Tracking quarterbacks in the transfer portal era keeps getting harder.
More than 20 Power 4 schools will start first-year transfer quarterbacks in 2025.
That includes two playoff teams from last season. Tennessee named Joey Aguilar their starter Monday after Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA this spring. Fernando Mendoza moved from Cal to Indiana.
Miami and Oklahoma hope to reach the CFP this season with new quarterbacks. Carson Beck transferred from Georgia to Miami in one of the offseason’s biggest moves. John Mateer left Washington State for Oklahoma and he’s getting some early Heisman buzz.
Sporting News ranked the top dozen transfer quarterbacks in Power 4 conferences for 2025.
Top transfer quarterbacks for 2025
12. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
Last year: Aguilar threw for 3,003 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at Appalachian State.
New outlook: Aguilar beat out Jake Merklinger for Tennessee’s starting job.
“He’s extremely comfortable in what we’re doing right now,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said via the Knoxville News Sentinel on Aug. 15.
Aguilar should find success if he limits turnovers in Heupel’s offense.
Key stat: Aguilar threw five interceptions on 114 short passes of 10 yards or less last season. Iamaleava had zero interceptions on 125 similar attempts.
11. Miller Moss, Louisville
Last year: Moss passed for 2,555 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions at USC.
New outlook: Moss started hot at USC but eventually lost his job to Jayden Maiava.
Now he’ll work with coach Jeff Brohm. Having Isaac Brown and Duke Watson in the backfield should help. Brown earned SN Preseason All-American honors.
Key stat: Brohm’s last three quarterbacks averaged 3,296 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions over three seasons. That includes Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell and Louisville’s Jack Plummer and Tyler Shough.
10. Chandler Morris, Virginia
Last year: Morris threw for 3,774 yards, 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at North Texas.
New outlook: Morris enters his sixth season at his fourth school. He spent one year at Oklahoma, three at TCU, and last season with North Texas.
Virginia quarterbacks have averaged 14 interceptions over the last two seasons. Morris should upgrade a program searching for its first winning season since 2019.
Key stat: Morris ranked fourth in FBS total offense with 334.7 yards per game last season. That put him between Cam Ward (347.5) and John Mateer (330.4).
9. Jackson Arnold, Auburn
Last year: Arnold passed for 1,421 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions at Oklahoma.
New outlook: Arnold moved in and out of Oklahoma’s starting lineup before transferring to Auburn. The former five-star recruit has shown flashes and doesn’t turn the ball over much.
He should produce with receivers like Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons and Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr. The pressure remains high under Hugh Freeze heading into the opener against Baylor.
Key stat: Arnold took 36 sacks in nine games during 2024. Better protection would make a difference.
8. Kaidon Salter, Colorado
Last year: Salter threw for 1,886 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions at Liberty.
New outlook: Salter and Julian Lewis are competing to replace Shedeur Sanders at Colorado. Salter gets the first opportunity.
He also rushed for 579 yards and seven touchdowns at Liberty in 2024. Salter went 20-4 as Liberty’s starter over three seasons. He could thrive in Colorado’s offense under Deion Sanders, but can he make the jump to Big 12 competition?
Key stat: Salter accounted for 44 total touchdowns with Liberty in 2023. If Colorado gets that kind of production, watch out.
7. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Last year: Mendoza had 3,004 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions at Cal.
New outlook: Mendoza replaces Kurtis Rourke at Indiana. The fit with Curt Cignetti looks promising after Cignetti maximized Rourke’s talent in the downfield passing game.
Mendoza attempted just 44 passes of 20 yards or more last season. He’ll get more opportunities here, and that efficiency should pay off. Can Mendoza lead the Hoosiers back to the CFP?
Key stat: Mendoza completed 64.4% of his passes in the fourth quarter last season with six touchdowns and one interception.
6. Devon Dampier, Utah
Last year: Dampier passed for 2,768 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at New Mexico.
New outlook: Dampier also rushed for 1,169 yards and 19 touchdowns, making him one of the Big 12’s most exciting transfer quarterbacks.
Utah used four different quarterbacks with at least 30 passing attempts last season and finished 5-7. Coach Kyle Whittingham hired New Mexico offensive coordinator Jason Beck this offseason. The offense will center around Dampier.
Key stat: Dampier completed just 35.2% of passes of 20 yards or more with one touchdown pass and four interceptions.
5. Darian Mensah, Duke
Last year: Mensah threw for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions at Tulane.
New outlook: Mensah received an $8 million NIL deal as part of his transfer to Duke. He gives the Blue Devils an intriguing playmaker at quarterback.
Against Power 4 schools Kansas State and Oklahoma last season, Mensah went 33 of 61 (54%) with an average of 254 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He follows Maalik Murphy, who threw 26 touchdowns for a nine-win Duke team in 2024 before leaving for Oregon State.
Key stat: Watch for Mensah to connect with Harvard transfer Cooper Barkate, who caught 63 passes for 1,084 yards and 11 touchdowns. Oklahoma transfer Andrel Anthony also joins the receiver mix.
4. Mark Gronowski, Iowa
Last year: Gronowski passed for 2,721 yards, 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions at South Dakota State.
New outlook: Gronowski compiled a 49-6 record at the FCS level, tying the FCS record for most victories. He threw 93 touchdowns against 20 interceptions overall.
He had just one interception in the Jackrabbits’ final eight games last season while adding 380 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. That mobility gives Iowa an exciting quarterback option.
Key stat: Iowa has averaged 124.9 passing yards per game over the last two seasons. Gronowski should improve that number significantly in 2025.
3. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
Last year: Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions at Tennessee.
New outlook: Iamaleava led the Volunteers to 10 wins and a College Football Playoff berth last season before his controversial spring departure to UCLA.
UCLA quarterbacks have averaged 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over the last two seasons. Iamaleava will need to adjust to the Big Ten schedule, but he might thrive in his new closer-to-home environment.
Key stat: Iamaleava posted a 145.3 efficiency rating last season – identical to Carson Beck’s mark.
2. John Mateer, Oklahoma
Last year: Mateer passed for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions at Washington State.
New outlook: Mateer is generating Heisman buzz at Oklahoma, where he reunites with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle from Washington State.
Mateer also rushed for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. How will that dual-threat ability translate in the SEC? It’ll be exciting to find out.
Key stat: Mateer completed 52 of 61 screen passes (85.2%) with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Expect that to feature prominently with running back Jaydn Ott.
1. Carson Beck, Miami
Last year: Beck threw for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at Georgia.
New outlook: Beck transferred to Miami to fill the void left by Cam Ward. He brings a 24-3 record as a starter and big-game experience to a program that’s 1-6 against ranked teams over the last three seasons.
The Hurricanes can answer those questions early in their Sunday night opener against No. 6 Notre Dame.
Key stat: Beck threw 11 touchdowns with one interception on passes of 20 yards or more last season. Ward had 12 touchdowns with no interceptions in the same range.
