Arizona State Eyes Transfer QB Amid Sam Leavitt Uncertainty

Arizona State does not have the luxury of waiting. With uncertainty still surrounding Sam Leavitt and the transfer portal moving quickly, the Sun Devils are under pressure to explore every possible option at quarterback. One new name is now firmly on the radar.

On December 14, Appalachian State quarterback JJ Kohl announced his entry into the transfer portal. The news was first reported by Pete Nakos and shared by Transfer Portal on X. Kohl, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound passer, threw for 1,465 yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2025 season while appearing in eight games. He has two years of eligibility remaining and previously transferred from Iowa State.

Kohl’s season at App State was not part of the original plan. He stepped into the starting role after AJ Swann was injured and quickly brought stability to the offense. His first meaningful start came in a 26-24 win over Marshall, where he completed 19 of 27 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. He avoided mistakes and helped App State close out a tight game.

His confidence continued to grow late in the season. In a 30-29 loss to Arkansas State, Kohl delivered his best passing performance, completing 26 of 39 throws for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 34 yards, showing mobility when plays broke down. Both touchdown passes came at key moments, including a 37-yard strike to Dalton Stroman in the second quarter and a 16-yard score to Sam Mbake in the fourth. By season’s end, Kohl had taken over as the starter and finished the year with just two interceptions.

Kohl’s background still carries strong recruiting value. He starred at Ankeny High School in Iowa, earned first-team All-State honors as a senior, and played in the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game. He earned a four-star grade from ESPN and was listed as the No. 8 quarterback in his class. He originally committed to Iowa State over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, and Florida State, making him the highest-ranked quarterback recruit in Iowa State history before transferring to App State in 2024.

Arizona State’s urgency stems from the unknown surrounding Sam Leavitt. Last season, he led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff appearance, throwing for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns. This year was more difficult. A foot injury required surgery and limited him to seven games, where he finished with 1,628 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.

Kohl is not the only option ASU may evaluate. Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph offers a dual-threat skill set after throwing for 2,624 yards and rushing for more than 1,000. Colorado State’s Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi brings experience with nearly 7,000 career passing yards.

While portal decisions shape the short term, Arizona State is also building for the future. The program recently landed a commitment from four-star Texas quarterback Weston Nielsen in the 2027 class. Nielsen threw for more than 3,100 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior and is ranked as the No. 20 passer nationally by industry standards.

For now, the focus remains on the present. Arizona State will face Duke in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on December 31, matching two eight-win teams. Duke enters the game off an ACC title season led by quarterback Darian Mensah, putting the spotlight once again on how vital the position remains to ASU’s path forward.

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