Jaden Rashada enters transfer portal

Sophomore quaterback Jaden Rashada (5) throws a pass, and freshman quaterback Navi Bruzon (19) drops back to pass in Tempe on Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Samuel Nute/ASU)

(Photo: Sammy Nute/WCSN)

TEMPE – Redshirt freshman quarterback Jaden Rashada has entered the transfer portal, according to Chris Karpman of Sun Devil Source.

Rashada came to Tempe as one of the highest recruits in ASU history, ranking as the No. 44 overall prospect and the sixth-best quarterback in his class. Rashada’s recruitment was an adventure in itself as the Pittsburg, California native committed and uncommitted from both Florida and Miami before finally landing with ASU. Just over a year after arriving, the quarterback is back on the market.

Sun Devils’ head coach Kenny Dillingham gave Rashada a chance to start right away last season, handing him the starting job for the week one game against Southern Utah. However, in ASU’s second game against Oklahoma State, Rashada went down with a knee injury and would end up missing the Sun Devils’ next nine games with the injury before returning in the team’s final game against Arizona.

Across those three games, Rashada completed 44 passes for 453 total yards while throwing a team-leading four touchdowns to three interceptions.

Rashada’s injury was followed by junior Drew Pyne and senior Trenton Bourguet both getting hurt over the following two games, forcing Dillingham to operate with a partly-injured Bourguet as quarterback for the majority of the season. Not wanting to repeat the same experience, Dillingham brought in Michigan State transfer redshirt freshman Sam Leavitt.

So far in spring practice, Rashada has been working his way back from a hand injury. Last week saw his first participation in practice, but while Rashada has been recovering, Leavitt has been playing well throughout the four practices, completing two touchdown passes to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jordan Tyson in last Saturday’s scrimmage.

So far, that has not been a reason identified for Rashada’s entrance into the transfer portal, and now with just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, the Sun Devils are likely to try and shore up the depth at the most important position on the field.