Sac State football signs 3 QBs from transfer portal, including a familiar face
The Sacramento State Hornets struggled mightily in 2025 at the one position a playoff contender cannot afford to have struggles: quarterback.
This week, the football program addressed that concern and, suddenly, Sac State’s strength may include the quarterback room.
The Hornets have signed three signal callers through the transfer portal, including Carson Conklin. The Southern California native has come full circle in an effort to reboot his career and that of Sac State. The Hornets are coming off a frustrating 7-5 campaign that led to one-and-done coach Brennan Marion leaving to become offensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes, thus ushering in the Alonzo Carter coaching era.
Carter confirmed to The Sacramento Bee that the Hornets signed him after a season at Fresno State. Conklin in 2024 for Sac State passed for 2,876 yards and 28 touchdowns, and he was third in the Jerry Rice Award race that honors the top freshman player in FCS. Conklin also earned freshman All-American honors.
Conklin has long had a good rapport with Bobby Fresques, the Hornets’ quarterbacks coach then and now. Sac State opens the 2026 season at Fresno State.
Sac State also signed Jackson Sharman from Idaho State and Jaylen Patterson from New Mexico State. Fresques said of Conklin, “It’s all about relationships. Conklin is my guy.” He added of Sharman that “he is the real deal” and that Patterson “has a ton of talent.”
Sharman appeared in seven games at Idaho State, passing for 169 yards. He is a native of Southern California. He has two years of eligibility left. A dual-threat from Southern California, Patterson redshirted at New Mexico State in 2025.
More new Hornets
Other Sac State signings include:
- Dante Antonini, a defensive back who played the 2024 and 2025 seasons at Santa Rosa Junior College. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
- Austin Chambers, who started his collegiate career at Auburn and played the 2025 season at Iowa Central Community College. He has three years of eligibility.
- Matt Coleman, a receiver from San Jose State who played in 36 games for the Spartans, including catching 34 passes for 401 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. He has two years of eligibility.
- Jamin Guilbert, an offensive lineman from nearby American River College with two years of eligibility remaining.
- Collin Kallhoff, a defensive lineman who played two seasons at Iowa Central Community College with two years of eligibility left.
- Nikko Klemm, a defensive back from Arizona State with three years of eligibility remaining.
- Qualyn McQueen, a defensive back who played at two junior colleges and at Nebraska Kearney in 2025. He has one season of eligibility.
- Cincere Rhaney, a running back from San Diego State who starred as a prep in Los Angeles, where he rushed for 4,603 yards and 50 touchdowns. He has four years of eligibility left.
- Kellan Sutton, a long snapper on the offensive line out of Southern California who helped the College of San Mateo win back-to-back state community college championships. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
- Khai Taylor, a receiver who started his collegiate career at Boise State after he was a three-star recruit at Pittsburg High in Contra Costa County. He earned All-Region honors at Diablo Valley College in the Bay Area in 2025 and has three years of eligibility remaining.
This story was originally published January 15, 2026 at 11:13 AM.