5 best remaining quarterbacks still in the transfer portal and where they’ll sign

It's been a historically busy transfer portal window, with over 2,000 FBS players looking for new homes over the last three-plus weeks. And that's been especially true at quarterback: From John Mateer heading to Oklahoma to Fernando Mendoza landing at Indiana to Jackson Arnold at Auburn, a ton of big names have changed programs, reshaping the landscape of college football ahead of the 2025 season.

But despite all that movement, plenty of big names remain available for teams that may still need a signal-caller next year (and beyond). If your team is among them, here are five names to watch out for as we enter the new year.

5. Malachi Nelson, Boise State

Landing spot: UTEP

Are you feeling lucky? Nelson appeared to be the next in a long line of Heisman-worthy quarterbacks under Lincoln Riley when he committed to USC as a five-star recruit out of high school. But it's been a long and winding road since then: Nelson opted to transfer after just one season in L.A., then lost out on the starting job at Boise State to Maddux Madsen.

All of which leaves Nelson as a bit of a mystery box. We've yet to see him actually play much football at the college level, but it's undoubtedly a bad sign that he wasn't even able to win a QB battle at the G5 level. The arm talent that made him such a sought-after recruit is presumably still in there, and someone is bound to take a chance on a player with this sort of pedigree. At this point, though, pedigree is about the only thing Nelson has going for him.

4. Joey Aguilar, Appalachian State

Landing spot: Cal

Aguilar entered the portal earlier this week after throwing for more than 6,000 yards across two seasons as the starter at App State. He took a step back in 2024, but then again, so did the entire Mountaineers program, and his numbers in 2023 were spectacular (64.3 percent completion rate, 33 TDs to nine INTs, plus 235 yards and two scores on the ground).

Aguilar is a Bay Area native and spent two years playing JUCO ball in Pleasant Hill before heading east to Boone. He's played in big stadiums against top teams, and he's proven that he can make plays with both his arm and his legs. In a lot of ways, he profiles similarly to former Cal QB Fernando Mendoza, who just left for Indiana in the transfer portal. UCLA is also in the mix here, but the Bears would seem to have a little more to offer right now.

3. Dequan Finn, Baylor

Landing spot: Minnesota

What a difference a year makes. This time last winter, Finn was one of the most sought-after QBs in the portal, coming off a 2023 season in which he put up 2,657 passing yards and 563 rushing yards while leading Toledo to an 11-2 record. He wound up committing to Baylor, but his time in Waco was short lived: Finn was injured in a Week 2 loss to Utah, and Sawyer Robertson took over the starting job and never looked back.

Of course, the tools that made Finn such a dynamic dual threat are still very much there, and he could explode in the right landing spot. A visit to Michigan didn't go anywhere, as the Wolverines opted to go with former Fresno State QB Mikey Keene instead. But let's stay in the Big Ten and put the senior with Minnesota, a program that finds itself searching for a QB in the portal with Max Brosmer moving on to the NFL.

2. Matthew Sluka, UNLV

Landing spot: Memphis

Sluka was the center of the college football world for a few days after leaving UNLV over an NIL dispute. We may never know exactly what went down in Vegas or who was at fault, but what we do know is that Sluka is a baller: He blossomed into a star across three years at FCS Holy Cross, and he had the Runnin' Rebels rolling before everything blew up after just three games. He profiles a bit like Vanderbilt star Diego Pavia, an undersized QB without a great arm but with a ton of moxie and dual-threat ability. Sluka recently took a visit to Memphis, although Liberty is also in the mix here after losing Kaidon Salter in the portal to Colorado.

1. Walker White, Auburn

Landing spot: Baylor

The most coveted QB remaining in the portal has never started a game. But don't let that fool you: White is just a year removed from being one of the most coveted QB recruits in the country, only opting to transfer after Hugh Freeze brought both former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold and former Stanford QB Ashton Daniels in via the portal.

White has a ton of talent as a passer, and he didn't do anything during his one year on the Plains to make anyone think any less of him than they did when he was in high school. Players like this, with multiple years remaining, seldom become available, and it would be a huge coup for Dave Aranda if Baylor could close the deal.