Former Arizona State quarterback Jaden Rashada, the top available quarterback in 247Sports' Transfer Rankings, is transferring to Georgia, 247Sports confirms. Rashada's decision doesn't come as much of a surprise; he was reportedly connected to the Bulldogs from the moment he entered the transfer portal's spring window last week.
The former No. 44 overall recruit in the 2023 recruiting class started the first two games for the Sun Devils last season before missing nine consecutive games with a re-aggravated injury from his high school days. In his first two collegiate games, Rashada completed 34 of his 60 pass attempts for 403 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception.
He returned to the field in Arizona State's season finale against in-state rival Arizona but struggled in his first action in over two months, competing just 10 of 22 passes for 82 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. Rashada was also sacked three times.
Rashada was just the second freshman in Arizona State history to start a season opener at quarterback, joining former Sun Devils star and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. Rashada beat the likes of Drew Pyne, Trenton Bourguet and Jacob Conover during the offseason to earn the role, though each got an opportunity to play with Rashada injured.
Prior to enrolling at Arizona State, Rashada endured a whirlwind recruitment. He initially committed to Miami in June 2022 before signing with Florida in December of that year. Shortly after putting pen to paper, Rashada requested a release from his National Letter of Intent. Florida granted the request and Rashada eventually committed to the Sun Devils in February 2023 after visiting TCU.
Georgia's QB hunt comes to an end
Carson Beck is firmly entrenched as Georgia's starting quarterback after a breakout 2023 campaign, but the Bulldogs have been active in the transfer portal searching for experienced depth. This hunt was spurned by the loss of veteran backup Brock Vandagriff, a former top-40 prospect who transferred to Kentucky after three years with the Bulldogs.
That left Georgia with redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton, who has appeared in four games during his career, and true freshman Ryan Puglisi as the only options behind Beck. Georgia actually received a commitment from UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava, the 2023 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, during the winter transfer window only for him to flip to USC a day later.
Rashada's role with the Bulldogs
Rashada likely won't face the pressure of starting immediately in Athens. Beck was one of the nation's best passers last season, leading the SEC and finishing third nationally with 3,941 yards. He operated Georgia's offense with extreme efficiency, completing 72.4% of his passes, and avoided crucial mistakes by boasting an impressive 4-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Rashada will have every opportunity to compete for the No. 2 role, which obviously can become a whole lot more if something were to happen to Beck. Rashada's experience as a starter, albeit limited due to injury, gives him an immediate leg up on the likes of Stockton and Puglisi and raises Georgia's ceiling at the backup spot.
The time to develop behind Beck and learn Georgia's offensive system will benefit Rashada down the road. Though he had some highlight plays as a freshman, Rashada struggled with consistency and concise decision-making -- normal growing pains for a first-year signal-caller. Georgia has turned into a quarterback factory under coach Kirby Smart, with recent standouts like former walk-on Stetson Bennett (a two-time national champion) and Beck adding to a growing pantheon of success stories.
Given that Rashada still has all four years of eligibility remaining -- 2023 could count as a redshirt year since he only appeared in three games -- it takes some pressure off of Georgia to find an instant-impact signal-caller over the next couple of recruiting cycles, be it through the transfer portal or high school ranks. Beck could come back in 2025, but if he leaves for the NFL, that opens the door for Rashada to start after a season focused on continued improvement.