Johnson C. Smith may have landed one of the CIAA’s most intriguing transfer portal additions of the spring.
The Golden Bulls added former UCLA quarterback Parker McQuarrie, a 6-foot-7 signal caller who entered college football as a highly regarded four-star prospect before taking a winding path through the COVID-era transfer landscape.
McQuarrie originally signed with UCLA in 2020 and later spent time at Independence Community College in Kansas and then the University of New Haven.
He announced on social media Sunday, May 10 that he will join a Johnson C. Smith program coming off its first CIAA championship since 1969.
The New Hampshire native was rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals coming out of high school and held offers from programs like Miami, Michigan, Rutgers and UMass before committing to UCLA in April 2019.
Committed to play QB at Johnson C. Smith University to finish my college career with 2 seasons left! pic.twitter.com/lxnE6qfAz2 — Parker McQuarrie (@PBMcQuarrie) May 10, 2026
McQuarrie did not record any game statistics during two seasons with the Bruins before entering the transfer portal in 2022.
New Haven is moving up from Division II to Division I FCS in 2026. McQuarrie cited “scheduling uncertainty” during New Haven’s transition as a main reason for entering the portal this spring.
Johnson C. Smith finished a highly competitive spring earlier this month and saw quarterbacks Andrew Attmore II and Trooper Floyd enter the portal shortly thereafter. Floyd has already committed to Albany State.
The Golden Bulls appear to be taking a swing at McQuarrie’s upside despite his lack of production at the college level. The pro style quarterback has at least one year of eligibility remaining and possibly two.
McQuarrie has been a team captain at previous stops and is an honor roll student.
Recruiting analysts wrote glowing evaluations of him when he was a prep prospect. Brian Dohn of 247Sports projected McQuarrie as a Power Four Starter back in 2018 and compared him to Nate Sudfeld, who was drafted by Washington in 2016.
McQuarrie also reported an offer from Wingate back in January.
FCS transfer Josh Jackson (Central Connecticut State) is the only other quarterback on Johnson C. Smith’s roster coming out of spring drills as the Golden Bulls reload for another run at a CIAA title.
Last year’s starter, Kelvin Durham, has exhausted his eligibility. Durham transferred in from Fort Valley State for his final season. He threw for 2,686 yards and 22 touchdowns during the Golden Bulls’ magical 10-2 run, which ended in the first round of the D2 playoffs.
Whether McQuarrie ultimately develops into Johnson C. Smith’s next starting quarterback or a regular contributor remains to be seen. But the Golden Bulls have added another interesting piece to a roster trying to prove last season’s CIAA championship run was only the beginning.
👉 Explore our North Carolina D2 Football Transfer Tracker for more information on players coming to and leaving our state’s Division II programs.
