Top 10 transfer quarterbacks 2021: New rules create mass movement

There were enough transfer quarterbacks this offseason for Athlon Sports to release a list of the top 50 for 2021. The NCAA made groundbreaking changes to its transfer rules, allowing players to change schools without sitting out a year. This resulted in several coveted gunslingers on the market for schools in need. Which 10 quarterbacks will make the biggest impact for his new school according to Athlon Sports?

10. Will Levis, Kentucky (from Penn State): Levis spent most of his time as a backup to Sean Clifford for the Nittany Lions. He should, however, get the nod for the Wildcats this season.

9. Jake Bentley, South Alabama (from Utah): Bentley brings experience from South Carolina and, most recently, Utah to South Alabama. He threw for 3,000 yards for the Gamecocks in 2018 before suffering a foot injury in the season opener of 2019 and transferring to Utah that offseason. He’ll already have a reliable target in Jalen Tolbert, who had 1,085 yards receiving last year.

8. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee (from Virginia Tech)/Joe Milton, Tennessee (from Michigan): First-year coach Josh Heupel has a tough decision to make this offseason, but he likely isn’t complaining. Heupel landed a pair of talented transfer quarterbacks in Hooker and Milton. If SEC media days are any indication, Milton is the favorite to start.

7. Tanner Mordecai, SMU (from Oklahoma): Mordecai will have tough competition, as SMU is also considering true freshman and four-star recruit Preston Stone. The former at least has the edge on experience after three seasons with the Sooners, albeit in a limited fashion.

6. Ryan Hilinski, Northwestern (from South Carolina): Hilinski isn’t confirmed as the starter for the Wildcats, but he looks like the frontrunner at this point. He threw for 2,357 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman at South Carolina in 2019.

5. Jack Coan, Notre Dame (from Wisconsin): Coan is one of the more experienced transfer quarterbacks on this list. He proved to make good decisions at Wisconsin, where he threw 18 touchdowns to five interceptions in 2019. He has a career completion percentage of 68 and should be a steady one-season replacement for Ian Book.

4. Tyler Shough, Texas Tech (from Oregon): Shough won the starting job to replace Justin Herbert for the Ducks last season, but backup Anthony Brown eventually overtook him. He threw for 1,559 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions over seven games.

3. Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky (from Houston Baptist): Zappe followed former Houston Baptist offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, now in the same position for the Hilltoppers, to Western Kentucky. Three of his receivers from Houston Baptist are also now Hilltoppers, so there should be few kinks even in a new offense.

2. Charlie Brewer, Utah (from Baylor): Brewer begins the top tier of transfer quarterbacks. He had two seasons at Baylor in which he passed for more than 3,000 yards. Last year he threw for 1,958 and 14 touchdowns for the Bears. He is Utah’s clear starter.

1. McKenzie Milton, Florida State (from UCF): Milton suffered a brutal leg injury in 2018 and hasn’t played since then. He is making his return this season in Tallahassee. He dazzled the country before, passing for 4,037 yards and rushing for 613 more to go with 45 total touchdowns in 2017. It’s safe to say more than just UCF and Seminole fans will be rooting for Milton in 2021.