USF signs another quarterback and seeks to keep another one committed

USF's football roster for 2026 season continues to evolve as the Bulls received a commitment from quarterback Jayden Bradford. He was recruited by multiple power conference teams coming out the IMG Academy in Bradenton before signing with Liberty University.

In two seasons there, he threw one pass.

So, why would USF be interested enough to offer a player with that meager stat line a place on the team? Go back two years, and it was a different story. He fits the profile of many of the players new head coach Brian Hartline has signed through the Transfer Portal. Hartline has brought in multiple players who were highly rated in high school but never quite lived up to the hype at their original schools.

That describes Bradford's journey so far.

On3.com called him "a compact gunslinger who can get the ball out in a hurry and consistently move the chains with his legs." He was offered scholarships to Penn State, South Carolina, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, and many others.

When he signed with Liberty, Outkick.com called him, "the highest-ranked recruit in program history."

However, upon arrival at Liberty he red-shirted in 2024, and he had surgery for an undisclosed injury that required multiple months of recovery time. He sat out the 2025 spring game and fell behind some incumbents on the roster.

Meanwhile, Hartline is working to solidify the commitment of Miami Central High quarterback James Perrone in the Class of 2027. It sounds like he's making progress.

Perrone, who transferred to Central from Miami Southridge following the 2025 season, originally committed tto former USF coach Alex Golesh. So far, he's sticking to his pledge to join the Bulls despite the coaching change.

“I was obviously shocked, and it sucked at first, but they had a nice rebound with Coach Hartline, so I’m definitely excited about him. I do like USF a lot," he told On3.

"I’m not sure where my commitment stands. I did talk to Coach Hartline, and he told me that they are very excited about me and they want to keep building a relationship.”

Other schools are still trying to change his mind. Earlier in the week, he reportedly worked out for new Virginia Tech coach James Franklin. National Signing Day is February 4.

Along with Bradford, USF now has four rostered quarterbacks -- Luke Kromenhoek, Michael Van Buren, and KJ Cooper.

A USF spokesman said that Sam Fenton, who until this week was the lone holdover from 2025, will not be returning to the team.