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There are eight consensus five-star quarterbacks in college football between the 2023 and 2024 recruiting classes. They include UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Auburn’s Jackson Arnold, UTEP’s Malachi Nelson, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Florida’s DJ Lagway and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, and all of these players have transferred or currently are looking to.
In fact, Texas quarterback Arch Manning is the only five-star quarterback in the 2023 or 2024 classes who hasn’t transferred or made plans to transfer. Even more telling is only two of these players — Sayin and Moore — will start a game in the College Football Playoff.
While there are sure to be a few more high-profile signal-callers who will announce plans to enter the portal before it opens on January 2, here are the top five and the best spots in the country for each of them to land.
Kenny Minchey left high school as a top-15 composite recruit and looked like a match to Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr heading into the 2025 preseason.
His quick release and ability to throw off-platform made him just the kind of project, even as a four-star recruit, that could lead many to believe his skillset would be in line with former Fighting Irish passer Riley Leonard. But, when Notre Dame opted for the better pocket passer in Carr, there was always the thought that Minchey would need to find a new place to play if he wanted to start. Because, in three years in South Bend, he hasn’t. He’s played in just 10 games and attempted just 29 passes.
Best landing spot: Cincinnati
With Brendan Sorsby electing to enter the portal, Minchey is just the kind of quarterback that Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield might turn into a Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
4. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska
(Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
As a former five-star recruit and the No. 3 quarterback in the 2024 class, it’s conceivable that Raiola has not reached his potential yet. Even after leading Nebraska to its first bowl game appearance in nine years last season, Raiola is looking to leave Lincoln with more left undone than done.
The job in 2025 was for Raiola to lead Nebraska to its first College Football Playoff appearance. Though he broke the fibula in his right leg in November, ending his season, the Cornhuskers had already taken a second loss by October 17. With the loss to USC on November 1 and Raiola going down for the rest of the year in the same game, the Huskers’ goal for 2025 was lost too.
Now, Raiola, who flipped commitments twice during recruiting and transferred twice as a prep player, is looking for a second place to play college football in as many years.
Best landing spot: Michigan State
Under new coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Spartans aren’t likely to seek to outscore opponents. Nor is a quarterback that plays for him expected to throw for 4,000 yards passing and 40 touchdowns.
What the quarterback will be expected to do is take care of the ball and carefully distribute it to playmakers. It’s also the kind of program that could help Raiola shed any leftover baggage from his time at Nebraska.
(Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
After beginning his career at Indiana, leaving just one year before coach Curt Cignetti arrived, Sorsby might look to join a program on the way up after leaving one just before it became a juggernaut. With Sorsby at quarterback, Cincinnati was a credible threat to defeat almost every team it played. In Satterfield’s scheme, he led the Big 12 in rushing yards for a quarterback for two consecutive seasons with 447 and 580 rushing yards, respectively.
In each year, he’s rushed for nine touchdowns and accounted for at least 233 yards from scrimmage. Couple that with back-to-back 2,800-yard passing seasons, and it’s not a stretch to see Sorsby as the kind of playmaker Diego Pavia has been at Vanderbilt. All Pavia did was lead Vanderbilt to the school’s first-ever 10-win season and a second-place finish in voting for the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Best landing spot: Florida
Given what Tulane (and eventual Gators) coach Jon Sumrall just did with Jake Retzlaff — reach the CFP and win a conference title — another capable veteran like Sorsby could boost his foray into the SEC.
“Leave it to Sumrall to take a kid like [Sorsby] and go straight to work in a league that ain’t feared Florida for practically a decade,” an American Convention on-the-field assistant coach advised me.
(Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)
It’s been feast or famine for the 2024 Nationwide Gatorade Participant of the 12 months and the No. 2-ranked QB in his recruiting class. When Lagway has been good, he’s been elite. His 21-of-28 efficiency for 298 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception towards then-No. 9-ranked Texas was the perfect instance this season of what the 6-foot-3, 247-pound sophomore is able to. However his five-interception recreation towards then-No. 3-ranked LSU is an instance of what he’s like when he’s unhealthy.
“The instruments are there,” a Energy 4 director of participant personnel advised me. “We will all see that. Large arm. Large body. And he’s as robust to deliver down as any quarterback within the nation. If he stays wholesome, there’s no cause he can’t bounce again with an important junior 12 months.”
Greatest touchdown spot: LSU
Given what Ole Miss passer Trinidad Chambliss confirmed he can do in Lane Kiffin’s offense, being a much bigger model of him is why Lagway was so closely recruited. Chambliss not solely handed for greater than 3,000 yards, but additionally led Ole Miss to its finest season ever in 2025. If Kiffin and LSU are searching for a participant who may also help him flip across the Bayou Bengals rapidly, rehabilitating Lagway is an excellent choice.
(Chris Gardner/Higher Deck)
Leavitt is the one confirmed winner right here and has a begin within the School Soccer Playoff. After transferring from Michigan State, he led the Solar Devils to a Large 12 Championship and an time beyond regulation loss to Texas in final 12 months’s CFP. Final season, he threw for two,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and simply six interceptions.
In 2025, a foot harm led to a major drop-off in manufacturing, however what needs to be remembered is how he performed and the way the Solar Devils carried out towards ranked opponents.
In opposition to then-No. 24 TCU, Leavitt put up 353 whole yards and three touchdowns in a 27-24 win. In opposition to then-No. 4 Texas Tech, he put up 319 passing yards and a landing whereas handing the Pink Raiders their solely loss this season. Anticipate him to be probably the most extremely sought-after participant who has introduced plans to enter the switch portal thus far.
“Of all the fellows in there now,” a Energy 4 assistant coach advised me, “he’s the man to go get. He doesn’t make a behavior of turning the ball over. He makes good choices within the pocket, and he’s a winner.”
Greatest touchdown spot: Oregon
If Dante Moore elects to enter the NFL Draft, bringing Leavitt again to his dwelling state the place he led West Linn, Oregon, to a 12-1 file and a 6A-1 state championship may very well be a powerful choice.
RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities. Observe him @RJ_Young.
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