2023 College Football QB Transfer Grades

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Grading 46 college football quarterback transfers in 2023
ESPN PLUS $ MATERIAL​

It's no secret college football coaches are increasingly using the transfer portal to find starters and contributors at quarterback.

This season alone in the FBS, transfer quarterbacks have started 53.4% of games. Those transfers have accounted for 53.3% of all passing yards thrown this season, and we have seen some outstanding performances by transfers who switched schools this past offseason.

Shedeur Sanders, the nation's leader in passing yards, has helped lead Colorado to a 4-2 start, setting a team single-game passing record in his debut and holding his own against Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and USC. Sam Hartman started the season at 5-1 with 14 touchdowns and no interceptions before struggling last week at Louisville. Both quarterbacks have been success stories from the portal and already have helped put their teams in the national spotlight.

Because there have been so many signal callers to change schools, we decided to grade each starting quarterback who switched schools prior to this season. For our grades, we looked at current starters along with some notable names from this past offseason that have yet to make a big impact and why.

Here are the grades for 46 of the first-year transfer quarterbacks so far this season:

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: Incomplete​

Jake Garcia, Missouri Tigers

Transferred from: Miami

2023 stats: N/A

How he has fared so far: Garcia was an ESPN 300 prospect out of high school who was committed to USC, then flipped to Miami. He spent two seasons with the Hurricanes and threw for 803 yards and five touchdowns in eight games during the 2022 season. However, Garcia has yet to play for Missouri this season.

Deacon Hill, Iowa Hawkeyes

Transferred from: Wisconsin

2023 stats: 274 yards, 2 TD passes, 2 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Hill redshirted in the 2021 season and played in just one game for Wisconsin during the 2022 season. He had played behind Michigan transfer Cade McNamara until McNamara injured his knee against Michigan State. Hill threw for 115 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 26-16 win over the Spartans. He completed just 6 of 21 passes, none to a wide receiver, in last week's win over Purdue. Hill is completing just 37.5% of his passes.

Walker Howard, Ole Miss Rebels

Transferred from: LSU

2023 stats: 56 passing yards, 0 TD passes, TDs, 0 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Howard was the No. 42 prospect in the 2022 class and signed with LSU. He transferred to Ole Miss and found himself in a quarterback room with Jaxson Dart and Spencer Sanders with Dart winning the starting job. Howard has thrown just four passes this season, completing three for 56 yards. It's only his second season out of high school, though, so Howard still has plenty of eligibility to eventually try to win the starting job.

Drew Pyne, Arizona State Sun Devils

Transferred from: Notre Dame

2023 stats: 273 passing yards, 2 TD passes, 3 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Pyne seemingly was in line to start Arizona State's season before injuring his hamstring in a preseason scrimmage, one of several key injuries the Sun Devils have endured. The 10-game starter for Notre Dame in 2022 didn't make his ASU debut until Week 3, and it was a rough one, as he completed only 5 of 13 passes for 52 yards with two interceptions in a shutout loss to Fresno State. Pyne had more success the following week against USC, passing for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Spencer Sanders, Ole Miss Rebels

Transferred from: Oklahoma State

2023 stats: 142 passing yards, 2 TD passes TDs, 0 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Ole Miss was a curious transfer choice for Sanders, a four-year starter at Oklahoma State and multi-time honorable mention all-Big 12 selection, only because Ole Miss brought back its QB1, Jaxson Dart. After being limited by injury in spring practice, Sanders couldn't unseat Dart in a preseason competition and has been forced to take a seat for most of the games so far. He saw his only significant action in a 73-7 Week 1 win over Mercer, where he threw two touchdown passes. Dart has dazzled since, and Sanders has only two pass attempts.

Collin Schlee, UCLA Bruins

Transferred from: Kent State

2023 stats: 21 passing yards, 0 TD passes, 1 interception, 95 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Schlee started for coach Sean Lewis at Kent State last year and came to UCLA expecting to compete with decorated recruit Dante Moore and holdover Ethan Garbers for the starting job. But Garbers started the season opener and then Moore emerged, showcasing his talent before a tough Week 4 loss at Utah. Schlee didn't see the field against Utah despite the offense's struggles, and had just six pass attempts as a Bruin. His highlights have come on the ground, namely a 57-yard rushing touchdown against North Carolina Central.

Casey Thompson, Florida Atlantic Owls

Transferred from: Nebraska


2023 stats: 509 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 5 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Thompson began the season as the starter and played in the first three games before a season-ending ACL injury. Thompson had completed 63.3% of his passes in the three games he played in, averaging just 169.7 pass yards per game. The Owls were 1-2 in the games that Thompson started with a win over Monmouth and losses to Ohio and Clemson.

Christian Veilleux, Pittsburgh Panthers

Transferred from: Penn State

2023 stats: 145 passing yards, 1 TD pass, 2 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Taking over for Phil Jurkovec, Veilleux will make his first start against Louisville this week. Veilleux, who had just 35 pass attempts in two seasons at Penn State, has thrown only 27 passes so far this season, connecting on 12 of them. But more opportunities will come soon.

 

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Grade Tier: D-​

Jeff Sims, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Transferred from: Georgia Tech

2023 stats: 220 pass yards, 1 TD pass, 4 interceptions, 156 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Sims brought starting experience and dual-threat skills to Nebraska's offense under a new coaching staff but had a very rough start before an ankle injury late in a Week 2 loss to Colorado. The accuracy and turnover issues that surfaced at times during his time at Georgia Tech showed up as he had three interceptions in a painful opening loss to Minnesota, and then three more giveaways (two lost fumbles, one interception) in the Colorado debacle. Sims' running ability jumped out -- he had a 57-yard touchdown run against Colorado -- but so did the mistakes, and Nebraska is moving forward with Heinrich Haarberg at QB.

Tyler Buchner, Alabama Crimson Tide

Transferred from: Notre Dame

2023 stats: 61 passing yards, 0 TD passes, 0 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Buchner transferred late to Alabama, after Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees left for the same position at Alabama and Sam Hartman transferred to Notre Dame. Buchner sat behind Jalen Milroe for the first two weeks, then got a shot against USF in Week 3. Buchner completed 5 of 14 passes for 34 yards and no touchdowns and was eventually replaced by Ty Simpson in the game. Milroe was again named the starter, and Buchner hasn't played since.

Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh Panthers

Transferred from: Boston College

2023 stats: 818 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Jurkovec has had a rough go of it at Pitt and was benched for backup Christian Veilleux prior to the seventh game of the season against Louisville. Pitt started the season at 1-5 with Jurkovec as the starter and ranked 108th of 133 FBS teams in passing yards per game during those five games. The team ranked 103rd in offensive points scored per game and Jurkovec ranks No. 73 among all FBS quarterbacks in passing touchdowns this season while completing a little more than 50% of his passes on the season. Despite talk of a position switch, Jurkovec is now backing up Veilleux, a Penn State transfer, at QB.

Sawyer Robertson, Baylor Bears

Transferred from: Mississippi State

2023 stats: 647 passing yards, 1 TD pass, 4 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Robertson wasn't able to beat out Blake Shapen for the starting job heading into the season; he took over after Shapen sprained his MCL on Sept. 2 and then returned to a reserve role. Robertson has played in four games this season and has completed 49.5% of his passes. He had 203 passing yards and an interception against Texas on Sept. 23 before Shapen returned and reclaimed the top job.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: D​

Brennan Armstrong, NC State Wolfpack

Transferred from: Virginia

2023 stats: 971 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 281 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: NC State hoped the combination of Armstrong and offensive coordinator Robert Anae would rekindle the magic from 2021. Armstrong set Virginia's single-season passing record that fall with 4,449 yards, his second year starting in Anae's offense. The sensible pairing didn't work in a new setting, though, as Armstrong struggled with his accuracy and turnovers. Other than a win over VMI, he didn't look particularly sharp with the Wolfpack and was benched in favor of MJ Morris last week against Marshall. Morris, a sophomore, had been pegged as NC State quarterback of the future, but his time could be now.

Ben Finley, Cal Golden Bears

Transferred from: N.C. State

2023 stats: 533 passing yards, 3 TD passes, 4 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Finley played in four of the first five games for the Golden Bears and started two. He and Sam Jackson V have gone back and forth this season with one replacing the other, not really knowing who the starter is. It was Jackson who took all the snaps in the win against Arizona State, and Finley threw for three interceptions in the first half of the Washington game before leaving with an injury. Finley is healthy now but continues to find himself in a battle with Jackson for the starting spot.

Sam Jackson V, Cal Golden Bears

Transferred from: TCU

2023 stats: 556 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Jackson has gone back and forth with Finley for starts and snaps at Cal so far this season. Neither has taken the reins and shined as the starter. Jackson was the quarterback for the Golden Bears in the win against Arizona State and had 130 yards and one touchdown, but he hasn't had a convincing season thus far.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: D+​

Cade McNamara, Iowa Hawkeyes

Transferred from: Michigan

2023 stats: 505 passing yards, 4 TD passes, 3 interceptions

How he has fared so far: McNamara came in with a Big Ten championship and a CFP appearance from Michigan under his belt, but also some injury baggage. He missed most of last season with a knee injury and was limited during spring practice. After a quad injury shortened his preseason, he started strong with 191 pass yards and two touchdowns in the opener against Utah State. But McNamara's production dropped off and, like the offense, bottomed out in a shutout loss at Penn State (five completions, 42 pass yards). He then suffered a torn ACL early in a Sept. 30 game against Michigan State. McNamara intends to return to Iowa in 2024, but even before the injury, he didn't spark Iowa's offense as much as expected.

Tayven Jackson, Indiana Hoosiers

Transferred from: Tennessee

2023 stats: 862 passing yards, 2 pass TDs, 3 interceptions, 1 rush TD

How he has fared so far: Jackson won the starting job this offseason but has not been able to put it together against better competition. The Hoosiers are 2-3 with wins over Indiana State and a four-overtime win over Akron. Jackson was benched in the fifth game of the season against Maryland after completing 17 of 29 passes for 113 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. The offense has struggled so much this season that the Hoosiers fired offensive coordinator Walt Bell during the season. Jackson and the offense are still looking to turn things around in 2023.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: C-​

Payton Thorne, Auburn Tigers

Transferred from: Michigan State

2023 stats: 643 passing yards, 4 TD passes, 4 interceptions, 2 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Thorne gave first-year coach Hugh Freeze a veteran presence, but the early part of his Auburn career has been choppy, especially against power conference foes. Thorne, who has shared time with Robby Ashford, didn't reach 100 passing yards against Cal, Texas A&M or Georgia. After recording 223 rushing yards over two seasons as Michigan State's starter, Thorne has become more effective with his legs, rushing for 92 yards on 12 carries against Georgia and 123 yards and two touchdowns against Samford. But he will need to be sharper with his passing during the second half, which begins with LSU (road) and Ole Miss (home).

Tony Muskett, Virginia Cavaliers

Transferred from: Monmouth

2023 stats: 573 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Muskett started the first eight games of the 2022 season for Monmouth but missed the remainder of the season with a knee injury. After a quiet start to his Virginia career, Muskett is beginning to emerge as the team's top option and led the Cavaliers to their first win last week against William and Mary. He has 479 passing yards and four touchdowns in his last two games. Freshman Anthony Colandrea has taken some snaps away from Muskett, limiting the data available to evaluate Muskett and his overall performance.

Alan Bowman, Oklahoma State Cowboys

Transferred from: Michigan

2023 stats: 748 passing yards, 2 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Bowman's fascinating career began way back in 2018, when he had his best season at Texas Tech, completing 69.4% of his passes for 2,638 yards and 17 touchdowns. But injuries sidetracked his career in Lubbock, and he spent two very quiet years with Michigan before surfacing at Oklahoma State. He started off slowly -- only 235 passing yards total in his first three games -- before consecutive 200-yard passing performances, including in Friday's upset of Kansas State. Bowman hasn't been particularly accurate, though, and has only two touchdown passes in 135 attempts.

Connor Bazelak, Bowling Green Falcons

Transferred from: Indiana

2023 stats: 821 passing yards, 4 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Bazelak started his career at Missouri, where he was SEC co-freshman of the year in 2020. In three seasons for the Tigers, he threw for 5,084 yards and 23 touchdowns. He didn't have a great season with the Hoosiers in 2022, throwing for 2,312 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He is now the starter for Bowling Green in 2023 and has started all but one game this season (he missed the Michigan game due to an injury). He completed 65.5% of his passes for 263 yards and a touchdown in a road upset of Georgia Tech but hasn't been overly impressive in other games.

Hank Bachmeier, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Transferred from: Boise State

2023 stats: 934 passing yards, 6 TD passes TDs, 2 interceptions

How he has fared so far: After starting 29 games at Boise State, Bachmeier wanted a home in the quarterback-friendly Air Raid offense and joined new coach Sonny Cumbie at Louisiana Tech. He had a productive start with 333 passing yards against Florida International and had 241 pass yards while being sacked six times the following week at SMU. He sustained an injury to his throwing shoulder Sept. 16 against North Texas and didn't return until Tuesday's game against Middle Tennessee, when he split time with Jack Turner, who had started three straight games in Bachmeier's absence.

Dylan Hopkins, New Mexico Lobos

Transferred from: UAB

2023 stats: 978 passing yards, 7 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 1 rushing TD

How he has fared so far: Hopkins followed offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent from UAB to New Mexico after two solid seasons for the Blazers. His accuracy has dropped to 55.9%, and four of his touchdown passes came against FCS Tennessee Tech. He has avoided a multi-interception game and has thrown a touchdown pass in all but one contest. But New Mexico is hoping for a bigger boost down the stretch.

Layne Hatcher, Ball State Cardinals

Transferred from: Texas State

2023 stats: 565 passing yards, 4 TD passes, 1 interception

How he has fared so far: Hatcher was named the starter at the beginning of the season, but it has been a game of musical chairs at quarterback for Ball State this season. He has technically participated in five games in 2023, but his main stats have come from starting the past two games against Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. Against the Broncos, Hatcher threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns and he had 131 yards, one touchdown and an interception against Eastern Michigan. It has been an up-and-down season, but Hatcher has shown some improvement these past two games.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: C​

Luke Altmyer, Illinois Fighting Illini

Transferred from: Ole Miss

2023 stats: 1,365 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 8 interceptions, 172 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: After failing to beat out Jaxson Dart a year ago, Altmyer won the Illinois job two weeks before the season. He showed his talent and poise in the opener against Toledo, finding Casey Washington for a 33-yard completion on fourth-and-4 to set up Illinois' game-winning field goal. But Altmyer struggled the next two weeks, throwing a combined six interceptions in losses to Kansas and Penn State. He has been fairly accurate outside of the Penn State game, completing at least 61.7% of his passes in all five other contests. Altmyer has operated behind a struggling offensive line -- Illinois is tied for 120th nationally in sacks allowed. He has had some long runs, though, including a 72-yarder against Kansas.

Ben Bryant, Northwestern Wildcats

Transferred from: Cincinnati

2023 stats: 926 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 2 rush TDs

How he has fared so far: Bryant's college history includes two stops at Cincinnati and one at Eastern Michigan before transferring to Northwestern after spring practice in early May. He has upgraded one of the worst QB situations in a power conference and shined during a come-from-behind win against Minnesota, passing for 396 yards and four touchdowns. Bryant hasn't eclipsed 169 passing yards in any other games, though, and missed last week's win over Howard with an injury. His value will be tested following an open week as Northwestern needs three wins to get bowl eligible and significantly exceed expectations.

Sam Huard, Cal Poly Mustangs

Transferred from: Washington

2023 stats: 862 passing yards, 8 TD passes, 3 interceptions

How he has fared so far: Huard was the No. 15 prospect overall in the 2021 recruiting class and signed with Washington. He played two seasons for the Huskies before reuniting with his former high school coach, Sheldon Cross, who is now the offensive coordinator at Cal Poly. Huard has appeared in four games this season but wasn't able to finish the game against Portland State in Week 4 after suffering a concussion, and he missed the following game against UC Davis.

Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech Hokies

Transferred from: Baylor

2023 stats: 722 passing yards, 4 TD passes, 1 interception, 285 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Grant Wells began the season as Virginia Tech's starter but was injured against Purdue in Week 2. Drones has played well as his replacement, throwing for 722 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He has 285 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. The Hokies lost against Rutgers and Marshall but beat Pitt 38-21 in Week 5. Drones had 228 yards and three touchdowns while completing 12 of 19 passes against the Panthers. He also has eclipsed 70 rushing yards in three of his last four games, including last week at Florida State.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: B-​

Hudson Card, Purdue Boilermakers

Transferred from: Texas

2023 stats: 1,491 passing yards, 6 TD passes, 5 interceptions, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: New Purdue coach Ryan Walters targeted Card as his first quarterback and paired him with new offensive coordinator Graham Harrell. Card was the clear starter in spring practice and has played well outside of a Week 4 loss to Wisconsin. His accuracy has stood out at times, as he completed nearly 70% of his passes against Illinois (win) and Syracuse (loss). Purdue could start doing more with him as a runner, an attribute both Harrell and Walters praised in the offseason, noting that Card's mobility makes him stand out from most quarterbacks in the Air Raid system. The Boilers are in a transition season, but Card's play has provided a nice foundation going forward.

Devin Leary, Kentucky Wildcats

Transferred from: NC State

2023 stats: 1,257 passing yards, 12 TD passes, 5 interceptions

How he has fared so far: After a torn pectoral muscle ended a 2022 season that began with NFL aspirations, Leary came to Kentucky to get on the Will Levis plan. He picked the same school and the same offensive coordinator -- Liam Coen, who returned to UK after a season with the Los Angeles Rams -- who helped Levis blossom following his transfer from Penn State. Leary has had mixed results so far, struggling with his accuracy in a win over Florida and a loss to Georgia (completing just 19 of 45 passes combined). He finished with only 69 passing yards against Florida. Leary has yet to recapture the form of 2021, when he had 35 touchdowns and five interceptions while passing for 3,433 yards at NC State.

Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin Badgers

Transferred from: SMU

2023 stats: 1,021 passing yards, 3 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 153 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Mordecai, who in 2021 set an SMU record with 39 touchdown passes, transferred to Wisconsin to play for new coordinator Phil Longo and run the Air Raid offense. He was the clear starter before the season but has gone through some bumps, throwing two interceptions in the opener against Buffalo and fumbling twice while being sacked in a Week 2 loss at Washington State. Mordecai has only three touchdown passes through the first five games. The big passing numbers haven't come yet but he's still completing 64.2% of his attempts while giving Wisconsin another run threat. Wisconsin needs Mordecai's experience to show up in the second half as it aims for a very winnable Big Ten West Division.

Emory Jones, Cincinnati Bearcats

Transferred from: Arizona State

2023 stats: 1,226 passing yards, 10 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 280 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Jones has played at Florida, Arizona State and now Cincinnati. He has had an up-and-down season for the Bearcats, who are 2-3 with a three-game losing streak. Jones threw for 345 yards and five touchdowns in the opener against Eastern Kentucky, while also rushing for two touchdowns. He then threw for 125 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a win against Pitt but has thrown just three touchdown passes and has had five interceptions in the last three games against better opponents. Cincinnati still has a tough road ahead with Baylor, Oklahoma State, UCF, Houston, West Virginia and Kansas on the schedule, and will need Jones at his best.

Logan Smothers, Jacksonville State Gamecocks

Transferred from: Nebraska

2023 stats: 638 passing yards, 5 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 253 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: After opening the season as Jacksonville State's backup, Smothers started the team's second game and has performed well as a dual threat in coach Rich Rodriguez's offense. His passing numbers are moderate, but he had three touchdowns in an overtime win over Sam Houston State and has just two interceptions in 102 attempts. Smothers, a three-star recruit, rushed for 118 yards in a win against Eastern Michigan and averaged 9 yards per carry in a loss to Coastal Carolina.

Donovan Smith, Houston Cougars

Transferred from: Texas Tech

2023 stats: 1,348 passing yards, 9 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 162 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Smith played in 21 games at Texas Tech with 2,686 passing yards and 19 touchdowns through the air and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Smith beat out Lucas Coley for the starting job and has at least 225 passing yards in all five games. Despite the Cougars' record, Smith has not played too badly this season.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: B​

Kedon Slovis, BYU Cougars

Transferred from: Pitt

2023 stats: 1,240 passing yards, 10 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Slovis started his career at USC, where he had a record-setting freshman year in 2019. He transferred to Pitt and threw for 2,397 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2022. Slovis won BYU's starting job in the spring and has helped lead the team to a 4-1 start. He has multiple touchdown passes in each of his last four games, and twice has eclipsed 345 passing yards. Accuracy has become an issue lately, as Slovis hasn't eclipsed 59% passing in any of his last three starts.

Zach Calzada, Incarnate Word Cardinals

Transferred from: Auburn

2023 stats: 1,497 passing yards, 9 TD passes, 4 interceptions, 5 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Calzada has had a winding road to get to Incarnate Word, first starting at Texas A&M, then transferring to Auburn and finally switching schools again this past offseason. He started 10 games during the 2021 season at Texas A&M but didn't see the field for Auburn in 2022 because of an injury. This season, he has three games with more than 300 pass yards.

JT Daniels, Rice Owls

Transferred from: West Virginia

2023 stats: 1,831 passing yards, 15 TD passes, 5 interceptions

How he has fared so far: He began his college career as a 17-year-old at USC, spent two injury-impacted seasons at Georgia and started last year for West Virginia before landing with Rice. After a tough debut against Texas, Daniels has been generally accurate and productive, throwing multiple touchdown passes in each of the past five games. He has two 400-yard passing performances and three with 350 yards or more. Daniels has connected on 64.7% of his passes in all but one contest.

Jack Plummer, Louisville Cardinals

Transferred from: Cal

2023 stats: 1,551 passing yards, 12 pass TDs, 6 interceptions, 1 rush TD

How he has fared so far: Plummer, who played for Louisville coach Jeff Brohm at Purdue before reuniting with him in December, has had performances ranging from jittery to productive to smooth. He had a rough first half in the season opener, but rallied Louisville past Georgia Tech with three touchdowns. Plummer also had some accuracy issues against Indiana before a dominating performance against Boston College (388 pass yards, five touchdown passes, only three incompletions). He didn't have great numbers against Notre Dame but avoided mistakes in a monumental win for Brohm and the Cardinals, who are 6-0 for the first time since 2013.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: B+​

DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State Beavers

Transferred from: Clemson

2023 stats: 1,307 passing yards, 13 TD passes, 4 interceptions, 131 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Uiagalelei might have been the most intriguing quarterback of the transfer cycle, given his profile at Clemson. Oregon State coaches were impressed with his willingness to learn a new and more complex offense, which requires quarterbacks to absorb and process a lot. His results have been mostly positive. Uiagalelei had a near-flawless debut at San Jose State -- 239 pass yards and three touchdowns while completing 20 of 25 passes with two rushing touchdowns -- but then began to struggle with his accuracy, a problem during his Clemson tenure. He completed a combined 45 of 89 passes against San Diego State, Washington State and Utah, before another brilliant performance in the Bay Area against Cal (275 pass yards, five touchdowns). Uiagalelei's mobility has helped the Beavers; he has averaged 4 yards per rush with five touchdowns.

Graham Mertz, Florida Gators

Transferred from: Wisconsin

2023 stats: 1,474 passing yards, 9 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 2 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Mertz sought a fresh start under Billy Napier after never truly panning out at Wisconsin despite being the program's highest-rated quarterback recruit ever (ESPN's No. 21 overall prospect in 2019). His accuracy has spiked with the Gators. He came in as a career 59.5% passer but has hit on 80% of his passes through five games, which ranks second nationally behind Oregon's Bo Nix. Mertz hasn't had a game with more than six incompletions since the opener at Utah and has only two interceptions in 175 attempts. His improvement hasn't really accelerated the offense, though, as Florida ranks 80th nationally in scoring (27.2 PPG). He also struggled early against Kentucky when the game was still in doubt, completing just six of his first 11 pass attempts with an interception.

Mikey Keene, Fresno State Bulldogs

Transferred from: UCF

2023 stats: 1,692 passing yards, 15 TD passes, 4 interceptions

How he has fared so far: After losing quarterback Jake Haener to the NFL, Fresno State has kept things going nicely with Keene and other transfers. Keene started the season on the right foot with a win over Purdue while throwing for 366 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He has helped guide Fresno State to a 5-1 start and will still have two seasons of eligibility remaining after 2023.

Thomas Castellanos, Boston College Eagles

Transferred from: UCF

2023 stats: 1,143 yards, 10 touchdowns, 5 interceptions; 500 rush yards, seven touchdowns

How he has fared so far: Boston College is just 3-3 record, but Castellanos has been a bright spot for the team. He has been getting the job done through the air and on the ground, accounting for 17 total touchdowns combined. The offense hasn't scored fewer than 24 points in any game this season and Castellanos has been a big part of the scoring.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: A-​

Sam Hartman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Transferred from: Wake Forest

2023 stats: 1,712 passing yards, 16 TD passes, 3 interceptions, 2 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Hartman was the biggest prize in this year's quarterback transfer market, and he has made the desired impact so far at Notre Dame. The ACC's career leader in touchdown passes has added 16 more to his impressive career total (126) and given Notre Dame the veteran presence and upgraded skills needed to navigate a tricky schedule. Hartman's completion percentage so far of 64.5 marks a career best. After throwing a combined 26 interceptions the past two seasons, he had not thrown any until Saturday night, when Louisville picked him off three times. Despite Notre Dame's limitations at wide receiver, he has clicked with tight end Mitchell Evans and others. The Louisville loss certainly stings and Hartman struggled a bit against Duke, but he has given Notre Dame a boost at QB.

Haynes King, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Transferred from: Texas A&M

2023 stats: 1,631 passing yards, 16 TD passes, 6 interceptions, 222 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: King, a former top-50 recruit who opened the past two seasons as Texas A&M's starter, has been productive in his first season with Georgia Tech. He has four games of 290 passing yards or more, and three of 42 rushing yards or more. King has had multiple touchdown passes in five games, and his 16 TD passes are tied for third nationally. He has been a solid contributor on the ground, especially with 53 yards on only six carries in a road win against Wake Forest, and ranks No. 16 nationally in total offense. Entering Week 6, King and LSU's Jayden Daniels were the only FBS quarterbacks with at least 1,400 passing yards, 150 rushing yards and 15 touchdown passes.

Davis Brin, Georgia Southern Eagles

Transferred from: Tulsa

2023 stats: 1,611 passing yards, 12 TD passes, 7 interceptions, 1 rush TD

How he has fared so far: Following a productive career at Tulsa, Brin has transitioned well to coach Clay Helton's offense. He's completing 70% of his passes after failing to reach 60% in each of the past two seasons. Brin has eclipsed 300 passing yards in each of his past four starts and ranks fifth nationally in passing average (322.2 YPG). He also has avoided an interception in the last two contests. A five-interception disaster against Wisconsin can't be scrubbed from his profile, but he has performed well in other games, helping Georgia Southern to a 4-1 start.

 

[Wagerallsports]

Grade Tier: A​

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes

Transferred from: Jackson State

2023 stats: 2,020 passing yards, 16 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Sanders put up impressive numbers in two seasons at Jackson State -- 70 touchdown passes and 6,963 passing yards -- but there was uncertainty about how he'd fare in a power conference. He put all the doubts to rest in his Colorado debut, setting a single-game team record with 510 passing yards in an upset of TCU. Sanders has passed for 239 yards or more in four of five games and completed 72.7% of his passes this season. He has done so playing behind an offensive line that trails only Old Dominion in total sacks allowed (31). Colorado's run game is spotty and Travis Hunter has missed the past three games, but Sanders continues to hurt defenses, entering the radar for both the Heisman Trophy and the NFL draft. "Without Shedeur, they don't have those wins," a Pac-12 coach said.

TJ Finley, Texas State Bobcats

Transferred from: Auburn

2023 stats: 1,719 passing yards, 12 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 3 rushing TDs

How he has fared so far: Texas State has started the season 4-2, and Finley has been a big part of the success. He is completing 73.3% of his passes, which ranks No. 7 among all FBS quarterbacks in the category. He is No. 11 in total passing yards and is averaging 9.77 yards per attempt this season. Finley was named the Sun Belt offensive player of the week after the team's 42-31 win over Baylor in Week 1, when he threw for 298 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has exceeded expectations and is starting to put together some eye-popping stats for the Bobcats.