Early last week, all-time leading passer Jaden Craig ’26 declared his intention to transfer to Texas Christian University after graduating from the College in December, making waves in both the FCS and FBS realms of college football.

The notion of an Ivy League passer getting a shot to play for TCU — a team that just three years ago played in a national championship game at the highest level of college football — appears improbable to some in the college football world. However, as Craig begins to grow accustomed to the Horned Frogs’ program, with which he will conclude his collegiate career, many members involved in the transfer said they were extremely excited.

In an exclusive statement to The Crimson shortly after the move was finalized, TCU Head Coach Sonny Dykes praised Craig immensely.

“Jaden is going to be a great addition to our program,” he said.

“As a person, he’s a high-character young man who will fit in well with our culture,” added Dykes, the 2022 AP Coach of the Year. “As a quarterback, he makes good decisions with the football and processes what a defense is trying to do against him very quickly.”

TCU’s athletic director Mike Buddie also made it clear in an interview with The Crimson that while Craig may not have been as high-profile a name as some others in the transfer portal, the Horned Frogs’ coaching staff was not concerned about his ability to make substantial contributions to the team.

“We’re not going to outspend some of these gigantic public schools that seemingly have unlimited resources,” Buddie said. “We’ve had success finding the right person for the role, whether they’re highly touted or not.

“When we see something that is a fit, we’re committed and convicted to making that work and giving them all the resources and putting them in a position to be successful,” he added.

Buddie also pointed out that TCU’s coaching staff was not daunted by a potential jump in Craig’s competition from the Ancient Eight to the Big 12.

“Some people might be a little bit hesitant to invest or believe that an Ivy League competitor can make that jump to the Big 12,” Buddie said. “We didn’t see any of those hurdles or have any of those concerns, because good athletes and high levels of IQ and on-field knowledge can translate to any level.”

Three of the top four quarterbacks in the transfer portal have also agreed to join schools in the Big 12. Next year, there is no doubt that many NFL scouts’ eyes will be on Craig’s new conference.

Craig — who sat in the top 10 of Mel Kiper’s NFL draft board as late as December — had an opportunity to declare for the draft this year and likely be a mid-to-late round selection. Instead, he announced his decision to enter the transfer portal shortly after Thanksgiving.

He touched on the role that increased competition played in his decision to transfer to a power conference in an exclusive interview with The Crimson. He hopes that success against Big 12 and FBS opponents will convince NFL scouts that he is fully ready for the professional level.

“There’s a big question mark about competition, the guys I was playing against, so jumping to a power conference takes care of that question mark,” said Craig, a two-time Walter Payton Award finalist.

“It doesn’t matter what team I’m on, I’m still gonna be able to make every throw as a quarterback,” he added.

Entering the portal as a top-20 quarterback according to 247 Sports’ rankings, Craig likely received interest from a plethora of FBS powerhouses. However, his trip to Fort Worth was both his first and last official visit of the transfer window, as it became clear that he wanted to become a Horned Frog.

“It felt like a family right away, which was super important to me,” Craig said. “There’s so many people that I can learn from to develop and get better as a man and as a player, and that was my ultimate goal.”

“I just felt like there was just a lot more development, both mentally and physically, that I wanted to achieve before making that step, that jump to the NFL, and I think with the coaches, trainers, nutritionist and everything at TCU, I’ll be able to maximize that and really get myself ready for the next level,” he added.

After a full semester to get acclimated to his new home, Craig is expected to start TCU’s 2026 season opener against eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick and the University of North Carolina on Aug. 29 in Dublin.

—Staff writer Connor Castañeda can be reached at [email protected].

—Staff writer Samuel S. Rudavsky can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @samrudavsky.