Iowa transfer QB Brendan Sullivan enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Iowa quarterback Brendan Sullivan has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. Sullivan transferred to Iowa last offseason after spending three years at Northwestern.

In the 2024 campaign, Sullivan made 10 appearances and three starts. He completed 38-of-his-53 (71.1%) pass attempts for 475 yards and three touchdowns in comparison to three interceptions. For his efforts, he won the Team Hustle Award on offense.

Sullivan redshirted his true freshman season at Northwestern but in the following two seasons, he amassed 134 completions, 1,303 passing yards and 10 touchdowns while only throwing five interceptions in 13 total appearances.

Brendan Sullivan played high school football at Davison (MI), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 743 overall player and No. 56 QB in the 2021 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Sullivan’s decision to transfer was likely influenced by Iowa’s addition of highly-touted South Dakota State transfer QB Mark Gronkowski in January. Earlier this year, ESPN predicted Gronkowski to be Iowa’s starting quarterback in the 2025 campaign.

Gronkowski boasts a surplus of experience. Last season, he completed 60.9% of his pass attempts for 2,721 yards and 23 touchdowns while throwing seven interceptions. He recorded 380 yards and 10 scores in the ground game, as well.

In his four years at SDSU, Mark Gronowski amassed 55 appearances, tallying 10,330 passing yards, 1,767 rushing yards, 93 passing touchdowns and 37 rushing scores.

For his efforts, he’s hauled in a boatload of awards, including the 2023 Walter Payton Award, annually given to the most outstanding offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. Gronkowski was the No. 14 quarterback in On3’s 2025 Transfer Portal Player Rankings.

Now, Gronkowski will have a chance to show off his talents at the FBS level. Evidently, Sullivan isn’t interested in being a backup again in his final season of eligibility.

Sullivan is the 10th Iowa player to enter the transfer portal this offseason. Additionally, he is the Hawkeyes’ second QB, with former star Cade McNamara also entering the portal in December. Iowa has only added five players via the portal to soften the blow of its losses.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.