Bold predictions for transfer portal QBs: DJ Lagway holds firm on Baylor choice, Ty Simpson reverses course

College football's 2026 quarterback market is dwindling quickly in the transfer portal, leaving Miami and a few others in need grasping at potential options entering the offseason. Lane Kiffin and LSU went into overdrive to land Arizona State's Sam Leavitt on Monday, stiff-arming Miami and Tennessee for his commitment.

The Vols are in a predicament awaiting a verdict on the eligibility of 2025 starter Joey Aguilar, who's trying to follow the Diego Pavia path in hopes of eliminating JUCO seasons from eligibility to play next fall. Tennessee hosted Beau Pribula over the weekend, but the former Missouri quarterback has since landed at Virginia.

As of Tuesday afternoon, USC's Husan Longstreet is the only quarterback within the top-10 players at his position who hasn't committed or signed to play elsewhere next season.

Let's have a look at a few bold predictions we could get answers to over the next 48 hours and change before the transfer portal closes up shop on Friday. 

1. Ty Simpson withdraws from NFL Draft, signs with Miami

We could potentially see a new record-setting deal for a quarterback if the Hurricanes are able to convince Alabama's signal caller to play one more season at the college level. With Leavitt signing with LSU this week and high-end quarterbacks now unavailable in the transfer portal outside of USC's Husan Longstreet, the Hurricanes have decisions to make. Simpson holds lucrative offers from several programs, but those close to the situation have said it's unlikely he decides against going pro. An ideal fit for Shannon Dawson's offense for the Hurricanes, they're going to do all they can before the deadline to make this happen.

Miami's transfer QB predicament: As options dwindle, flipping Ty Simpson's draft decision becomes best option

Brad Crawford

2. Dante Moore turns pro, giving way to Dylan Raiola

The 2026 NFL Draft cycle's second highest-ranked quarterback, according to most prognostications, Moore's facing a Wednesday deadline for early entry -- unless he's returning to the Ducks for another campaign. As an insurance policy for 2026, Oregon took a commitment from Nebraska's Dylan Raiola this week as the presumptive starter for next season if Moore goes pro. Raiola would back up Moore as the bridge to 2027 if one of college football's top quarterbacks gives it another go in the Big Ten.

Moore is currently slotted at No. 2 overall in the CBS Sports NFL Draft prospect ankings behind Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets are both expected to seek quarterbacks with the two top picks in April, so this could be the highest grade Moore will receive. 

3. Baylor lands D.J. Lagway

The former Florida quarterback committed to Dave Aranda and the Bears earlier this month but has been in contact with Ole Miss since doing so after previously taking visits to Florida State and Virginia. Lagway, who has two years of eligibility remaining after two seasons with the Gators, is a Baylor legacy after his father played for the Bears. With the Rebels signing Auburn's Deuce Knight and still holding out hold out hope for Trinidad Chambliss to win his appeal, Lagway appears to be heading to his home state of Texas to start for Baylor next fall. He finished the 2025 campaign with 2,264 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions at Florida.

4. Trinidad Chambliss wins injunction, starts at Ole Miss

The Rebels successfully kept their star playmaker out of the portal with a promise agreement of sorts, but the NCAA denied Chambliss' hardship waiver in hopes of a sixth season. In return, Chambliss is expecting to file suit in Mississippi state court for a preliminary injunction to secure eligibility for 2026. Chambliss argues the legitimacy of his case because of "incapacitating injury or illness" in 2022 while at Division II Ferris State. His legal representation has provided 91 pages of medical documents to the NCAA, according to attorney Tom Mars, who is expecting a pleasant ending for his client. If Chambliss gets another year, Knight will be the backup under first-year coach Pete Golding and get the keys to the Rebels' offense the following campaign.

5. Miami loses backup Emory Williams to ECU

The Pirates are in desperate need of an immediate starter following Katin Houser's portal exit to Illinois, and the belief around ECU is that Williams is a likely solution. That could change if the Hurricanes decide to try and keep Williams following Monday night's national championship game given the need at the position following Beck's departure. Williams, who has played at Miami for three years, has not entered the portal, and outgoing players in Monday's finale will have a portal window extension if they plan on doing so given the calendar.