Syracuse, N.Y. — LSU quarterback Rickie Collins Jr. intends to transfer to Syracuse, a source with knowledge of the situation told syracuse.com on Wednesday.
Collins, who visited Syracuse last week, is a young, athletic quarterback who spent the past two seasons at one of college football’s citadels in the SEC.
He shared a position room with Jayden Daniels in 2023, when Daniels won the Heisman Trophy before becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft and leading candidate for NFL Rookie of the Year with the Washington Commanders.
Collins spent this past season as a backup to Garrett Nussmeier. A dual-threat quarterback, Collins has appeared in just four games over two seasons and thrown seven passes.
A Baton Rouge, Louisiana native, Collins picked the hometown team out of high school, where he was a four-star quarterback in the Class of 2023 and named an Elite 11 finalist during his high school days at Woodlawn.
He will have three years of eligibility left.
Syracuse was in the market to add to a quarterback room that returns seventh-year senior Michael Johnson Jr. and redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams. Incoming freshmen Luke Carney and Rich Belin are also expected to enroll at Syracuse in 2025.
Collins was among a host of quarterback transfer options Fran Brown and staff were recruiting.
Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter and Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea visited Syracuse this past weekend.
Salter commited to Colorado on Wednesday.
Collins, 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, would join a program that hit the transfer quarterback jackpot last year signing Ohio State-transfer Kyle McCord, who came in with a year of starting experience in the Big Ten.
McCord led the country in passing yards and set Syracuse single-season records in yards (4,326), completions and touchdown passes (29) during the regular season.
The Orange closes out its 2024 season in the Holiday Bowl against Washington State on Dec. 27 in San Diego.
Contact Brent Axe: Email | X | BlueSky
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