The transfer portal officially opened on Monday and plenty of players at all positions will enter and seek better opportunities at different schools. One of those schools that hope to be that for a player is Nebraska. There is speculation that Head Coach Matt Rhule and his staff will look into the portal for a few key positions. One of these positions is quarterback.
Granted, there are more than just quarterbacks that could be looked at. Despite that, here’s an updated look at more quarterbacks in the portal for the Huskers to look at.
Five More Quarterbacks for Nebraska to look at in the Portal
Kyle McCord (Junior from Ohio State)
One of the new names in the transfer portal. Junior Ohio State Buckeye quarterback transfer Kyle McCord is one of the bigger names in this year’s portal. McCord entered the portal officially on Monday, Dec. 4 and he has been linked to many Power Five schools. One of those schools is Nebraska.
McCord had a good first season as a full-time starter with the Buckeyes, completing 229/348 passes for 3,170 yards with 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. His best game came against Michigan State, where he completed 24/31 passes for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns. An interesting development to watch is senior wide receiver Julian Fleming, who also just entered the transfer portal. There is a possibility that Rhule and the staff will look to add a veteran wide receiver for next season.
Sam Leavitt (Freshman from Michigan State)
Freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt has been a name that has been trending for the Huskers. Leavitt is one of three quarterbacks transferring out of East Lansing and he has been drawing interest from multiple schools. Offensive Coordinator Marcus Satterfield traveled to Lansing and met with Leavitt. Satterfield said that the freshman quarterback could possibly visit Nebraska soon. So, that should be something to watch with how much interest he is attracting.
Last season, Leavitt played in four games, completing 15/23 passes for 139 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Husker fans might remember him when he threw a touchdown against Nebraska in their 20-17 loss to the Spartans. Having four years of eligibility plays a big role in the staff’s interest in him coming to Lincoln.
Blake Shapen (Junior transfer from Baylor)
Blake Shapen has been another recent name that has been linked to the Huskers in the portal. Satterfield visited him on Tuesday, Dec. 5, on a recruiting trip to start off the off-season. Shapen only played in eight games in 2023, accumulating decent stats when he could. Overall, he completed 184/298 passes for 2,188 yards with 13 touchdowns and 3 interceptions this past season as the Baylor Bears went 3-9.
Shapen has one more year of eligibility left for the 2024 season and the original report said that he wants to compete for a starting job at a winning program. He finishes his time in Waco with 5,574 yards, 36 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Shapen left the Bears after his offensive coordinator was fired.
Cameron Ward (Grad transfer from Washington State)
The junior from West Columbia, Texas, had a great two seasons for the Washington State Cougars, throwing for more than 6,400 yards and 43 touchdowns. Cameron Ward also ran in 11 touchdowns. Ward transferred to the Cougars two years ago from Division II Incarnate Ward Cardinals. For the Cardinals, he threw for almost 7,000 yards in two seasons, accounting for 71 passing touchdowns. His best season came in 2021, completing 384/590 passes for 4,648 yards with 47 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Ward is one of the biggest prizes in the portal this off-season and whatever team gets his commitment will have a great quarterback. The Huskers are doing what they can to get their name in the conversation. Satterfield will meet with Ward on Wednesday, Dec. 6, in Pullman.
Dequan Finn (Grad transfer from Toledo)
Quarterback Dequan Finn is a name that hasn’t been thrown out there for a possible quarterback that could transfer to Nebraska or other Power Five programs. Finn had a good season for the Toledo Rockets, throwing for 2,657 yards for 23 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. Overall, he should attract interest as he isn’t the only mid-major quarterback looking to move up into the Power Five ranks. There should be someone to watch as the portal progresses.
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