South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal

South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. After spending four seasons at SDSU, Gronowski will have one year of eligibility remaining. He is also reportedly considering entering the 2025 NFL Draft.

“I’m trying to weigh all my options to do what’s best for me and my career,” Gronowski told ESPN. “I’m confident in what I can do in the NFL. If there’s opportunities that help my family, I’ll change my mind. It’s doing what’s best for me and my long-term interest overall.”

In the 2024 campaign, Gronowski 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 has 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.

Gronowski played high school football at Neuqua Valley (IL), where he was an unranked prospect, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

While Gronowski is on NFL scouts’ radars this season, a final year at a more prominent program could solidify his position as a legitimate professional prospect. Quarterback Cam Ward was in a similar situation last offseason and ultimately transferred to Miami from Washington State to add one more year to his résume.

The decision paid dividends. Ward is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft. With any luck, Gronowski could be following in Ward’s footsteps in short order. Gronowski will immediately be one of the most coveted QBs in the transfer portal.

The transfer portal officially opened Dec. 7 and will remain open until Dec. 28, though players on teams still playing in the postseason will get an additional five-day window to enter the portal after their seasons end.

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.