In today’s era of college football, the transfer portal is more popular than ever.
For a lot of players, it can make sense to switch schools. For some, it’s an opportunity to make more money through the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) program. In other cases, players can transfer to a bigger school or a team where they’re more likely to become a starter.
This rings especially true for quarterbacks. In the last two NFL Drafts, six of the eight quarterbacks selected in Round 1 transferred at least once in their college journeys.
It’s early in the pre-draft process, but some of the top passers in the nation moved to different schools this offseason. Here are seven of the top transfer quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Top Transfer QBs for the 2026 NFL Draft
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
After seeking to renegotiate his NIL deal after his first year as Tennessee’s starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA in a controversial move this April. Regardless of what you think about his transfer process, there’s no denying Iamaleava is an impressive talent.
A tall quarterback with a strong arm, Iamaleava can see the whole field well. He has the elasticity to hit throws with proper velocity from difficult angles. His athleticism helps him make defenders miss in and out of the pocket, and his anticipation across the middle of the field is quite good.
Iamaleava played a key role in leading Tennessee to its first college football playoff appearance. He ended the year with 22 total touchdowns to just five interceptions, picking up three wins against ranked competition.
Inconsistency down the field plagued Iamaleava in 2024, and teams will have to do their research into his abrupt departure from Tennessee. That said, he has the physical tools NFL scouts dream about at the quarterback position.
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
With 16 passing touchdowns to just six interceptions for California in 2024, Fernando Mendoza was one of the biggest prizes of the transfer portal this offseason. He heads to an Indiana team that made the playoffs last year and retains most of its key contributors.
Mendoza can potentially be one of the first quarterbacks off the board. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound passer shows good flashes of downfield accuracy, hitting his targets in stride and delivering passes in tight windows.
Coming off a season with a 68.7% completion rate, Mendoza put together a strong campaign in Cal’s first season in the ACC. He rides the mesh point well on RPOs and has an impressive combination of arm strength and touch.
Footwork consistency will be key for Mendoza in 2025, as his accuracy fell apart sometimes when he got skittish in the pocket. If he can clean that up, there’s little reason to think he can’t be one of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Carson Beck, Miami (FL)
Heading into last season, Carson Beck was a popular choice to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That obviously didn’t happen. However, after an accomplished tenure at Georgia, Beck has the chance to pick up his draft stock in Miami.
After this year, Beck will have been a three-year starter at the Power 4 level. He’s battle-tested against the best college football has to offer. He’s a naturally accurate passer with a good sense of touch and ball placement down the field. With a smooth throwing motion and a solid enough arm, he looks the part of a future NFLer on tape.
The concerns around Beck stem from his interception issues in 2024. After throwing just six in 2023, he doubled his total to 12 the following year. For someone who doesn’t have an elite physical ceiling, making reckless decisions with the football isn’t something he can afford.
If he can reduce those mistakes, he can still be selected relatively early in the 2026 NFL Draft.
John Mateer, Oklahoma
After a strong starting season for Washington State in 2024, John Mateer jumped to Oklahoma this offseason. He figures to be one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC right out of the gate.
Mateer has a solid sense of timing, knows how to climb the pocket, and picks his spots to run. His accuracy at all points of the field is encouraging, and his elastic arm helps him deliver throws off-platform. On top of that, he’s a really good athlete.
In 2024, Mateer threw for 261.6 yards per game in his first full season as a starting quarterback. He finished 12th in the nation with 29 passing touchdowns, beating out the likes of Beck, Drew Allar and Tyler Shough.
With Washington State being a glorified independent in 2024, Mateer faces a more demanding schedule at Oklahoma. If he produces well with the Sooners, he could really shoot up draft boards. Head Coach Brent Venables already had positive things to say about his new addition:
Brent Venables raved about new #Sooners quarterback John Mateer in Destin.
“John, he’s incredibly talented, but some of his best talents are his leadership, he’s got tremendous football IQ, and there’s no limits on him mentally or physically.”https://t.co/NqBh8ej2wG pic.twitter.com/K808eydJjf
— George Stoia III (@GeorgeStoia) May 28, 2025
Miller Moss, Louisville
A hot start to 2024 soon fizzled out for Miller Moss, and he transferred from USC to Louisville after getting benched to close out the year.
Moss will look to replicate the success that 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough had upon transferring to Louisville. The former has natural accuracy outside the numbers and a good touch down the field. He has a quick release and a compact throwing motion.
Returning from a disappointing close to the year will be crucial for Moss. He threw interceptions in six of his nine starts in 2024, all of which came within his last seven games. That said, he did average an impressive 283.9 passing yards per game.
A lack of elite physical attributes could limit Moss to a backup role in the NFL. That said, there’s plenty of money to be made as a backup quarterback. If he can regain his early-2024 season form, he could be a sought-after draft pick next April.
Mark Gronowski, Iowa
Mark Gronowski was a two-time FCS national champion and an FCS All-American during his time at South Dakota State. Now, he looks to carry his success onto a bigger stage upon transferring to Iowa.
Aside from his 49-6 record as a starter, Gronowski brings a lot to the table. He’s tough in the pocket and possesses ideal arm strength. He has a dense frame at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds and can run well in space, too.
The FCS leader in passing efficiency at 179.67 in 2023, Gronowski won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player at the FCS level that year. He has also scored over 30 touchdowns from scrimmage in each of his last three seasons, showing off tremendous dual-threat ability.
Iowa has struggled with quarterback play in the last few years. Gronowski isn’t a blue-chip prospect, but he’s an upgrade for them at the position. If he can help turn the Hawkeyes’ offense around, NFL teams will have no choice but to take notice.
Darian Mensah, Duke
Duke landed a highly-touted transfer portal quarterback this offseason in Darian Mensah. After a strong 2024 season at Tulane, he figures to be an upgrade for the Blue Devils at the position in 2025.
Mensah is an accurate passer who throws with a sharp sense of timing and anticipation. He has good awareness in reading the field, and he maintains ideal ball placement while throwing on the move. He also led the AAC with a 166.7 passer rating in 2024.
He can be jumpy in the pocket sometimes, but that should improve with time. If Mensah takes the leap for Duke in 2025, he’ll have two seasons of strong starting tape. That could make him one of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft.