Transfer portal quarterback names to watch for ASU
Head coach Kenny Dillingham didn’t say much, but he didn’t hide his confidence either.
During his weekly Monday press conference on Dec. 8th, Dillingham wished Sam Leavitt well as the quarterback entered the transfer portal, a move that likely ends his two-year run at Arizona State. Leavitt departs after helping deliver a Big 12 championship, accounting for 44 total touchdowns with just nine interceptions.
Then the tone shifted.
“With that, I’m very, very confident that we’re going to have a really, really good quarterback at Arizona State,” Dillingham said, smiling. After a brief pause, he added, “I just… I’m very, very confident that we’re going to have a good quarterback at Arizona State.”
He didn’t say more, but he didn’t need to.
With Leavitt likely headed elsewhere and senior quarterback Jeff Sims having played his final college game against Duke, ASU will be in the quarterback market. Incoming four-star freshman Jake Fette and redshirt sophomore Cameron Dyer, returning from an ACL tear, will be part of the conversation, but experience remains key for a Sun Devil team aiming to be built to contend for a Big 12 championship.
Here are several transfer portal quarterbacks ASU could target, with context on why each would realistically consider coming to Tempe. The list focuses on players we believe are feasible options who can legitimately compete to start for ASU next season.
Chiles, an incoming senior, totaled 32 touchdowns, 3,807 passing yards, 452 rushing yards, and a 60.8% completion rate to 14 interceptions over his past two years at Michigan State, after transferring there following a true freshman year at Oregon State. He was part of a stacked 2024 transfer class and was routinely mentioned near the top of that year’s quarterback transfer rankings alongside future NFL draft prospects Dillon Gabriel, Cam Ward, and Dante Moore.
A true dual-threat with elite arm talent, Chiles’ playmaking ability shows up most when he pushes the ball downfield. That aggressiveness fuels his upside, but it has also led to mistakes at times.
Chiles’ production at Michigan State was inconsistent, ultimately leading to him being benched in favor of true freshman Alessio Milivojevic. His struggles were partly due to following Jonathan Smith from Oregon State, a regime that finished 4–15 after five wins were later vacated by the NCAA, coupled with a weak offensive line and a system that didn’t suit his strengths.
The move to ASU comes with little Arizona connection, though Dillingham did offer Chiles out of high school while at Oregon. Back in 2022, Chiles said, “The old staff started following me on Twitter at the beginning of the season last year. But Coach Dillingham reached out to me a couple days ago and offered me the next day. We haven’t talked too long, but it’s been a good couple of days.”
Chiles is expected to be one of the top quarterback options in the transfer portal this offseason and profiles as a realistic fit at ASU. He could serve as a one-year bridge while Cameron Dyer and Jake Fette continue to develop, keeping the Sun Devils competitive in the Big 12. A Long Beach, California native and former four-star recruit, ASU’s pitch centers on a clear QB1 pathway, a system tailored to his strengths, and a program with upward momentum that could allow him to follow a similar rise to prominence as Leavitt did in Tempe.
Simply put, could be the best fit and the most intriguing potential addition.
Houser, an incoming senior, totaled 50 touchdowns to 17 interceptions over his two-year ECU career, including just six this past year, with 5,306 passing yards, 363 rushing yards, and a 64% completion rate. Like Leavitt, he’s a former Spartan who reinvented himself, and interestingly, he played in front of Leavitt in 2023 as a freshman, appearing in 11 games.
A St. John Bosco, California recruit and former four-star, Houser was initially met with skepticism when transferring from Michigan State. Stepping down a conference allowed him to thrive, becoming a much more complete passer and totaling 3,300 yards this past year. ECU went 8–5 and 8–4 in back-to-back seasons, with Houser expected to sit out their upcoming bowl game against Pitt.
Houser’s quick release and arm velocity fit well within quick-game concepts, and he is comfortable throwing into tight windows. While not a true dual threat, he is willing to escape the pocket and run when necessary.
A move to Ole Miss would make sense, following ECU offensive coordinator John David Baker to Oxford, but there’s also a potential retroactive redshirt option for Trinidad Chambliss to return that would likely keep Houser away without a starting job available.
Houser has some ASU connections as well: his grandfather, John Houser, was a two-time All-WAC offensive guard and AP All-America honorable mention at Arizona State. Houser also visited UNLV when ASU offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo was head coach there, with Arroyo listed as a primary recruiter on Rivals, and he previously held an offer from Arizona.
Like Chiles, Houser would likely be a short-term solution, but with multiple ASU ties, a return to the West Coast, and the opportunity to upgrade from ECU, the chance to start immediately for a Big 12 contender could be an appealing option for him.
There has been some buzz around this potential fit, making it worth mentioning. Earlier in December, it may have felt unrealistic given the limited quarterback options in the portal, but as more big-name players have entered, Joseph now looks like a more plausible target. He fits the profile of a young quarterback ready for a jump in competition, and depending on how aggressive Kenny Dillingham is willing to be, he could factor into the QB1 conversation.
Joseph, an incoming junior, is coming off a 2025 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year season at Old Dominion. He threw for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 1,007 rushing yards and 13 rushing scores, but also threw 10 interceptions and completed 59.7 percent of his passes. Turnovers remain the concern. Dillingham has emphasized ball security, and Joseph struggled against top competition, throwing five interceptions in games against CFP teams James Madison and Indiana.
As a passer, Joseph remains a work in progress, with accuracy and decision-making still inconsistent. Old Dominion increased his passing volume in 2025, but his efficiency dipped. His value comes as a runner, highlighted by a 179-yard rushing performance against Indiana. In an RPO- and zone-read–heavy system, he could be a dangerous weapon, similar to what ASU previously leaned on with Jeff Sims, with potential passing upside in the right environment.
The biggest question is fit. Joseph has West Coast ties as a Newport Beach native, but no clear connection to ASU or Arizona. While that is not a dealbreaker, it can sometimes factor into portal decisions.
Joseph would be an intriguing addition with clear athletic upside, but he would likely be more of a developmental project as a passer and would face an adjustment to Big 12 play. Given Dillingham’s stated preference for a quarterback who limits turnovers, it remains unclear whether Joseph aligns with ASU’s priorities.
Before anything else, this is likely the biggest long shot of them all. Raiola is a former five-star recruit who drew interest from nearly every top program out of high school. After a strong sophomore season with 18 touchdowns, just over 2,000 passing yards, a 72.4 percent completion rate, and six interceptions before an injury cut the year short, he will likely be heavily pursued again. Still, the connections to Arizona and ASU are notable enough to at least keep the Sun Devils in the conversation.
Raiola is a very different quarterback than Leavitt, making the on-field fit less clear. He’s a pocket passer and a career negative rusher, but flashes elite arm talent, creativity, and escapability. The Patrick Mahomes comparisons come naturally, given the arm angles and style, even if they remain lofty.
Raiola’s high school path was winding. He played in Texas, spent his junior year at Chandler High School in Arizona, briefly enrolled at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix for his senior year before eligibility issues, and ultimately finished at Buford High School in Georgia, where he became a national recruit and eventual Nebraska commit.
There’s also a direct Dillingham connection. Raiola was recruited by Oregon during Dillingham’s tenure, took an unofficial visit in 2022, and has Dillingham listed as a primary recruiter on Rivals.
Family has played a major role in Raiola’s decisions. He followed his uncle, Donovan, an offensive line coach at Nebraska, where his father, Dominic, also played center, and his brother, Dayton, initially committed. With Dominic no longer on staff and Dayton decommitted, Raiola’s next move could again come down to family dynamics, something that leaves the door at least slightly open for ASU.
