poised Holy Cross QB with real DI experience, but the injury bug paused his rise
In the 2025 season, Cal Swanson gave Holy Cross a dual-threat look in six starts before a season-ending injury, throwing for 1,021 yards, 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions while completing 52.8% of his passes[1][10][15]. His differentiators are size (6-foot-3, 210), prior Power Four development at Illinois, and legit recruiting pedigree as a three-star prospect, which gives him a higher ceiling than a typical FCS transfer[1][14]. The caution flag: efficiency was uneven, and durability is now part of the scouting report[10][15]. If you want a QB with upside, maturity and a live arm, he’s interesting; if you need a polished, fully proven distributor right now, he still has something to prove[1][10].
