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Best Landing Spots for Houston QB D'Eriq King After Entering Transfer Portal

David Kenyon

In a simple message posted during LSU's national championship win over Clemson, D'Eriq King suddenly became the most coveted player in the transfer portal.

The starting quarterback for a prolific Houston offense in 2018, King took advantage of the four-game redshirt rule in 2019. As first-year coach Dana Holgorsen moved the offense in a different direction, King preserved his final season of eligibility.

And now, he's a free agent.

The best landing spots have a need at quarterback and a roster capable of contending for a national title, but a few other programs also stand out as logical spots for King.

           

Oklahoma Sooners

Soon after the loss to LSU in the Peach Bowl, Lincoln Riley downplayed the possibility of adding a quarterback. According to Jason Kersey of The Athletic, the Oklahoma coach said "I'm absolutely not planning" on targeting a grad transfer.

Might be honest. Might not. That statement will be challenged now that King is officially available.

During the 2018 season, he threw for 2,982 yards and 36 touchdowns and only six interceptions while running for 674 yards and 14 scores. After seeing what Riley has accomplished with mobile threats Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurtsplus Baker Mayfield before themthere's no question Oklahoma is an appealing spot.

Granted, the Sooners also have Spencer Rattler, a 5-star prospect in the 2019 class. He's expected to leap Tanner Mordecai on the depth chart following a redshirt year behind Hurts.

King shouldn't beand surely isn'tafraid of competition, and Oklahoma is an established winner. He can compete for a national championship with the Sooners.

Still, other quarterback rooms are more appealing.

         

LSU Tigers

Why not, right?

The 2019 national champions will enter 2020 with extreme confidence, but they'll be doing so without Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Following his record-breaking senior year, Burrow will be playing in the NFL next season.

While nobody will replicate what Burrow accomplished, LSU has the responsibility of identifying the best possible replacement. Is that King or rising junior Myles Brennan?

In 2019, Brennan went 24-of-40 for 353 yards and one touchdown with one interception. But through three seasons, he's never attempted more than six passes against a power-conference foe. LSU might prefer to have an experienced option.

And with a proverbial target on their backs as reigning national champions, the Tigers would be wise to explore iteven if Brennan is ultimately the right player.

          

Oregon Ducks

After Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman chose Georgia—which is why Kirby Smart's team isn't includedOregon may be contacting King.

Longtime starter Justin Herbert is headed to the NFL, but the Ducks otherwise return a roster that is undoubtedly worthy of another Pac-12 championship. Are they prepared to hand rising sophomore Tyler Shough the keys to the offense?

While he's a promising young player, Oregon's interest in Newman—as Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel reported—suggests the answer isn't a definite yes.

Between Shough and incoming 4-stars Jay Butterfield and Robby Ashford, the Ducks are well-prepared at the position for the future. They might prefer a one-year stopgap with King, though.

           

Miami Hurricanes

Jarren Williams started most of the 2019 season, but his performance varied dramatically. Off-field problems also clouded his year, while N'Kosi Perry was mostly ineffective in his scattered playing time. Ohio State transfer Tate Martell never matched the hype and dealt with off-field issues too.

Factor in a lifeless offensive systemone that resulted in a 14-0 bowl loss and coordinator Dan Enos' dismissaland the Canes had another forgettable year.

Yet as another offseason arrives, there's a little bit of hope.

Manny Diaz hired Rhett Lashlee from SMU, where he oversaw an offense that ranked seventh in points per game. He'll install a legitimate spread offense, which previous Miami coaches have never fully embraced while trying to run a conventional attack.

While it's true Perry and Martell are better suited for a spread attack, their upside is based on potential. King has already proved he's a dynamic player.

         

Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Tennessee ended 2019 with six consecutive wins to finish 8-5, providing real optimism for the future. However, that ascent happened on the backs of a sturdy defense; the unit allowed no more than 4.9 yards per snap during the winning streak.

Meanwhile, the offense shredded South Carolina but otherwise averaged only 24.4 points. Wins are important, but the Vols were toppling the SEC's worst teams.

While that is unquestioned improvement from losing to those same programs, it's not as if Tennessee upset Alabama, Florida or Georgia. The Vols dropped those matchups by a combined 82 points; they're still a work in progress.

Priority No. 1 is upgrading at quarterback. Jarrett Guarantano improved but still only topped 200 yards in four games, and rising sophomore Brian Maurer isn't a sure thing.

At the very worst, King is a high-upside player and would benefit an offense that desperately needs it.

          

Arkansas Razorbacks

In 2019, Arkansas started five quarterbacks. Do you need to know anything else?

The quintet combined to rank 123rd nationally at 5.7 yards per attempt and 126th with a 49.6 completion percentage. They tossed 14 touchdowns to 15 interceptions, ending as one of 11 FBS teams with a negative TD-to-INT ratio.

That's awful.

King could settle the revolving door in Fayetteville while also reconnecting with Kendal Briles, who served as Houston's offensive coordinator during the quarterback's prolific 2018.

          

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

   

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