Half the fun of the transfer portal is the endless evaluation. Considering a player in one system and projecting him into possible landing spots can make everything different. It’s why a Division II QB and a mildly above average ACC QB can morph into two of the best passers in the nation a season later.

ESPN’s Tom Luginbill has scouted QBs for over 20 years at ESPN. Luginbill was once a QB himself and where he once might have spent much of his energy scouting college QBs for the NFL Draft, he’s now contemplating the portal college football market increasingly.

Luginbill saw a standout QB he is impressed with in Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby. Luginbill praised Sorsby’s “excellent size, arm strength, and mobility.” Sorsby also caught Luginbill’s attention as a “powerful runner” who “anticipates extremely well and helps players get open with his throws.” ESPN ranks Sorsby as the top prospect in the portal and Luginbill terms him “an instinctive player… with elite processing and navigation skills when pressured.”

On3 wasn’t quite as impressed with Sorsby. While the site’s NIL valuation estimator gives Sorsby a hefty $3.3 million valuation, he is ranked No. 15 nationally in the site’s transfer portal rankings. That’s behind other QBs like Sam Leavitt, Byrum Brown, and Dylan Raiola. 247sports ranks Sorsby second behind only Leavitt.

Of course, the bigger question than whether Sorsby is the best or second-best or even sixth-best portal prospect is where the passer will spend the remainder of his career. Unsurprisingly, that’s not very clear either. On3’s picks favor Texas Tech while 247’s picks favor LSU.

Among the other schools mentioned as possibilities for Sorsby have been LSU and Miami from one expert. Other rumors have circulated that Sorsby will command a payment of over $5 million for his final portal destination.

Sorsby started his collegiate career at Indiana, where he sat in 2022 and split time in 2023 ahead of the hiring of Curt Cignetti. Sorsby passed for 1,587 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023. He continued to blossom at Cincinnati, throwing for over 5,600 yards and rushing for another 1,000 yards across the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

In his total college career, Sorsby has thrown for 7,208 yards and 60 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. He’s rushed for another 1,295 yards and 22 touchdowns. In 2025, Sorsby led the Big 12 in total touchdowns created (36) and yards per passing attempt (9.3).

He’s one of the most experienced and talented players in the portal and the evidence of Luginbill’s testimony certainly is unlikely to hurt his seven-figure NIL offers. Sorsby may end up pacing the NIL market in 2026.

The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for all college football players looking to compete for different programs on Friday. The transfer portal will remain open until Jan. 16.

A myriad of players from all different levels decided to enter the portal in the weeks after the end of the 2025 regular season. Power Four quarterback transfers have been a major talking point, but plenty of other coveted offensive skill players are entering the portal.

One skill player that is sought after by multiple major college football programs is former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his second school.

The 6-foot-3, 201-pounder arrived at Auburn as a freshman in 2024. He appeared in 10 of 12 games for the Tigers in his freshman season, catching 37 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team for the strong start to his college career.

Coleman was Auburn’s most productive wide receiver in 2025. He grabbed 56 receptions for a team-high 708 yards and five touchdowns in his final season at Auburn. Head coach Hugh Freeze was fired following Auburn’s loss to Kentucky, and Coleman officially decided to transfer on Dec. 29, 2025.

Every recruiting service ranks Coleman as the No. 1 overall prospect in the transfer portal, something that will have some of the top programs in the country interested in him. Pete Nakos of On3 reported that four different schools are jockeying for Coleman in the portal.

USC

The Trojans have positioned themselves well enough to receive a visit from Coleman on Thursday. Quarterback play was an inhibitor for Coleman’s production at Auburn the last two seasons, but that would not figure to be an issue with Jayden Maiava set to return for USC next year.

2025 Trojans wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane have both declared for the 2026 NFL draft, so Coleman could slide in to fill a need for USC. CeeDee Lamb, Hollywood Brown and Jordan Addison are among the wide receivers to play for Lincoln Riley and find success in the NFL.

Texas A&M

Coleman has a visit to Texas A&M scheduled for Sunday. The Aggies had Coleman committed to their 2024 signing class for four months before he flipped to the Tigers on Early Signing Day.

Texas A&M will return starting quarterback Marcel Reed for at least one more season. Reed has experience working with transfer wide receivers in KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, the former of which has declared for the 2026 NFL draft.

Texas

Steve Sarkisian has helped multiple high profile wide receiver prospects make their way to the NFL as an offensive play caller. 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, Xavier Worthy and Matthew Golden are among the wide receivers taken in the first round of the NFL draft and play for Sarkisian.

The return of an improving quarterback in Arch Manning figures to be a draw for high-profile portal receivers to Texas. Ryan Wingo will return for the Longhorns in 2026, but the second and third most productive receivers, DeAndre Moore Jr. and Parker Livingstone, are both heading for the transfer portal.

Livingstone issued a statement that said “some things are out of my control,” potentially implying he was asked to leave in favor of a transfer.

Alabama

If proximity to home matters, and Auburn was not going to be a good fit with Alex Golesh, Alabama is the only other option for Coleman in his home state. Of course, Coleman transferring to Alabama would add an extra level of intrigue to the 2026 Iron Bowl.

The quarterback situation in Tuscaloosa is less certain than the prior three schools competing for Coleman, as it is unclear what Ty Simpson will do in 2026. The Crimson Tide will lose its lead receiver from 2025 in Germie Bernard, but neither Ryan Williams nor Isaiah Horton appears to be going anywhere.

The top-ranked overall player in the college football transfer portal cycle is predictably getting some serious interest from major players at the top level, and it appears the star quarterback will have five schools to pick from ahead of the 2026 season.

Former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt has visited with one SEC school this week and is preparing to meet with a College Football Playoff team out of the Big 12 today, with three other schools also involved, according to On3 Sports.

Where Leavitt has been

Kentucky is the SEC program that most recently hosted Leavitt on a transfer visit as the school underwent a change at head coach and also at the quarterback position.

Cutter Boley elected to transfer away from the Wildcats after the departure of head coach Mark Stoops and the hiring of Will Stein.

That leaves the school in the market for a proven commodity at the quarterback position to lead an offense that has recycled several signal callers in recent seasons and still struggled.

Where he’s going

One of the most-improved programs in college football this season is also scouting a new quarterback, as Texas Tech is said to be hosting Leavitt on an official visit over the weekend, according to the On3 report.

The offense had its ups and downs with Behren Morton in command at quarterback, but now with the veteran starter preparing to enter the NFL Draft, the Red Raiders are poised to be in the market for a proven replacement.

Leavitt certainly fits the bill, and Texas Tech has shown it’s willing to put serious money into its roster, as evidenced by last offseason’s spending spree that revamped their defense and helped put them in the College Football Playoff in 2025.

Who else is in play?

Three other notable programs all in need of something at quarterback are said to be in the mix for Leavitt, one in the Big Ten, another in the SEC, and a third from the ACC.

Oregon could potentially lose starter Dante Moore to the draft after the end of the school’s College Football Playoff run, and installing a player of Leavitt’s experience would be an instant answer at the most important position.

Although, that may not be the case, as ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel recently suggested that Moore could decide to return to the Ducks in 2026, and cited a feeling from inside the program that he might stay rather than enter the draft.

Lane Kiffin is also interested in the quarterback as he installs his first roster at LSU, and the school is reportedly preparing to make a serious investment in the transfer portal after marshaling their donors to the cause to inject big money into the project.

Quarterback and wide receiver are said to be primary objectives for Kiffin and his staff heading into 2026, and the coach has demonstrated his inclination to use the portal as much as needed.

Lastly, expect Miami to once again be in the market for a veteran quarterback as current starter Carson Beck prepares to enter the NFL Draft.

Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes have profited from the portal at the quarterback position recently, bringing on Cam Ward a year ago before scoring Beck as a transfer.

Leavitt could get serious money

Not long after it was reported that Leavitt intended to enter his name into the college football transfer portal, insiders speculated that he could have a windfall as a result.

Experienced quarterbacks are among the most coveted prizes in any transfer portal cycle, and one of Leavitt’s caliber could be in the market for some serious NIL cash.

“Sam Leavitt on the open market is going to command a significant amount of money,” 247Sports analyst Chris Hummer said of the quarterback’s market.

“We’re talking $3 million-plus, most likely. Although, in all fairness, I think teams really do have questions about Sam Leavitt’s injury and what that means moving forward. It’s kind of like the Carson Beck situation a year ago.”

Leavitt currently ranks No. 5 nationally with a $3.1 million valuation, according to the On3 Sports national player estimates, and is second among quarterbacks behind Arch Manning ($5.3 million).

What Sam Leavitt has done on the field

Leavitt initially began his college football career at Michigan State back in 2023, appearing in four games with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions before making the move that would put him on the national stage.

The quarterback made a bombshell transfer to Arizona State in the 2024 offseason, a decision that propelled himself and the program to a historic effort that year.

Leavitt helped lead the Sun Devils to a 10-2 regular season campaign and beat Iowa State by a 45-19 count to win the Big 12 championship and put the school into the College Football Playoff for the first time ever.

That season, Leavitt was responsible for 2,885 yards passing with 24 touchdowns against 6 interceptions, rushing for another 443 yards and 5 additional scores.

Leavitt won the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honor and was named Second Team All-Big 12 for his efforts after posting the most passing yardage for a freshman quarterback in Arizona State football history.

But his 2025 season was ultimately cut short by a Lisfranc injury after the Sun Devils’ game against Houston.

Leavitt passed for 1,628 yards with 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, rushing for 306 yards and another 5 scores in seven appearances this fall.

(On3)

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Texas Tech spent approximately $30 million on its roster for college football this season. However, the uncertainty with Venezuela after the capture of (former) President Maduro is now a cause for concern for the Red Raiders.

Especially after Brendan Sorsby decided to visit Baton Rouge…

Depending how things shake out in South America over the next few days, weeks and months, the oil money could run dry for college football boosters in Lubbock. Don’t just take it from me!

The Red Raiders have won 10 or more games only seven times in program history and only twice since 1977. Mike Leach took them to the Cotton Bowl at 11-1 in 2008. Joey McGuire led them to the College Football Playoff as the four-seed at 12-1 in 2025. That’s it.

Texas Tech had not won more than eight games since 2009 before this year’s impressive run to the Big 12 title. The blowout loss to Oregon on New Year’s Day was unfortunate but it was a historic season.

McGuire absolutely deserves credit for how his team played. The boosters deserve just as much credit for helping to assemble his roster.

According to multiple reports, the Red Raiders spent at least $28 million on this year’s players. At least. Billionaire booster Cody Campbell led the charge through the Matador Club. All of the oil tycoons in the Lone Star State opened up their checkbooks.

A massive influx of “NIL” dollars allowed McGuire to bring in 21 high-profile transfers during the offseason and Texas Tech had its best season in school history. That is not a coincidence.

Money (with the right coaching staff) can buy a Big 12 Championship and Playoff roster.

Venezuela creates oil money concerns.

The price of crude oil has already dropped by roughly $20 per barrel since the start of the 2025 college football season on Aug. 23, 2025. That’s approximately 25%. U.S. oil recently dropped below $55 per barrel, which is the lowest level since early 2021.

It could keep going lower after the capture of former Venezuelan “president” Nicolás Maduro.

United States president Donald Trump made it abundantly clear that he wants domestic oil companies to invest in the shattered petroleum industry of Venezuela. Should that happen, and the removal of Maduro leads to political stability, an increased amount of crude oil would flow into global markets.

That would, in turn, increase supply and put a downward pressure on prices. If the price of oil keeps dropping, the boosters in Lubbock will feel the impact.

Could it then have an impact on the Red Raiders? Fans are starting to panic.

Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt called out ESPN for its College Football Playoff broadcast quality and relationship with one conference. Klatt said the networks should be evenly distributed throughout the postseason and not just dominated by ESPN.

As it stands for the CFP, every game is presented by ESPN, with licensing distributed to TNT for two of the first round games. Other networks that routinely broadcast college football, such as FOX and CBS, do not have any playoff games.

“They chose the wrong path when it comes to the presentation of this playoff,” Klatt said on his podcast. “There is no playoff that should be a single television partner. It just shouldn’t. Because the presentation is important, in particular, when you’re down to this point in the sport where you’re trying to showcase games …

“Let’s face it, it’d be better if every network was giving an A-level broadcast versus a single presenter, in particular when that single presenter has a deep relationship with just one conference within college football … That’s how you know this isn’t a Fox-ESPN thing for me, because I don’t think it would be great if we at Fox solely had the College Football Playoff. That wouldn’t be good for the sport, and it’s not good the way that it is right now. It just isn’t.”

If you look at the NFL, the games are distributed between FOX and CBS, with NBC, ESPN and Amazon Prime getting playoff games as well. Then, the Super Bowl is rotated between FOX, CBS and NBC with ESPN/ABC getting back into the rotation starting next year.

With Klatt, who broadcasts on FOX Sports and does the Big Noon game every Saturday with Gus Johnson, his point is that the CFP should have some variety. His argument is ESPN broadcasts primarily SEC games, sprinkled in with some other conferences such as the ACC.

But the Big Ten, which is the other “Big Two” of the Power Four, is done by FOX, CBS and NBC. Regardless if you think there is network bias towards a conference or vice versa, Klatt wants that perception eliminated.

But until the College Football Playoff itself, which has a weekly rankings reveal show on ESPN, distributes its content to other major player networks, the broadcast rights will remain with the four-letter-network. Other major spots split up the networks when it comes to their postseason, but the CFP has yet to get to that point.