Ohio State transfer portal rumors: 6 QBs the Buckeyes need with McCord gone

Former Ohio State Buckeyes 5-star recruit and their starting quarterback for the 2023 season, Kyle McCord, has put his name in the transfer portal, per On3's Pete Nakos.

For several years, Ohio State has simply turned the page without hardly missing a beat when it comes to quarterbacks. But Kyle McCord threw a wrench into that for head coach Ryan Day in the 2023 season.

McCord, the former 5-star recruit who took over for C.J. Stroud this year, put up ostensibly fine numbers in his first year in Columbus as the starter. He finished the season with 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions while completing 65.8% of his throws. However, the eye test was far less kind as he struggled under pressure, was bailed out frequently by having Marvin Harrison Jr. and an elite cast of weapons around him, and truly just didn't look the part.

And whatever the reason for this decision may be, it's not a part he'll be expected to look anymore. As the transfer portal opened on Monday, McCord entered his name. The Philadelphia native will now be looking for his next stop in college football... but Ohio State should also be looking for its next quarterback as well. McCord beat out Devin Brown in 2023, which likely limits Brown's future, Lincoln Kienholz is a question mark, and incoming 4-star Air Noland might not be ready to start right away either.

That will likely lead Ohio State into the transfer portal in its own right. But which quarterbacks already in the portal could the Buckeyes be targeting? Let's take a look at six options that could fit the bill, at least one way or another.

Ohio State transfer portal rumors: 6 Kyle McCord replacements to target

6. Brock Vandagriff (Georgia)

Back in the 2021 recruiting cycle, Bogart, GA native Brock Vandagriff was a highly coveted recruit, the No. 17 overall player in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Of course, Vandagriff stayed hom in-state to play for the Georgia Bulldogs. But that has also led to him rarely seeing the field to this point.

First, it was Stetson Bennett IV leading the way for the Dawgs to win two national championships. His departure, however, led to Kirby Smart turning to Carson Beck this season, who looks the part of a stud, but also a stud who will be back in Athens for the 2024 season. That is likely a huge reason as to why Vandagriff has put his name in the transfer portal.

Some believe that Vandagriff may already have a destination in mind. Less than 24 hours after going into the portal, there started to be some buzz that he could end up with Mark Stoops and Liam Coen with the Kentucky Wildcats, per On3. However, that's not entirely decided just yet, so if Ohio State wanted to make a play for the former 5-star, they could certainly still make that attempt.

Vandagriff represents one of the major unknowns of the 2024 transfer portal class. He's rarely seen the field at Georgia to this point, so he'd be coming to a new school without much tape or certainty. However, as Ohio State looks for some answers, the tantalizing upside of Vandagriff could be something that's difficult for Day and the Buckeyes to overlook.