4 intriguing transfer portal destinations for Taulia Tagovailoa

Whether you love it or hate it, the transfer portal continues to change college football. Instead of recruiting players to be eventual starters, a team can find a new starter, with NCAA experience from a smaller school. In terms of recruiting, the bigger colleges are missing out on guys who want to play right away and can always transfer to another major program to get that opportunity, the latest of which is former Maryland signal-caller Taulia Tagovailoa.

Recruiting players in the transfer portal has become more important than getting a 5-star high school prospect. Quarterback is still the most desirable position, as teams hurry to bring in the next Michael Penix Jr or Jayden Daniels. With DJ Uiagalelei already moving to Florida State, and Cameron Ward choosing to declare for the NFL Draft, the biggest name on the board is Tagovailoa... sort of.

Tagovailoa has entered the transfer portal, but he needs the NCAA to grant him a sixth year of eligibility, and he really doesn't have a great reason for one. He has already used up his COVID exception and is trying to ask the NCAA to waive his freshman season of 2019, despite appearing in five games. His case is that he only attempted a pass in three of those games, and only 12 passes the entire year. If the NCAA chooses not to grant him another year, he will enter the NFL Draft.

If the NCAA does award Taulia Tagovailoa an additional year, he will have no shortage of suitors. Here is a look at the four most intriguing college football programs that could land the former Terrapin in the transfer portal.

4. Texas A&M Aggies

While the Texas A&M Aggies and new head coach Mike Elko will have some work ahead rebuilding the receiving corps with Evan Stewart hitting the portal, the offense still has some weapons and some new life with former Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein on board. Jahde Walker is one of the key targets who will be back after a season where he hauled in 35 passes for 590 yards and two touchdowns.

They are losing a defensive lineman, Walter Nolen, to Ole Miss, and it's important now, more than ever for them, to have a high-powered offense to score as much as possible. They can't do that with their current crop of quarterbacks. The team played a combination of four different quarterbacks, with the most prolific throwing for just over 1,400 yards, though some remain intrigued by the potential of a full season under Conner Weigman at QB in a new offense.

By transferring to A&M, Taulia Tagovailoa would get to be the savior of a program that eats, sleeps, and breathes football. He gets to play in the SEC once again, and build up his draft position by facing, and ideally beating, top college programs. Winning in Texas is a huge deal, and doing it in College Station would be impressive.