Joey Aguilar transfer portal: Top 3 landing spots for UCLA QB ft. Tennessee
Joey Aguilar is expected to enter the spring transfer portal ahead of the 2025 season. On Dec. 28, the quarterback transferred to the UCLA Bruins after starting two seasons with the App State Mountaineers. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported via X (formerly Twitter) on Monday that Aguilar will leave UCLA after the program acquired Nico Iamaleava.
"UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar tells ESPN that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal later today. He has one year of eligibility remaining. He threw for 6,070 yards and 56 touchdowns in two years as a starter at Appalachian State.," Thamel tweeted.
Last year, the former Mountaineers quarterback led the team to a 5-6 record and placed sixth in the Sun Belt Conference East Division standings. He completed 218 passes for 3,003 yards and 23 touchdowns. The 2024 season was a setback for him, as he completed 293 passes for 3,757 yards and 33 touchdowns in his junior year.
That said, he was among the best quarterbacks in his conference and placed 30th in the league in passing yards. His last game with App State was in their 29-20 loss to the Georgia Southern Eagles on Nov. 30. Aguilar finished the matchup completing 19 of 35 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns.
His reported decision to leave UCLA makes him one of the top quarterbacks in the spring transfer portal. Here are three landing spots that he could sign with before the upcoming season.
Three landing spots for Joey Aguilar in the spring transfer portal window
#1 Tennessee
The Tennessee Volunteers could be one of the teams that are interested in signing Aguilar when he enters the spring transfer portal. Last season, Tennessee finished with a 10-3 record and placed third in the Southeastern Conference standings, with Iamaleava as the starting quarterback.
On Dec. 21, the Volunteers' season ended with a 42-17 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Iamaleava completed 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards. The former Tennessee starter also had 20 carries for 47 yards and two touchdowns.
Iamaleava's exit from the team to join UCLA has left coach Josh Heupel without a starting quarterback. Aguilar may be a suitable replacement, as he statistically performed better than Iamaleava last season.
#2 Syracuse
The Syracuse Orange may also be looking to sign the former App State star from the Spring Transfer Portal. Syracuse had a good season with quarterback Kyle McCord, who completed 391 passes for 4,779 yards and 34 touchdowns in his senior year.
His performance led the Orange to a 10-3 record and helped them place fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. They will be without McCord this upcoming season as he will enter the 2025 NFL draft.
On Dec. 27, 2024, he played his final game with Syracuse in their 52-35 win over the Washington State Cougars in the Holiday Bowl. McCord completed 24 of 34 passes for 453 yards and five touchdowns to achieve his final victory in his college football career.
Syracuse's current roster lacks quarterbacks with as much playing experience and success as Aguilar, which makes him a valuable player to acquire.
#3 Indiana
The Indiana Hoosiers are another team that could want Aguilar before the 2025 season. Last year, they had an 11-2 record and placed second in the Big Ten standings with quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
The former Indiana starter completed 222 passes for 3,042 yards and 29 touchdowns in his final year in the league. His last game with the team was in their 27-17 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Dec. 20.
Rourke will enter the 2025 NFL draft and has left the Hoosiers without a starting quarterback. The team's best option is Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from the California Golden Bears after two seasons. Mendoza had 265 completed passes for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns in his sophomore year.
The former California quarterback seems to be a strong candidate to replace Rourke. However, Aguilar has the skill set and experience that may intrigue Indiana into signing him for one season.