Texas State announces signing of former James Madison transfer QB Jordan McCloud

After entering the transfer portal in December, former James Madison quarterback and reining Sun Belt Player of the Year Jordan McCloud has decided to stay in the conference. Signing to Texas State on Thursday according to a post from the Bobcats.

McCloud threw for 3,657 yards and scored 43 total touchdowns in his lone, breakout season with the Dukes in 2023. Previously making stops at South Florida and Arizona before transferring to James Madison ahead of the 2023 season.

McCloud played high school football at Plant High School in Tampa (FL), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 1,710 overall recruit in the 2018 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

But according to On3’s 2023 Transfer Portal Player Rankings, McCloud was a four-star college player ranked the No. 19 quarterback avaible in the portal this offseason.

McCloud spent the first three seasons of his college career at USF, appearing in 20 games with 17 starts where he threw for 2,270 yards, 12 touchdowns, and eight interceptions along with 283 rushing yards and four scores on the ground before transferring to Arizona.

With the Wildcats, McCloud made just three game appearances with two starts in his two years in Tucson throwing for 481 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. But he’d bounce back and rejuvenate his college career in Harrisonburg after transferring to James Madison in 2023.

After losing the starting quarterback job coming out of fall camp, McCloud would take the reins of JMU’s offense in the first half of their opener against Bucknell and never looked back, leading the Dukes to an 11-2 record and their first ever bowl appearance after throwing the second most passing yards and touchdowns in single season program history.

His 3,657 passing yards ranked 10th in the FBS and his 35 touchdown passes ranked fourth, also rushing for 276 yards and eight touchdowns with his legs. McCloud was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and will now join one of the nation’s top offenses from last season.

Texas State averaged 458.5 yards and 36.7 points per game last year, which both ranked atop of the Sun Belt Conference and placed 14th and 11th across the FBS. This offseason last year’s starting quarterback TJ Finley entered the transfer portal and committed to Western Kentucky after the Bobcats landed a commitment from former Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura.

A week after de Laura’s commitment he withdrew from Texas State, declaring for the NFL Draft in February and leaving the Bobcats without their starter from last season or their new commit. But now the program inherits McCloud under center to put an end to their quarterback carousel in a major way.