Top-15 transfer QB Marcus Stokes to visit Syracuse football early next month

Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown has said that the Orange will be active in the transfer portal regarding the team's quarterback room, and one new development reinforces that.

According to several media reports, West Florida transfer quarterback Marcus Stokes plans to visit the 'Cuse during the weekend of January 3. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Stokes, a three-star transfer prospect from St. Augustine, Fla., is a redshirt sophomore at Division II West Florida. He is expected to have two years of collegiate eligibility left.

On December 5, On3's Pete Nakos reported that Syracuse football was among numerous teams to reach out to Stokes. Now he's set to visit the Hill in the coming weeks.

Stokes entered the portal on December 3, as Division II football squads don't have a specific transfer portal window. The transfer portal for Division I teams at the FBS and FCS levels will run from January 2 to January 16.

Syracuse football will host 3-star transfer QB Marcus Stokes on a visit in early January.

In the 2025 season, West Florida went 10-2 overall. Stokes, a one-time verbal commit of the Florida Gators, this past campaign completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 3,297 yards with 30 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. On the ground, Stokes rushed 82 times for 367 yards and 10 scores.

He is one of eight finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is given out annually to the top Division II player. The winner, by the way, will be announced on Friday, Dec. 19. Last month, Stokes was named the 2025 Gulf South Conference offensive player of the year.

As a prep recruit in the 2023 cycle, he was a four-star prospect out of Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. When I wrote this article on Thursday afternoon, in its national transfer rankings, 247Sports placed Stokes as three stars, No. 89 overall and No. 12 at quarterback.

This past term, Syracuse football went 3-9. The team lost its final eight games, and a big issue was quarterback play after redshirt junior Steve Angeli went down with a season-ending injury in September.

Brown has said he anticipates his 2026 QB room will feature Angeli, two transfers and 2026 three-star prospect Zaid Lott out of the Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C. On Wednesday, Orange freshman quarterback Luke Carney said the plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens early next month. Redshirt freshman quarterback Jakhari Williams announced similar plans on December 13.

The Orange's quarterback room in 2025 also included redshirt sophomore Rickie Collins, freshman Joseph Filardi and freshman Rich Belin.