Georgia and Kentucky have also been linked to the former Texas QB. Hudson’s trainer told 247 sports: “The best fit for him is where you feel like there are players around you that can play winning football. I don’t think the school name is going to be important. It’s going to be a matter of where he can get on the field early.” Jonathan Smith has always said they will not guarantee a starting spot for a transfer portal player.
• Jeff Sims - Sims visited Nebraska and new head coach Matt Rhule last weekend. Also Indiana and Virginia Tech have both been aggressively recruiting Jeff Sims.
• Devin Leary - Notre Dame, Auburn, UCLA, South Carolina, Kentucky and Oregon have all officially reached out to Devin Leary. There’s a lot of moving parts as far as current QBs deciding to go to the NFL or not. Devin Leary is one of the most proven transfer quarterbacks and will want to take his time and make sure he is setting himself up for success at his new destination.
• Austin Reed - Withdrew name from transfer portal. Returning to WKU.
• Spencer Sanders - Wisconsin, Florida, Notre Dame and more have all been linked to the former Oklahoma State QB.
• Graham Mertz - It looks like the former Wisconsin QB will end up replacing Will Levis at Kentucky but it’s not official yet. Mertz is also visited the Florida Gators last weekend.
• Drew Pyne - A few days ago Drew Pyne visited BYU. Wake Forest and NC State have also been linked to the former Notre Dame QB.
• Kyron Drones - The former Baylor QB has committed to Virginia Tech.
• Phil Jurkovec - Former Boston College QB has committed to Pitt.

More quarterbacks have and will enter the transfer portal over the next month. Grayson McCall recently decided to enter the portal and is already planning visits to Auburn and other SEC schools. There’s a lot of quarterback needy teams like: Notre Dame, UCLA, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Indiana and more. Even powerhouse programs like Georgia and Alabama could dip into the transfer portal for their next starter. Virginia Tech and Pitt look like they’ve landed their guys, but the musical chairs for transfer QBs is just getting started.

Oregon State is focused on their bowl game this Saturday and they are putting the finishing touches on their best recruiting class since 2019 which includes two 4-star recruits (highest ranked recruits in the Jonathan Smith era). High school recruits can sign their letter of intent on December 21st. BUT hopefully next week we start getting some more traction on a potential transfer quarterback landing in Corvallis. Stay tuned Beaver fans.