It’s been an entertaining career for Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall, but now he’ll be looking to play elsewhere. One of the more underrated quarterbacks in the country has the talent to make a team better, and we look at the best places for him to go.
Landing Spots for Grayson McCall
McCall’s a dual threat, and he has the “it” factor in both facets of his game. As a passer, he’s capable of making ridiculous throws that not many other quarterbacks can make. As a runner, he’s well-versed in the triple option.
MORE: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker
So where does he land? He needs a place where they’ll make him the feature. A place that needs an upgrade at quarterback or needs a solid replacement. McCall can be that guy, and there are a few spots that make sense.
San Diego State
Yes this requires him to move across the country, but joining new head coach Sean Lewis in San Diego makes a ton of sense. Lewis turned former Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum into an all-conference player, and McCall is more talented.
Lewis wants to run a lightning-fast offense, and McCall’s used to that. McCall’s skillset matches what Lewis wants in his quarterback, but his new head coach could also adapt the offense to McCall as needed.
The Aztecs will go through a culture change. They’ve relied on defense for so long, but Lewis will help get the offense to a respectable level. If he can get McCall, that process speeds up tremendously.
North Carolina
Drake Maye’s all but off to the NFL at this point, and Grayson McCall could stick close to home if the Tar Heels were interested. Chip Lindsey’s offense is another good fit for McCall’s skillset, and North Carolina would have a ton of talent around him to help him transition to his new school.
The question about Mack Brown’s future with the program might be a concern, but I still like the fit for McCall. It’s an upgrade in talent around him, and at worst I’d like to see what he can do in the environment. Even with other transfers potentially going there, McCall’s talented enough to win the job.
UPDATE: The Tar Heels made quick work in the portal by receiving the commitment of former Texas A&M QB Max Johnson after this article was published.
James Madison
Maybe McCall wants to stay in the Sun Belt. James Madison and Curt Cignetti have done wonders for both Todd Centeio and Jordan McCloud in the past two years, and they’d have less work to do with McCall.
Assuming Cignetti stays with the Dukes and turns down any promotions sent his way, they will be a contender in the conference for a while. McCall would be the most talented quarterback the program’s ever seen, and that could be enough to take them to another level.
UCF
UCF might be fine with Timmy McClain going forward, but nothing said they’re satisfied with their quarterback room in 2024. McCall gives them a solid runner, perfect for Gus Malzahn’s system, and also provides them with an upgrade as a passer.
With Javon Baker’s and Kobe Hudson’s futures unknown, the Knights coaching staff might have to bring someone in to convince them to stay. Both are extremely talented, but they had to do a lot on their own at times to make plays in the passing game. McCall would give them a more accurate passer, and that might be enough to keep both players in Orlando for one more year.
Austin Peay
Grayson McCall might also have to consider the FCS route. Not because he’s lacking talent, but the openings at the FBS level might be scarce. The Governors appear to be in the market for a quarterback heading into 2024, and they might not have to travel far to make that happen.
The Governors finished 9-3 this year, but they’re hoping to improve upon that next season. A couple disappointing close losses might have been the difference to get them in the FCS playoffs, and McCall would bring them that experience to get them there.