Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is set to re-sign with the Bulldogs on Wednesday, finalizing a deal expected to make him the highest-paid quarterback in college football. The retention marks another significant blow to an already thinning transfer portal quarterback class.
Over recent weeks, Missouri's Austin Simmons, Oregon State's Braden Atkinson, and Nebraska's Anthony Colandrea have all reportedly agreed to return to their current programs. While contracts could still be tested — as seen with Darian Mensah at Duke last season — the number of available portal targets is declining rapidly.
Of the top 25 passers in college football, only 13 are underclassmen. Several of those are expected to either enter the NFL Draft early or remain at their schools, including Alabama's Keelon Russell and Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker. Another group of quarterbacks who recently transferred — such as Wake Forest's Gio Lopez, Baylor's DJ Lagway, and Kentucky's Kenny Minchey — are unlikely to start over elsewhere.
Unless the situation changes, the top quarterbacks potentially available could be Memphis's Marcus Stokes, Texas State's Brad Jackson, or NC State's CJ Bailey — capable players but not considered ready to swing a national championship race.
Complicating matters, a large number of programs are hoping to find a savior in the portal. Texas A&M and Oklahoma view themselves as a quarterback away from playoff contention, while Indiana and Miami have recently reached the top via transfers. Oklahoma State and Notre Dame could also enter the market if they lose passers to the NFL.
Wild cards remain. Texas quarterback Arch Manning has settled in during the second half of the season, though rumors persist he could explore options. Oregon's Dante Moore, who turned down being the No. 2 NFL Draft pick to return, might seek a fresh start after missing the second half with a concussion. LSU (Sam Leavitt) and Ohio State (Julian Sayin) also face difficult contract decisions.
Ready-made transfers have become a paradigm-shifting resource in the portal era. Eight of the top 10 passers in the country are transfers, including each of the top three. However, as even developmental programs turn to upperclassmen, the pipeline is drying up. Dozens of fanbases may soon search the portal for a program savior, but the supply simply cannot meet the demand.
