26 QBs to watch in the 2026 college football transfer portal - ESPN

Transfer portal season is already well underway, but the floodgates finally open on Friday. The first day of the NCAA transfer portal window, which runs Jan. 2-16, will feature thousands of FBS and FCS players officially entering their names in the portal.

For quarterbacks, these portal recruitments will be fast, furious and financially lucrative. We've already seen enough early announcements in December to know this will be another strong QB market with a growing list of experienced starters making moves for 2026.

The cost to acquire transfer quarterbacks has increased. Last year, Power 4 programs locked up proven starters for $1.5 million or less. Sources tell ESPN the top passers on the market this offseason are expecting deals in the $3-4 million range, with the best of the best potentially commanding as much as $5 million.

And the elimination of the spring portal window means the stakes are even higher this time around: Teams have one shot to get their QB1 for next season.

Here's a look at 26 quarterbacks for 2026 — players who could make moves in January. We've surveyed GMs, personnel staffers and agents across the sport about the QBs they consider most intriguing entering the offseason.

Fernando Mendoza was the No. 2 player on this list a year ago. Now he's a Heisman Trophy winner leading an undefeated Indiana squad. Here's the next round of quarterbacks we'll all be talking about in 2026.

Years remaining: 1

The former Indiana transfer developed into one of the top gunslingers in college football at Cincinnati. Now Sorsby has a fascinating decision to make as he explores his portal options and considers entering the NFL draft.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound redshirt junior is a terrific dual-threat playmaker who produced