Transfer Portal Player Miami Needs To Land: Quarterback D’Eriq King

The former-Houston quarterback announced that he entered the transfer portal on Monday night.

Playing just 4 games in 2019 in order to save his option to redshirt, King originally announced that he would return to the Cougars’ team in 2020. However, in late-December he graduated from the University of Houston, leaving him with one year of eligibility. The decision has been made, and he’ll be able to play instantly no matter what school he chooses.

Aside from his playing style fitting well with Rhett Lashlee’s proven-scheme, King is one of the best available players in the portal. Impressively, King broke Tim Tebow’s streak by passing and running for a touchdown in 15 consecutive games—a true dual-threat. His 2019 stats are minimal, however, he threw for 2,982 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions in 2018, with a completion percentage of 63.5.

What would set him apart from Miami’s other quarterbacks is his running ability. N’Kosi Perry has proven to be efficient at scrambling, but King is elusive, and has the numbers to back it up. In 2018, King rushed for 674 yards, averaged 6.1 yards per rush, and reached the end zone 14 times.

With the inconsistency shown by Miami’s quarterbacks during the 2019 season, and the alleged off-field issues, the answer to the Hurricanes’ issues may be solved by adding more talent to the quarterback room. N’Kosi Perry and Jarren Williams flashed throughout the year, but each week was a completely different story. According to Barry Jackson’s shocking article, it sometimes depended on how ‘hard’ they partied the night before a game.

With how 2019 ended, Miami’s offense needs all the help it can get. A new coordinator and offensive line coach should definitely generate a spark, but Miami is still missing that elite-level quarterback. King can escape pressure, extend plays, and still a throw a ‘dime’ downfield—the kind of elusiveness that would help bail out a ‘rebuilding’ offensive line. King would be a pivotal player for Miami to land—he should absolutely be pursued by the Hurricanes’ staff.