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Mizzou Football: 3 transfer QBs Tigers should look at after losing out on Miller Moss
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Mizzou QB Brady Cook will suit up for the Tigers one last time during the Music City Bowl against Iowa on Monday, Dec. 30, in Nashville, putting a bow on an incredible career.
That means the Tigers will need to hit the transfer portal for a QB ahead of the 2025 season.
Yes, Sam Horn is an intriguing prospect, but he has suffered multiple injuries playing baseball and will be coming off of Tommy John surgery he had in February of 2024. Meanwhile, freshman signee Matt Zollers will be returning to action after a dislocated ankle ended his senior year of high school football.
After losing out on USC QB Miller Moss in the portal (who committed to Louisville instead), there are some options out there for Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz and his staff to look at.
Here are 3 transfer QBs who would be at the top of my Christmas list for the Tigers:
1. Preston Stone
At the top of my list would be Stone, who is transferring from SMU. Stone lost his starting job to Kevin Jennings this year, which isn’t necessarily a knock on him. Jennings is simply special, making it into a bit of a lesser Jalen Hurts vs. Tua Tagovailoa situation at Alabama a few years ago.
Stone threw for 451 yards, 5 touchdowns and only 1 interception in limited action before Jennings took over. Jennings then, as we all know, led the Mustangs to the College Football Playoff.
In 2023, Stone completed just under 60% of his passes for 3,197 yards, 28 touchdowns and 6 picks. Those are similar numbers to what Brady Cook put up for the Tigers in 2023. Stone doesn’t offer as much as a runner, but he’s not a statue in the pocket, either.
The Tigers need someone with top-notch arm talent to get the ball to new WR Kevin Coleman Jr. and the other intriguing receivers on this team. Stone could very well be that guy.
2. Zach Calzada
Calzada started his collegiate career at Texas A&M. He was the Aggies’ starter in 2021 and led them to an upset win over Alabama, so we know he can compete at the SEC level. He didn’t play at Auburn in 2022 and that led him to Incarnate Word, the same school where Heisman finalist Cam Ward honed his skills.
Calzada’s 2023 season was his best yet, as he threw for 3,744 yards, 35 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He added 332 yards and 5 scores on the ground. Yes, those numbers came at the FCS level, but he was able to throw it around a ton, which is good for his development.
I think he’s ready for 1 more shot in the SEC and Coleman and the Tigers’ receivers would make things interesting for him in 2025.
Yes, he only has 1 final year of eligibility remaining, but he could be a great 1-year rental as the Tigers get Zollers up to speed for 2026 and beyond.
3. Fernando Mendoza
Mendoza has spent the last 2 years making Cal a respectable football program, including leading the Golden Bears to an exciting come-from-behind win over Stanford in 2024. He’s a tough-nosed player who would run through a brick wall for his teammates (sounds a lot like Cook, right?) and can make every play on the field.
Mendoza took a whopping 41 sacks in 2024 behind Cal’s offensive line. That almost certainly won’t happen behind Mizzou’s line.
There hasn’t been a ton of buzz connecting Mendoza to the Tigers, but now that Moss is at Louisville, it’s worth a shot to see if Drinkwitz and company can get Mendoza on campus for a visit.
The Tigers have a very manageable schedule in 2025 and could potentially make a run at the College Football Playoff if everything goes according to plan. That should be a great selling point for Drinkwitz when it comes to pitching Mendoza on the Tigers.
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Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
