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The first move Fran Brown made to solidify Syracuse was picking up Kyle McCord in the transfer portal. McCord transferred from Ohio State and shined in his lone season with the Orange, setting new program records in completions (367), passing yards (4,326) and touchdowns (29) through 12 games.

The nation’s leading passer is now out of eligibility, making the quarterback position SU’s biggest current question mark entering the offseason. Backup quarterback Michael Johnson Jr. has one year of eligibility remaining, while Carlos Del Rio-Wilson didn’t suit up for most of 2024.

True freshman Jakhari Williams could be the quarterback of the future but likely won’t be the starter in 2025. The Orange recently signed Luke Carney and Rich Belin in the 2025 class, but it would be ambitious for either of them to receive game action. Syracuse’s current standing at the position opens the window for it to once again look to the transfer portal for its quarterback.

“We’re going to weigh all options, and we’ll see what’s out there. But we are confident in the guys coming in here, so let’s wait and see,” SU general manager Nate McNeal said Wednesday.

Here are five transfer-portal quarterbacks the Orange could pick up as their starter for 2025:

Conner Weigman, Texas A&M

At the top of Brown’s list could be Conner Weigman, who announced on Dec. 3 that he’d be leaving the Aggies after three seasons. The redshirt sophomore has two years of eligibility remaining and is an experienced SEC quarterback with 2,694 passing yards and 19 touchdowns across three seasons.

The Cypress, Texas, native was the No. 3 quarterback in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports. His career at College Station was afflicted by injuries. In September 2023, he suffered a season-ending foot injury. A year later, he missed time with a shoulder injury.

Despite an injury history, Weigman’s 6-foot-3 frame and prolific arm in the pocket make him an attractive option for the Orange. Weigman told ESPN’s Pete Thamel he’d be open to any region, league and scheme in the country, saying he’s hoping to “maximize” his ability at his next destination. SU has ties to the quarterback, as multiple members of its defensive staff coached Texas A&M with Weigman there, most notably Elijah Robinson as the interim head coach to end the 2023 season.

Kaidon Salter, Liberty

Following two seasons starring for the Flames, Kaidon Salter announced his plans to enter the portal on Dec. 2. The 2023 Conference USA Most Valuable Player is likely the top dual-threat option available, totaling over 1,600 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns across his last two seasons and consistently making highlight plays with his legs. In 2023, Salter totaled 44 touchdowns and led Liberty to a C-USA Championship.

The 6-foot-1 quarterback also found the end zone 56 times through the air and passed for almost 6,000 yards. As a high school prospect, he ranked No. 48 in the country in the 2021 class, one spot ahead of McCord. He originally was enrolled at Tennessee but was dismissed from the program following an arrest for simple possession and driving without a license.

Salter will be entering his fifth college season in 2025, entering the transfer portal for the second straight offseason. Following the 2023 season, he entered the portal and then withdrew his name. Salter doesn’t have the Power Four experience of other potential options, but he’s proven to have the numbers and skill set of a star.

Matthew Sluka, UNLV

The former Holy Cross and UNLV product was technically the first quarterback option of this cycle. Matthew Sluka left the Rebels after three games in 2024 due to an NIL dispute and entered the transfer portal on Oct. 31.

Sluka started his career at Holy Cross, helming the Crusaders from 2021-23 as its starting quarterback. As a 6-foot-3 gunslinger, he totaled 59 passing touchdowns and 38 rushing. His ability on the ground as an upperclassman saw two seasons rushing for over 1,200 yards. He then transferred to UNLV for his final year of eligibility and pushed the Rebels to a 3-0 record with seven touchdowns.

Sluka’s an interesting case. While quitting on a team three games into the season isn’t a great look, it’s part of the new reality of college football. Leaving during the season bought him another redshirt, giving him a sixth college season. There was a short possibility of Sluka coming to Syracuse in 2024 when his Holy Cross head coach, Bob Chesney, was rumored to be an option for SU before taking the job at JMU. A year later, could Sluka make the jump to the Orange?

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Thomas Castellanos, Boston College

It was BC’s game versus the Orange where Castellanos’ time in Chestnut Hill ended. An injury took him out of the game and Grayson James took over. Following the win, Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien announced James would continue as the starter going forward. Castellanos stepped away from the team and announced his plans to enter the transfer portal a few days later.

The way Castellanos departed Boston College is the opposite of what Brown has instilled with the Orange. Focusing on the on-field resume, though, it’d be foolish not to take a look at Castellanos.

The junior has one year of eligibility remaining and has an impressive track record. In two years with BC, the 5-foot-9 quarterback played in two different systems. He’s a dual-threat with a short stature, rushing for 1,113 yards as a sophomore in 2023. Castellanos has 33 passing touchdowns but a history of interception struggles, notching 14 a year ago.

“I think that quarterback is extremely dynamic,” Brown said ahead of SU’s game against BC. “So we have our hands full going against a guy like him. He’s like a little human joystick. This kid can really play football.”

Maybe he was speaking about his next quarterback.

Malachi Singleton, Arkansas

Let’s end on a wild card. While most options on this list are experienced guys with limited eligibility remaining, Brown and his staff may look to a young player they can develop alongside Williams in their own system. Malachi Singleton is the perfect guy for that.

Singleton was the No. 17 quarterback in the 2023 class, ranking as the No. 27 player in Georgia. With Arkansas, he redshirted his first season and appeared sparingly in 2024. When he did, he shined. Facing then-No. 4 Tennessee on Oct. 5, Razorbacks starting quarterback Taylen Green suffered a late injury, forcing Singleton in. The redshirt freshman drove the offense down the field and punched it into the end zone with less than 90 seconds to play, resulting in the game-winner.

With three years of eligibility remaining, Singleton could be a passion project for SU’s staff, using 2025 as a development year due to its strenuous schedule and looking toward the future. Everything we’ve seen in Brown’s tenure thus far says they won’t go in this direction. But it’s something to think about.

Published on December 8, 2024 at 9:57 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky