Three potential QB transfer portal targets for ASU football

ASU football head coach Kenny Dillingham confirmed this weekend that the Sun Devils are looking to add a QB in the spring transfer portal period. Following QB Jaden Rashada entering the portal, Dillingham was asked at practice on Saturday if it changed anything regarding the plan for the roster next season.

“It really changes nothing,” Dillingham said. “We were probably gonna bring in a quarterback regardless…”

The plan has always been to bring in another quarterback this spring, so let’s take a look at a few potential options for Dillingham and Co.

Three potential QB targets for ASU football

Grant Tisdale

Grant Tisdale is a quarterback who entered the transfer portal on April 18. Tisdale has made a few stops before but his most recent stop was at TCU last season. The Texas native committed to play for Ole Miss in 2018 during his junior year of high school. Tisdale was with the Rebels for two seasons, redshirting as a freshman, and didn’t make any appearances as a redshirt freshman.

Then the quarterback made stops at Cisco Junior College and Southeastern Louisianna before heading to TCU.  Tisdale has not seen much college action despite his veteran age, however, he is a former four-star recruit. He’s a high-end athlete for a quarterback, as he practiced at wide receiver for a little bit at Ole Miss. The dual-threat quarterback was heavily recruited by ASU offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo coming out of high school.

Arroyo heavily recruited him out of high school and despite Tisdale not going to Oregon to play for him, he has the personal relationship already established.

Tisdale is a player whose unique play style could make him a solid backup and good practice player while adding depth at the quarterback position. However, we do think there are better options on this list.

Jacolby Criswell

The next option is Jacolby Criswell out of the University of Arkansas. Criswell is a three-star transfer prospect (247 Sports) and a former four-star recruit. He is the seventh-best available quarterback in the transfer portal according to 247 Sports.

The quarterback threw for 143 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions on 17/27 passing last year while serving in a backup role behind KJ Jefferson. Jefferson was one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC last season. Criswell’s best play last year was a 60-yard run.

Criswell entered college initially at the University of North Carolina in the class of 2020 and has since transferred to Arkansas following the 2022 season. He entered the portal after losing the starting position to projected 2024 first-round pick Drake Maye.

Out of high school, Criswell was the No. 20 QB in the class and the second-ranked player in the state of Arkansas. The important thing to note here is his relationship with Dillingham already.

Dillingham was the primary recruiter for Criswell out of high school when Dillingham was at Auburn in the late 2010s. Dillingham is known to recruit players he already has relationships with from high school recruiting, which could come into play here.

Cooper Legas

Cooper Legas is the only one on this list who doesn’t have a connection to the current Arizona State football coaching staff, but he’s the one who makes the most sense on the field in my opinion.

Dillingham wants to bring in a competitive quarterback who can compete with Sam Leavitt and Trenton Bourguet for the starting job, and Cooper Legas can do that.

Legas is a graduate transfer who has spent three seasons at Utah State, and two as a starter. He finished his career at Utah State with over 3,000 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns. He has experience and Arroyo was the head coach of New Mexico last season, which is in the same conference as Utah State.

If Legas were to come in and win the job, he only has one season of eligibility remaining. This would mean Leavitt spends another season developing and then takes over when Legas graduates. Leavitt has four seasons of eligibility remaining.

247 Sports ranks Legas as a three-star transfer and the eighth-best quarterback available in the portal.