QB Recruiting & Transfer Portal Report 🏈 Jack Elliott discusses Vanderbilt commitment
Quarterback commits, visits & offers - April 18
For 2024 QB depth charts and injury news, check out the latest notes on every FBS and FCS program.
Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics
In Today’s Edition, you’ll get the latest updates on quarterback recruiting and transfer news, and it’s free to all subscribers. The next newsletter will likely hit your inbox on Saturday morning if all goes well and will be sent to those of you with a paid subscription.
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The QB Recruiting & Transfer Portal Report info comes through a variety of sources directly involved in a prospects’ recruitment.
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MY TOP THREE
Jaden O’Neal
2026 4⭐ Jaden O’Neal (CA) is visiting Arizona State on Friday with a trip to Arizona on Saturday, and his busy spring will continue with Washington (April 26-28). O’Neal is in consistent contact with Miami, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma and UCLA the most at this point. His next round of visits will be in June with Michigan (June 19), Tennessee (June 23) and Oregon (July 26) with unscheduled trips to Alabama, Texas, Michigan State, Florida State, Oklahoma, Miami and Colorado also coming at some point in June.
Jack Elliott
2025 3⭐ Jack Elliott (IL) committed to Vanderbilt on Tuesday, a week after the Commodores became his first power conference offer. He told me Yale and Harvard were among the finalists before choosing Vandy. He he credited the new facilities, stadium and coaching staff’s willingness to pulling the trigger with an offer, leading to his commitment.
“Vanderbilt was the best choice for my family and I because of the academic opportunities it allows you to partake in, while playing in the highest level college football has to offer.” - Jack Elliott
Michael Johnson
2026 3⭐ Michael Johnson (GA) is visiting Duke on Friday after landing a Purdue offer earlier this week. Among the teams he’s in the most consistent contact with include Mississippi State, West Virginia, UCF, Cincinnati, Louisville, LSU, Florida, Purdue, USF and Georgia State. Johnson will see West Virginia on Monday, followed by camps at Georgia Tech (May 30), Clemson (June 4), Louisville (June 9) and LSU (June 13).
RECRUITING REPORT
Chris Denson
2025 3⭐ Chris Denson (FL) committed to Coastal Carolina last night over a finalists group that included Minnesota, USF, Arkansas State and North Dakota State. He picked up an offer from the Chanticleers in late January, and he found his school a few months later.
“It was my relationship with Coach Travis Trickett and the rest of the staff. I knew was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up on, and this was the one.” - Chris Denson
Colton Gumino
2025 3⭐ Colton Gumino (IL) is visiting UCLA on Friday, coming off a Michigan State trip. He’s in contact with both programs, in addition to Ball State and Bowling Green. Gumino will get visits from Ole Miss, UCLA, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Ball State, Fordham and others next week. He holds eight offers.
Grant Smith
2026 3⭐ Grant Smith (TX) is visiting Baylor on Friday and Saturday, followed by TCU next weekend. He saw Arkansas the previous weekend with offers from Texas A&M, Arkansas, TCU, Kansas State, Cal, Houston, Baylor and Texas Tech.
Elijiah Oehlke
2025 QB Elijiah Oehlke (NC) is getting a visit from William & Mary today, followed by an official visit to Harvard on Friday through Sunday. He added an OV to Liberty on June 14-16 with an Air Force official visit on June 21-22. Oehlke is looking to commit in July or August.
Hoyt Gregory
2025 QB Hoyt Gregory (MO) will visit UT Martin on Friday with Southeast Missouri State on Saturday. He will also see Indiana State on April 26 with consistent contact with Lindenwood, UT Martin, Southeast Missouri State and Arkansas State. Lindenwood and Florida Atlantic are his lone offers and is coming off a recent trip to Lindenwood.
Cason Carswell
2025 QB Cason Carswell (MI) will return to Florida on Friday. He’s in communication with Penn and Western Illinois, which is his lone offer. Carswell will attend camps at Toledo (May 31), Bowling Green (June 2), Northern Illinois (June 7), Michigan State (June 10), Western Illinois (June 11 or 13), Eastern Michigan (June 14) and Penn (July 8).
Kyden Barker
2026 QB Kyden Barker (TX) is visiting TCU on Friday, followed by Baylor on Saturday. He’s coming off a Tulane visit with from UNLV, Texas State, Sam Houston State and North Texas.
Cade Young
2026 QB Cade Young (NC) is Gardner-Webb for its spring game on Friday following last weekend’s trip to Georgia State. He’s looking for his first offer with FCS interest from Gardner-Webb, NC Central and East Tennessee State.
DJ Mitchell
2027 QB DJ Mitchell (CA) will visit Arizona State on Friday, followed by Arizona on Saturday. He will attend camps at Arizona (June 6), USC (June 11) and possibly Oklahoma (June 13).
Kalil Barno
2025 QB Kalil Barno (CT) is visiting Central Connecticut State on Friday and New Hampshire on Saturday. He’s coming off a recent trip to Wagner.
Ethan Sharpe
2026 QB Ethan Sharpe (GA) will visit UT Martin on Friday for a visit and to see the spring game. He’s coming off a Georgia State visit from last week.
Lincoln Philyaw
2024 QB Lincoln Philyaw (TX) committed to Texas State on Wednesday, more than a month after re-opening his recruitment. He decommitted from Texas A&M-Commerce due to increased interest from the Bobcats.
“I have known both Coach GJ Kinne and Coach Mack Leftwich since the summer going into my junior year, and they offered me back at Incarnate Word. Knowing them really made the decision easy for me.” - Lincoln Philyaw
2024
COMMITS
TXST 🏈 Lincoln Philyaw
2025
COMMITS
CCAR 🏈 Chris Denson
UGA 🏈 Ryan Montgomery
VAN 🏈 Jack Elliott
OFFERS
ARMY 🏈 Camben Emanuel
SDAK 🏈 Cibastian Broughton
2026
OFFERS
OKLA 🏈 Jonas Williams
PUR 🏈 Michael Johnson
VT 🏈 Bo Polston
TRANSFER REPORT
Clifton McDowell
Clifton McDowell announced his commitment to McNeese State over the weekend. He transferred from Montana to Temple this spring before going back into the portal to land with McNeese State. McDowell told me he chose the Cowboys to be closer to home for family health reasons, and he’d like for his family to be able to attend a game in person in his last year.
Dominiq Ponder
Georgia Tech QB Dominiq Ponder entered the transfer portal looking for somewhere he’ll have the chance to learn, grow and develop as a player both on and off the field. He was down on the Yellow Jackets’ depth chart this spring after transferring from Bethune-Cookman in the fall. Ponder told me he wants an opportunity to compete to earn the starting position and has already been contacted by multiple programs.
Timothy Dorsey
East Tennessee State QB Timothy Dorsey entered the transfer portal with three years of eligibility remaining. He appeared in three games last fall and due to an injury, he received a medical redshirt. Dorsey entered the transfer portal after the coaching staff was fired after the final game of last season. He told me he’s looking for an opportunity to better himself with a program that values him and his abilities.
Jacob Jones
Grambling State QB Jacob Jones entered the transfer portal after being behind behind Myles Crawley and Julian Calvez this spring. He told me Grambling State hasn’t been the best fit for him and what he’s looking for with four years of eligibility remaining. The former 3⭐ prospect played in one game as a true freshman last fall and has been contacted by multiple programs since entering the transfer portal.
Tyler Nelson
Kennesaw State QB Tyler Nelson entered the transfer portal with four years of eligibility looking for an opportunity to bring value to a team. He did not see the field as a true freshman last fall and told me that looking for an opportunity is the reason he entered the transfer portal.
ENTRIES
EMU 🏈 Cam’Ron McCoy
EMU 🏈 Ike Udengwu III
GT 🏈 Dominiq Ponder
KENN 🏈 Tyler Nelson
KSU 🏈 Max Marsh
MISS 🏈 Deljay Bailey
MTSU 🏈 DJ Riles
NIU 🏈 Nevan Cremascoli
SHSU 🏈 Xavier Ward
UNT 🏈 Dylan Gebbia
USM 🏈 Austin Gonzalez
USU 🏈 Cooper Legas
UTEP 🏈 Jake McNamara
VT 🏈 Dylan Wittke
WASH 🏈 Camdyn Stiegeler
ETSU 🏈 Timothy Dorsey
GRAM 🏈 Jacob Jones
LAF 🏈 Ryan Schuster
PEAY 🏈 Ty Watkins
SDSU 🏈 Jeff Becker
UNA 🏈 Isaiah Tate
OFFERS
FAU 🏈 Kasen Weisman
MTSU 🏈 Mike Alaimo
JKST 🏈 Will Prichard
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