Transfer portal: Josh Pate breaks down top-rated QBs changing teams

The transfer portal is humming and the quarterback market remains hot. College football analyst Josh Pate has been monitoring all the moves with a close eye.

In many ways, how some of these transfer quarterbacks pan out could determine the direction of the 2026 football season. Remember, all four semifinalists in this year’s playoffs were led by a transfer quarterback.

So what’s the latest intel on some of the top names at the position? Pate had the latest on Sunday’s episode of Josh Pate’s College Football Show. Let’s dive in.

Sam Leavitt, Uncommitted

Leavitt is the biggest prize left out there, quarterback or otherwise. The former Arizona State gunslinger has several suitors and his courting has been high profile. Pate walked his listeners through some of the particulars.

Josh Pate: “I’m looking at Sam Leavitt, he’s the No. 1 overall player in the portal, obviously by way of Arizona State. Visited LSU. Really interesting times on that visit to LSU. Really interesting times after he left campus. It’s one thing to visit campus and get a lot of attention from the head coach, and then it’s another thing to leave campus and the head coach like chases you down the driveway, which Lane Kiffin pretty much did. He was at Miami this weekend and still hasn’t made a decision. … That’s one to watch. That’s the big one. That’s the domino everyone’s waiting to fall.”

Byrum Brown, Auburn

The former USF quarterback was a fairly quick pledge in the transfer portal, picking Auburn. That’s where his former head coach is now in charge. That should make for a pretty seamless transition for Brown and Alex Golesh both as they take on a new challenge.

Josh Pate: “He was Golesh’s quarterback obviously at USF this year. He was the No. 2 quarterback in the portal. Really a huge deal because they’ve had a lot of attrition there. I don’t think it’s all a bad thing. But then again I’m not looking for every coach who takes a job to immediately be a top-four seed in the playoffs the next year. What I’m looking for Alex Golesh to do at Auburn is sort of wipe the slate clean. Sort of clean the deck. And there’s a lot of clutter on the deck. Sometimes that’s in the form of bad habits, sometimes it’s just straight up in the form of guys who don’t need to be on the roster. Then other times you’re going to lose some guys you wish you would have retained. … This was a good addition. Because what you have to sometimes do is you take a job and you take a new quarterback or you portal a quarterback and he’s got to learn your system. Well this guy doesn’t.”

Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech

The former Cincinnati quarterback was one of the first major dominoes to fall in this year’s transfer portal cycle. And it’s the price tag that had Pate talking the most.

Josh Pate: “I am aware that the reported price tag here is $5 million. Yes, it’s insane to me. Yes, if that number is accurate it’s more than over half a dozen starting NFL quarterbacks made this year. Again, I don’t know that this is the permanent landscape of the sport, but it is right now so I’m not going to get mad at Texas Tech, I’m going to get mad at like 37 other people that made this possible. Probably more than 37 culprits in the room. … The problem with Texas Tech, which was obvious in the playoff game, was they weren’t dynamic enough at quarterback.”

Husan Longstreet, Uncommitted

The former USC quarterback and former five-star prospect remains uncommitted out of the NCAA transfer portal for now. Pate didn’t spend a ton of time talking about Longstreet but did offer a few teams who are reportedly in the mix.

Josh Pate: “Oregon one to watch here to an extent, but LSU’s got to get a quarterback. LSU’s still in the market right now, so everyone’s kind of waiting to see how they move. So that’s one we’re watching.”

DJ Lagway, Baylor

The former Florida quarterback is verbally committed to Baylor, the school that his father went to. There are some strong reasons for Lagway to have picked the Bears, which could provide a place for him to revitalize his career. Pate, who picked Lagway as the top SEC quarterback going into 2025, remains a fan.

Josh Pate: “It was a terrible year for myself and DJ Lagway, in that order. But what you need to know is I have not given up on DJ Lagway. Florida did. Jon Sumrall did, which is OK. It’s his constitutional right to put together his roster. It’s also my right to go down with the ship. DJ Lagway is my ship, and if he goes down I’m going down with him. I just don’t quite know where we’re going to go down yet. Are we going to go down at Baylor or somewhere else? I still believe in DJ Lagway. I still believe in Dave Aranda. So I would like the three of us to lock arms and see what we can do in Waco. Magical things. Magical things can happen in Waco.”

Kenny Minchey, Kentucky

The former Notre Dame prospect has had one of the most wild journeys in the transfer portal. He appeared to be headed to Nebraska, only to reverse course at the last minute and pick Kentucky.

Josh Pate: “What a world. What a story. So Kenny Minchey last week was committed, there’s that word again, to Nebraska. He verbaled, if you will, to Nebraska. It was all done but the signature on the paper. It was all done but the most important part. And then he wasn’t. Kenny Minchey just ripped Nebraska’s heart out and Will Compton‘s heart out in the process. And he’s now landed at Kentucky. Kentucky’s doing some good things. They’ve added other players as well.”

Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska

Nebraska pivoted well after losing Minchey, quickly turning to former UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea. Colandrea had a strong year playing for noted offensive guru Dan Mullen. Pate’s all about what he brings to the table for the Cornhuskers.

Josh Pate: “I think it’s going to be a great fit at Nebraska, but don’t take my word for it. We have exclusively obtained the Will Compton scouting report of Anthony Colandrea. You see it right here: super live arm, full of piss and vinegar, magic in his legs, total gamer. What more could you want if you’re Matt Rhule? Has it ever been more obvious that a double-digit win season is incoming than it is in Lincoln, Nebraska, with Anthony Colandrea just tooting the horn and the engine? They’re fine. They’re fine. And if you didn’t believe it before, you see his scouting report there, you’ve got to believe it now.”

Austin Simmons, Missouri

The former Ole Miss quarterback who lost his job to Trinidad Chambliss has stayed in the conference and will play for another noted offensive guru. Health is going to be a key factor, but Pate spoke highly of the fit here.

Josh Pate: “I don’t know why a bigger deal’s not being made of this. Maybe it is and I missed it. But this is a huge deal to me. It’s extremely underrated. What is it rated? Well, it doesn’t look rated very high. He was the No. 115 overall player in the On3 Portal Rankings. I’m not on the committee. I disagree. Clean up turnovers and get him healthy and that’s a really good player. Eli Drinkwitz got himself a quarterback that I didn’t know that they were going to be able to get. They got him.”

Dylan Raiola, Uncommitted

The former Nebraska quarterback remains in the middle of the transfer portal process, looking for a new school. There’s a lot to like for teams looking. Pate provided some of the latest scoop on his search for a new team.

Josh Pate: “He’s in the portal and Oregon, according to Pete Nakos, is where he’s visiting. I think he’s up there even right now. And reportedly Oregon is still a potential destination even if Dante Moore returns and doesn’t go to the draft, which would be ironic, because that would put Dylan Raiola on the Dante Moore path. Remember Dante Moore once upon a time was committed to Oregon and then decommitted, went to UCLA. Then he came back and he sat behind a guy for a year and then he assumed the reins this year and that might end up being what Dylan Raiola does.”