Transfer Portal: Top 10 Best Available Quarterbacks after Malachi Nelson entered the portal

Another huge name has been added to the hat containing the top quarterbacks in the NCAA Transfer Portal, as former top recruit Malachi Nelson has decided to move on from USC.

In turn, the list of top quarterbacks in the portal has been shaken up. Some phenomenal talents are littered throughout, but Nelson’s decision has changed things at the moment.

Alas, we have an updated list of the Top 10 quarterbacks currently in the transfer portal, ranked utilizing the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average, based on their collegiate performance to date. Check it out below, as there’s plenty of tremendous talents remaining, searching for the program they’ll call home in 2024.

1) Cam Ward, Washington State Cougars

Ward spent the last two seasons on The Palouse after transferring to Washington State from Division II Incarnate Word. He started 25 games for the Cougars, throwing for more than 6,400 yards and 43 touchdowns while adding 11 more scores on the ground.

The Texas native immediately shoots to the top of the rankings, not just at quarterback, but as the No. 1 player overall in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. The competition to land Ward is expected to be fierce.

2) Will Howard, Kansas State Wildcats

Howard spent the last four years with Kansas State, emerging as a top-notch option. He is coming off his best year with 2,643 yards passing, to go with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also ran for 364 yards and nine touchdowns.

That production will make him a coveted option in the transfer portal, especially because of how versatile he’s been. Howard has thrown for 5,786 career yards with 48 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. He has also run for 934 yards and 19 touchdowns.

3) DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State Beavers

After transferring to Oregon State from Clemson, Uiagalelei put together his most impressive season to date. He managed to throw for 2,638 yards and 21 touchdowns, against just seven interceptions. That was just shy of his 2022 touchdown total.

Uiagalelei will provide whatever team that picks him up with a real bonus. He’s already been through a transfer and has proven he can adapt quickly. Moreover, he’s responsible for 8,319 yards passing and 57 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,132 yards and 21 scores.

4) Maalik Murphy, Texas Longhorns

Murphy appeared in six games as a redshirt freshman for the Longhorns in 2023, completing 39 of 70 passes, while totaling 465 passing yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. 

As a recruit, he was the No. 205 overall prospect in the 2022 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He also ranked as the nation’s No. 12 quarterback and the No. 15 recruit in California.

5) KJ Jefferson, Arkansas Razorbacks

Jefferson was an ultra productive player with the Hogs, piling up 7,923 yards passing with 67 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. He also ran for 1,876 yards and 21 touchdowns. That level of production will make him a coveted player on the transfer portal market.

Before he enrolled at Arkansas, Jefferson was a four-star prospect and the No. 295 overall recruit in the 2019 recruiting class. He was also ranked as the No. 16 quarterback in the class and the No. 14 overall player from the state of Mississippi, hailing from Sardis (MS) North Panola.

6) Malachi Nelson, USC Trojans

Nelson played in one game during the 2023 season, completing one pass on three attempts. The news comes after USC hosted Kansas State transfer quarterback Will Howard over the weekend. Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is expected to enter the NFL draft. 

As a recruit, Nelson was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect ranked No. 11 in the 2023 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 5 quarterback and No. 2 recruit from California in the 2023 cycle.

7) Jordan McCloud, James Madison Dukes

McCloud started his college career at USF and eventually transferred to Arizona in 2021. However, he didn’t play at all in 2022 before again entering the portal and heading to JMU. This year for Dukes, he threw for 3,413 yards and 32 touchdowns as they became the story of college football with an 11-1 record.

McCloud played high school football at Plant (FL) High School, 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.

8) Ty Thompson, Oregon Ducks

The offseason moves put Thompson in a tough position. Entering the portal allows the quarterback to explore his possible options. Thompson redshirted in 2021 and served as a backup quarterback this past season. In his three seasons at Oregon, Thompson threw for 456 career yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions. 

He played high school football at Gilbert (Ariz.) Mesquite, where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 31 overall recruit and No. 6 quarterback in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

9) Brayden Schager, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors

The former three-star recruit from Dallas ranks No. 8 in the nation this season with 3,542 passing yards. He’s also led the Mountain West with 26 passing touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In three seasons with the Rainbow Warriors, he’s thrown for over 6,500 yards with a 60% completion percentage. 

He’s started over 20 games in his collegiate career and was one of just 13 true freshman quarterbacks nationally to start a regular-season game in 2021. In his senior season at Highland Park High School, Brayden Schager threw for 3,102 yards and 24 touchdowns.

10) Sam Jackson, California Golden Bears

Jackson started his college career at TCU, throwing for 125 yards on six pass attempts in his two seasons with the Horned Frogs before transferring to California ahead of the 2023 season. He made three starts and appeared in five games this past season for the Golden Bears throwing for 556 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown as well in 2023, missing the final six games of the season due to injury.

Jackson played high school football at Naperville (IL) Naperville Central, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 298 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

As you can see, there’s a myriad amount of quarterback talent in the transfer portal at the moment, especially now with Malachi Nelson entering the arena. We’ll see where the best signal callers available end up moving forward.