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Robs Rankings: Intriguing QB transfers, NCAA tourney sites

Tate Martell
Tate Martell (AP)

The NCAA transfer portal has shined an even brighter light on the intensifying game of musical chairs that makes up the college football offseason. And while there have been notable moves at every position, nobody grabs the headline like a quarterback. This week, Rivals.com Florida analyst Rob Cassidy ranks the quarterback transfers that will shape the 2019 season by level of intrigue.

MORE: Breaking down Big Ten transfer portal | SEC


1. TATE MARTELL

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Former team: Ohio State

Current team: Miami

Why it’s fascinating: Martell’s move to Miami tops this list because it came with the most questions. The most pressing of such questions was answered on Tuesday, when the NCAA granted the quarterback a waiver to play the 2019 season. The most important one, however, remains and is as follows:

Is Martell actually good?

Seeing as the 5-foot-11 quarterback has thrown just 28 career college passes, anybody claiming to know the answer is exaggerating at the very least . And while he’s looked solid in that small sample size, steering a rebuilding program through a full schedule is a bit different than shining in spot duty at Ohio State. Either way, the Hurricanes’ eggs now rest in Martell’s basket, as the rest of the program’s quarterbacks are unproven and best and inconsistent at worst. With UM’s season-opener against Florida looming on Aug. 24, the Martell-to-Miami situation gets more intriguing by the week, as this is a boom-or-bust situation of the tallest order.

2. JUSTIN FIELDS

Former team: Georgia

Current team: Ohio State

Why it’s fascinating: Once hailed by Georgia fans as the elite quarterback that would get the Bulldogs over the hump and bring a national title to Athens, Fields was unable to overtake Jake Fromm as the team’s starter. The former five-star now finds himself chasing that same national championship in a new uniform, as he’ll attempt to will Ohio State over the familiar hump in 2019.

It seems as though everyone agrees that Fields, who ESPN had ranked above Clemson standout Trevor Lawrence as a prospect, is a star in waiting. He’s attempted just 39 passes to this point in his career, but will now have a chance to meet the expectations that have been set for him when he replaces departed Heisman Trophy finalist Dwayne Haskins at Ohio State. Expectations for Fields’ career in Columbus are as simple as they are lofty: lead Ohio State to the College Football Playoff.

And, hey, I’m sure everyone will be measured and understanding if it takes some time for him to find his way in a new system. No pressure.

3. BRANDON WIMBUSH

Former team: Notre Dame

Current team: UCF

UCF hasn’t lost a regular-season game since the day Fidel Castro died, and the program’s dominance has turned it into a polarizing entity. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the school, so anything the Knights do raises an eyebrow or two. Add in the fact that Wimbush comes over from fellow polarizing program Notre Dame, and you have yourself the makings of a coast-to-coast hot take stew.

Wimbush started 16 games for the Fighting Irish before being supplanted by Ian Book last season. So with injured star McKenzie Milton unlikely to play in 2019, Wimbush becomes the slight favorite to win the job in Orlando. A familiar name in a new place is always an appealing storyline. When that new place is one of the most scrutinized programs in the country, things get even more interesting.

For more news on UCF, visit UCFSports.com

4. JALEN HURTS

Former team: Alabama

Current team: Oklahoma

Why it’s fascinating: Oklahoma is making a habit of taking transfer quarterback and turning them into Heisman winners, so the former Alabama starter landing in Norman deserves everyone’s full attention. The fact that Hurts was 26-2 as a starter at Alabama makes the point apply doubly.

On the surface, dropping a talented player into a high-powered offense should work out favorably for all involved parties, but Hurts is undoubtedly a different type of quarterback than the two small and speedy players that preceded him. Then, there’s the matter of OU’s offensive line, which will be rebuilt this season. Odds are, Hurts won’t be OU’s third straight Heisman Trophy winner. But are you willing to bet your against it at this point? Yeah, me neither.

5. JACOB EASON

Former team: Georgia

Current team: Washington

Why it’s fascinating: Remember Eason? You know, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2016 rankings? The guy that beat out Fromm as UGA’s starter but surrendered his job because of injury and never got it back?

Well, he’s at Washington now and there’s no reason to believe that the talent that served him well early in his career has vanished. Eason sat out last season, watching Washington’s 10-4 campaign from the sideline, but will likely lead the Huskies’ offense in 2019. Eason has become the forgotten man in the quarterback transfer madness because he did things the old-school way, sitting out a season instead of seeking a waiver.

OVERTIME

We here at Rob’s Rankings have respect for the basketball world. And, like the rest of the country, will be tuned into the NCAA Tournament all month. Before things get started, however, we’ve tried our hand at ranking the 13 cities that will host tournament games this year. These extremely scientific rankings are based solely on facts I know about each site off the top of my head. Absolutely no research was done. Don’t like it? Get your own column.

1. Louisville, Ky.

Gambling, horse racing, gambling on horse racing, bourbon, Muhammad Ali … This wasn’t all that close.

2. Kansas City, Mo.

The Barbecue capital of the world is also home to the Negro League Baseball Museum and a bunch of cool dive bars. It’s a little weird that everyone wears different versions of the same exact t-shirt every day, but the food makes up for that.

3. Minneapolis, Minn.

Ok, so I don’t totally remember my weekend in Minneapolis because a wedding reception got away from me, but Mary Tyler Moore seemed to like it a lot. Also, it’s a city famous for stuffing hamburgers full of melted cheese, which speaks directly to the judges of this highly scientific competition. A man wearing a feather boa told me I had a “famous face and a cute voice” on the aforementioned trip, and flattery will get you everywhere in these rankings.

4. Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City is objectively gorgeous and there’s skiing in proximity. I’ve also been told the weird liquor laws that frustrated me on my visit are mostly off the books now. That said, I still don’t totally trust the place.

5. Columbus, Ohio

Columbus was bigger than I expected. It also seems to have a number of good bars, including one that used to have a giant maple tree growing out of the floor. Points for that.

6. Tulsa, Okla.

Tulsa appears in a bunch of country music songs, and I once had a truly great slice of pizza here. It’s really not as awful as you think. I promise.

7. Columbia, SC.

Other than the fact that it houses an SEC university, I know next to nothing about South Carolina’s capital city, and it still manages to rank higher than six other sites. If it’s good enough for Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier, it’s probably good enough for me.

8. Des Moines, Iowa

Are there casinos? Seems like there should be casinos. If not, you can probably slide Des Moines down a few spots.

9. Anaheim, Calif.

Cons: All of the traffic and pretense of LA with none of the culture. Also, Disneyland.

Pros: Mike Trout

10. Jacksonville, Fla.

Uhhhh, there’s a beach? That’s all I got. And I’ve been … a lot. Hey, at least it’s warm-ish.

11. San Jose, Calif

I had a San Jose Sharks Starter jacket as a kid because I loved the colors Oh, there’s also that catchy Dionne Warwick tune. Yeah, I’m reaching here.

12. Hartford, Conn.

I was once forced to take a $200 cab ride from the Hartford airport to Bridgeport because the rental car company didn’t hold my reservation. Is this ranking totally corrupt and based wholly on the judge’s petty, decade-old grudge? You bet it is. Hartford lost me with the Whalers anyway. Sorry, losers.

13. Washington DC

I don’t even feel the need to explain this.

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