Sign of the times? Elite QBs have developed a wild transfer trend
If Justin Fields follows through on a transfer from Georgia, his move would continue a dramatic trend that dates to 2010 regarding elite quarterback recruits.
In the last eight years, at least one of the top two quarterbacks from the 247Sports Composite has transferred, including both of them in 2016 — Shea Patterson and Jacob Eason. It speaks to the value of playing time, and the ability to move quickly if things don’t work out in terms of playing time, play-calling or contributions to the team.
There may be some criticism directed at the rankings in that these quarterbacks largely didn’t live up to the hype that followed them out of high school. Or perhaps those top two quarterbacks shouldn’t have been ranked that high to begin with. However, the last two Heisman Trophy winners, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield, were each transfers before they each ended up at Oklahoma, though Mayfield wasn’t evaluated to be a blue-chip recruit that early in his career.
Murray, in 2015, was the top dual-threat QB, and the No. 2 signal caller that year as a dual threat, Jarrett Stidham, also transferred from Baylor to Auburn. The next season, Brandon McIlwain as the No 2 dual-threat QB, ultimately left South Carolina.
It begs the question about how coaching staffs will manage recruiting elite quarterbacks going forward because it looks increasingly unlikely that two 5-star quarterbacks can be on the same roster for more than a season.
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