Miami loses another QB option as KJ Jefferson picks UCF after Cam Ward chooses NFL Draft

The Miami Hurricanes will not get their first choice in their quest for a transfer portal quarterback.

Fourth-year junior graduate Cam Ward, the prolific former Washington State and Incarnate Word starter from West Columbia, Texas, announced Monday on social media that he will enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

And as of 1:15 p.m. Monday, a second possibility in former Arkansas starter KJ Jefferson was eliminated.

“What’s up? It’s Cam Ward and I’ll be declaring for the 2024 draft,’’ was all Ward said on a five-second video.

The Hurricanes, who finished their season 7-6 after losing to Rutgers on Thursday in the Pinstripe Bowl, will now shift to Plan B. But 6-3, 247-pound dual-threat standout Jefferson was eliminated from that possibility when he posted on social media that he has committed to UCF.

That means 6-5, 242-pound dual-threat former Kansas State starter Will Howard apparently remains in the picture and, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, USC freshman transfer Malachi Nelson is the other prominent UM possibility.

Thamel reported Monday that Miami has “engaged with both Nelson,’’ a former five-star recruit who just completed his first year of college football, “and Arkansas transfer KJ Jefferson as they begin to pursue other quarterbacks in the portal.”

USC’s Nelson, 19, played in only one game this season after graduating from Los Alamitos (California) High School. He underwent shoulder surgery shortly before arriving at USC, and only threw three passes for one completion and no yards in the opener against San Jose State.

Nelson was rated by the recruiting site On3 as the nation’s No. 11 prospect, regardless of position, as a high school senior. He has four seasons of eligibility remaining, because 2023 will be counted as a redshirt year. He was rated by 247Sports as the nation’s No. 5 quarterback and No. 13 overall prep recruit.

Whichever quarterback Miami gets — if any — will be vying to replace former starter Tyler Van Dyke, who transferred to Wisconsin.

Ward’s decision had come down to transferring to Miami for his fifth and final season of college football or entering the draft. He previously had narrowed his transfer options to Florida State and Miami, but according to a Miami Herald source and multiple subsequent reports, he had eliminated FSU before his final decision.

On Monday, former Oregon State and Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei committed to Florida State.

The 6-2, 223-pound Ward has been among the top of nearly every college football outlet’s list of best signal callers available in the transfer portal.

Ward has thrown for 13,874 career yards and 119 touchdowns, with 30 interceptions. He played his first two seasons at Incarnate Word in San Antonio before transferring to Washington State for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Howard entered the transfer portal Nov. 27 and visited Miami and Southern Cal in December. He also is said to be heavily in the running to transfer to Ohio State. He started 27 of his 34 games over the past four seasons, completing 458 of 779 passes (58.8 percent) for 5,786 yards and a school-record 48 touchdowns, with 25 interceptions. He rushed for 921 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Jefferson, who will finish his college career with the Knights, entered the portal Dec. 16. He started 39 of his 45 games over the past five seasons, completing 626 of 962 passes (65.1 percent) for 7,923 yards and 67 touchdowns, with 18 interceptions. He rushed for 1,876 yards (3.6 yards a carry) and 21 touchdowns.

UM’s only current healthy scholarship quarterback is sophomore Jacurri Brown, who got his first playing time this season in the Pinstripe Bowl. Freshman Emory Williams is still rehabbing from a compound fracture of his left arm sustained at Florida State. Judd Anderson, 18, of Warner Robins High in Georgia, signed with the Hurricanes out of high school on Dec. 20, and will arrive as an early enrollee in time for spring practice.

Many are wondering if Brown will now transfer, or stay and battle for the starting job.

▪ On Sunday, Miami fourth-year junior linebacker K.J. Cloyd announced he was declaring for the draft; and freshman defensive end Collins Acheampong, who has four years of eligibility remaining, said he plans to enter the transfer portal.