Colorado State adds quarterback transfer K.J. Carta-Samuels from Washington

A new quarterback has joined the mix for the CSU football program.

It was no secret coach Mike Bobo would likely add a graduate transfer quarterback in the wake of presumed starter Collin Hill tearing his ACL earlier in March.

An addition became official Sunday with a quarterback Colorado State University has been pursuing for months before Hill's injury signing with the Rams.

CSU announced that Washington’s K.J. Carta-Samuels is joining the team as a graduate transfer.

"We watched his high school film, he ran a non-traditional offense. He was a bit of a runner in high school," Bobo said after CSU's fourth spring practice Sunday.

"We've got cut-ups from all his practices at Washington. Coach (Chris) Peterson actually called about him a couple months ago and said he had interest in Colorado State."

He has one season of eligibility and can play in 2018. He'll enroll at CSU for the summer semester. Carta-Samuels originally planned to enroll at UCLA, with the school announcing his transfer in February and coach Chip Kelly has discussed Carta-Samuels impeding arrival during spring ball. It was a non-binding agreement he signed, allowing the switch to CSU.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback spent 2014-17 at Washington, where he was the backup to Jake Browning. Carta-Samuels completed 27 of 47 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns at Washington.

"I saw a guy that's athletic, has a quick release, ability to make plays with his legs and with his arm," Bobo said.

More: CSU football's top QB, for now, is J.C. Robles

He was rated as the No. 10 pro-style quarterback by Rivals out of Bellarmine Prep High School in California and was rated as a four-star recruit.

Carta-Samuels’ older brother, Austyn, played at Wyoming before transferring to Vanderbilt in 2013. His sister, Gabby, plays volleyball at the University of Colorado.

He joins the competition to likely be CSU’s starting quarterback in 2018. Hill hasn’t been ruled out for the season but an ACL recovery can take six to 12 months. It’s Hill’s second tear of his left ACL.

Carta-Samuels joins J.C. Robles and Justice McCoy as scholarship quarterbacks for the Rams. Judd Erickson is entering his second season with CSU as a walk-on. The Rams also added a walk-on, Salvetti D’Ascoli, in the spring.

Robles is the only quarterback in spring practices who has played a college game and has thrown one career pass.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.

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