Report: Arkansas transfer QB Jacolby Criswell commits to North Carolina

Former Arkansas quarterback Jacolby Criswell has committed to return to North Carolina via the NCAA Transfer Portal after starting his college career with the Tar Heels, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.

“Transfer quarterback Jacolby Criswell, who last played at Arkansas for the 2023 season, has committed to transfer to North Carolina, per ESPN sources,” Thamel posted on X. “Criswell started his career at UNC, playing from 2020-22, and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.”

As Thamel mentioned, Criswell spent the first three years of his collegiate career at North Carolinabefore transferring to Arkansas ahead of the 2023 campaign.

During his lone season with the Razorbacks, Criswell made four appearances, tallying 17 completions for 143 yards and three touchdowns while throwing zero interceptions. He boasted a 63% completion rate this past season.

In three seasons with the Tar Heels, Criswell played in 15 games. He recorded a combined 18 completions for 204 yards and one touchdown. Again, he did not throw an interception while with the program.

Jacolby Criswell played high school football at Morrilton (AR), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 270 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Before offensive coordinator Dan Enos parted ways with the Razorbacks last season, he complimented Criswell’s potential.

“He’s got tremendous arm talent, like elite arm talent. He can make throws into windows — I mean he threw a post the other day like 60-some yards in the air into a breeze. So he can make some of those ‘Wow’ throws that a lot of guys can’t make,” Enos said.

“But then, when you throw on top of it that he can run. He ran 21-plus miles [per hour] this summer, I believe,” Enos said. “He’s a guy that can do ’em both.”

Now, Criswell will look to “do ’em both” elsewhere. Criswell is the 26th Arkansas player to enter the transfer portal during or since the conclusion of the 2023 campaign. The program has added 13 players to soften the blows of its losses.

Earlier in the offseason, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman revealed his attitude toward the transfer portal’s spring window.

“We don’t want to lose any of our players,” Pittman said. “And I had to talk with our team and I said, ‘Hey, we just don’t lose anybody that we have and don’t add anybody, we’re gonna have us a fine football team. So the number one thing is I don’t want to lose anybody.

“We’re going to. I mean, I hope not but we could. I don’t know why you’d want to leave this team. This is a good football team, but I understand the landscape of football.”

On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this article.