You’re a college football coach and you sign a five-star quarterback out of high school. You’re set at the position for the foreseeable future, right?

Think again.

There have never been more ways to scout young quarterbacks — from Elite 11 camps to seven-on-seven tournaments to on-campus showcases — yet it remains the most difficult position to evaluate in the sport.

There have never been more ways to scout young quarterbacks — from Elite 11 camps to seven-on-seven tournaments to on-campus showcases — yet it remains the most difficult position to evaluate in the sport.

Even among the best of the best, there are more misses than hits.

Of the 31 five-star quarterbacks in the 10 recruiting cycles from 2014 through 2023, 20 transferred at least one time and five transferred at least twice. And in the current climate — with NIL and immediate eligibility for transfers — those numbers are showing no signs of slowing down.

Here’s the most telling stat: Only nine of those 31 five-stars started at least two seasons for the school they signed with (though Nico Iamaleava will join that list next season assuming he remains at Tennessee).

Here’s a look at the journeys of each of the five-star quarterbacks signed during that 10-year span.

Kyle Allen, a Scottsdale, Ariz., native, signed with Texas A&M and started 14 games over his two seasons with the Aggies. He supplanted Kenny Hill as the starter in 2014 and was benched for Kyler Murray at one point in 2015. Allen transferred to Houston and earned the starting role for the Cougars in 2017 but was benched early that season. Despite being undrafted, Allen has started 19 NFL games and has attempted more passes in the pros (705) than in college (580).

Josh Rosen, who starred at St. John Bosco in Southern California, won the starting job at UCLA as a true freshman and passed for 9,341 yards with 59 touchdowns and 26 interceptions in three seasons with the Bruins. He was selected 10th overall by Arizona in the 2018 NFL Draft and started 13 games as a rookie. The Cardinals, however, drafted Kyler Murray No. 1 overall the next year and traded Rosen to Miami. He is now out of the NFL.