Three Transfer Portal Options for Mizzou at the Quarterback Position

After missing on its plan-a target, the Tigers must pivot to find a potential starter at arguably the most important missing piece on the roster.

California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with fans after the game as Auburn Tigers take on California Golden Bears at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. California Golden Bears defeated Auburn Tigers 21-14. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri Tigers missed on USC transfer quarterback Miller Moss in the transfer portal, taking his talents to Jeff Brohm's Louisville Cardinals. To many Missouri fans, the sky appears to be falling. Moss was a prized quarterback possession and arguably the best on the market as of now, but the Tigers now must pivot to capture a potentially startable player at one of its biggest needs on the transfer market.

Missouri hasn't completely struck out at the quarterback spot yet and there are still names on the transfer portal market to be excited about. Finding one that can bridge the gap until, ideally, Matt Zollers becomes the starter for the Tigers, appears to be important. However, most of the top transfer quarterbacks are on the younger side, with multiple years of eligibility remaining. It creates an interesting question of who they want to land after missing out on Moss.

More than likely, the Tigers need a quarterback who has some dual-threat ability. Brady Cook had that ability when he was healthy which proved useful on several occasions. Whoever it is doesn't have to be a pure dual-threat, but being able to extend plays and make plays on their own is a trait Drinkwitz likes in his quarterbacks.

The Tigers have two playable quarterbacks on its roster right now in senior Drew Pyne and sophomore Sam Horn. Horn missed the entire season due to injury and Pyne played meaningful snaps in four games, coming in for an injured Cook in three. Horn played minimally in his freshman season too and outside of that, both have shown only flashes of being able to start for this team. Bringing in someone to compete for and even start at quarterback makes perfect sense, but finding the right fit might be even harder. Here are a few potential candidates to do just that for the Missouri Tigers.

Fernando Mendoza, California

A sophomore, Mendoza improved greatly in his freshman campaign with the California Golden Bears. The Miami native threw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns, adding six interceptions to it on 69% efficiency. He also rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

Up until this point, Mendoza hasn't officially been connected to interest with Missouri. On3 reported that Georgia, UCLA, Indiana and Wisconsin were, at the start of his recruitment, the top options for Mendoza. All of those schools could use the likes of Mendoza and would be an upgrade from his previous school. Missouri, however, might be the best opportunity of the bunch. The Tigers just added a top transfer receiving target in Kevin Coleman and have other talented weapons around him.

Mendoza plays with a high IQ and is a usually consistent decision-maker. He stands at 6-foot-5, 225-pounds, a good size for a modern-day quarterback. Playing for the Tigers in the SEC would be a step up in competition, but one of his best games of the season came against the Miami Hurricanes where he threw for 285 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Landing Mendoza appears to be the next best option for Drinkwitz, but he is highly sought after and will have competition from across the country.

Maalik Murphy, Duke

Before the Auburn Tigers landed Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, it looked like that was Murphy's preferred destination. Now, the Duke transfer has plenty of other options. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound sophomore plays a similar style of football as Mendoza. He launched 2,933 passing yards and 26 touchdowns with 12 interceptions on a 60% completion percentage. The Inglewood, Calif. native started his career with the Texas Longhorns but transferred out because of the increase in competition.

Murphy played in plenty of big games this season where he displayed his true talent. The arm strength on Murphy is what stands out the most, as does his ability to connect on deep balls. That was an area of the Missouri offense that struggled this most recent season, which would be a welcome addition. He does struggle more in short-area and intermediate throws, which alternatively is important in the Missouri offense. The cannon Murphy possesses would be a complete switch in quarterback play if he were to commit to the Tigers.

As of now, Miami seems to be a team to beat for Murphy. Heisman Trophy candidate Cam Ward is headed to the NFL and they need a play-now guy to step in. The Hurricanes had a more successful season than the Tigers this year, which might be enough alone to move the needle. There have yet to be any indications that Murphy and Missouri have talked, but it's possible now.

Kaidon Salter, Liberty

Similar to Mendoza and Murphy, there are no indicators that Salter and the Tigers are in communication. In fact, the chances of Salter coming to Missouri are probably small. The junior and former Tennessee Volunteer had a down year compared to the season prior, throwing for 1,886 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding six picks. In his sophomore season, he threw for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns with the same amount of interceptions.

Salter brings the most dual-threat ability to the table compared to the other potential candidates for the job. He's rushed for over 2,000 yards in his career and 21 career touchdowns. That would bring a dynamic aspect to the Missouri offense. At the same time, Salter is the least-proven of the bunch. He was a 4-star, top-150 recruit out of high school when he committed to Tennessee, but he never played a snap. There would certainly be a learning curve for Salter and Missouri might not have time to work with it.

Syracuse was the most recent program to host Salter on a visit. Colorado and UCLA, recently, seem like other potential destinations. Both schools are certainly looking to fill the voids of Kyle McCord and Shedeur Sanders and seem like reasonable steps up. Salter has the tools to be an SEC quarterback, but putting it together in one season might be hard. Regardless, the talent is there and if Drinkwitz can get his hands on him, it's worth a shot.

Honorable Mentions

There are plenty of other young quarterbacks the Tigers could think about taking a look at. Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren and Florida State transfer Luke Kromenhoek are both freshmen who earned some run this season, but investing in a young quarterback such as those two would remove the point of waiting for Zollers.

Former UNLV pass thrower Matthew Sluka, who was involved in a unique NIL situation earlier in the season, is still available. He got off to a hot start for the Runnin' Rebels before leaving the team, but he has some experience at a high level. North Texas junior Chandler Morris is also still available, but he appears to be headed to a Big 12 program. Anthony Colandrea, a former Virginia Cavalier, had the best season of his two so far. That could also be another option if he's still available.

Ideally, the Tigers bring in a veteran at quarterback. That person might not be in the transfer portal yet, but finding him soon will be important to start creating an idea of what next year's offense could look like.

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