NCAA football transfer portal: elite recruits, major commitments, and future prospects
On Monday at midnight, the college football transfer portal went live. More than 1,500 players have since used the portal to transfer to a different school.
QBs Riley Leonard, Dillon Gabriel, DJ Uiagalelei, and others are among those players. One of the best rushers in the SEC, Trevor Etienne, and former Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen, a former No. 1 overall recruit, are also in the mix.
There are also a lot of decisions to be made. Of the transfer quarterbacks ranked in the top five, only five have committed to a new school. The other big names are scheduling official visits and considering their options.
After the first few days of the portal’s opening, you should be aware of the following:
Since November, the Aggies have lost 12 players through the transfer portal, most of them were well-known players.
The 2022 class’ top recruit, defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who joined the portal on Wednesday, was the biggest of all. This season, Nolen totaled 37 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks. His loss will be felt greatly by the offensive line.
On Wednesday, Overton became the second recruit in the top 10 of the Aggies’ top-ranked 2022 recruiting class to access the portal. Even though Overton didn’t have a great season, his departure leaves a significant void.
The Aggies also saw quarterback Max Johnson, tight end Jake Johnson, receiver Raymond Cottrell, and true freshman offensive lineman Chase Bisontis, a 12-game starter at right tackle, enter the portal in addition to the defensive linemen.
The program has lost a ton of talent in just two seasons when you combine those players with the 32 Aggies in the portal during the 2022 offseason.
Beavers from Oregon State
Following the Beavers’ head coach Jonathan Smith’s departure to Michigan State, a number of important players entered the portal.
Both DJ Uiagalelei, the quarterback, and Aidan Chiles, the freshman quarterback and a top recruit in the 2023 class, submitted their names. After those exits, the incoming staff will need to start over at quarterback.
This past season, Jermod McCoy, a cornerback, tied the team record for most interceptions with two. 31 tackles and seven pass breakups were his stats.
Safety Akili Arnold, who was fourth on the team in tackles with sixty, and who also had two interceptions with six pass breakups this season, has joined him in the portal. One of the team’s biggest defensive losses is linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Arnold’s brother, who is also listed in the portal.
With 107 total tackles, Mascarenas-Arnold led the Pac-12. He also had two sacks, two interceptions, and 6.5 tackles for loss.
Smaller programs may find it challenging to run the portal when blue bloods steal their best players. Given that 17 players have joined since November, Vanderbilt may have a problem with that.
Ken Seals and AJ Swann, two quarterbacks who have combined for 2,640 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions this season, are among them.
The three best receivers on the team—Jaden McGowan, who caught 383 yards this season, Will Sheppard, who finished with 684 yards and eight touchdowns, and rookie London Humphreys, who finished with 439 yards and four touchdowns—join them.
Patrick Smith, the team’s second-leading rusher with 327 yards and two touchdowns, was also gone.
Vanderbilt lost defensive end Nate Clifton, who finished the season with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, as well as safety De’Rickey Wright, who had two interceptions and three pass breakups.
For a university like Vanderbilt to replace in one offseason, that is a significant amount of production.
Although many of the elite players haven’t yet been selected, there has been early movement that will affect teams for the upcoming campaign.
Teddye Buchanan of UC Davis, one of the best linebackers in the portal, committed to Cal. After placing low in most categories in 2023, the Bears needed help on defense. With Buchanan, they will have a reliable, experienced linebacker who has demonstrated success in recent seasons. He finished 2023 with 3 interceptions, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 71 tackles overall. He should have a significant impact the following season.
In 2023, Missouri had a fantastic season, going 10-2 overall and ranking No. 9 in the College Football Playoff standings. The roster that coach Eli Drinkwitz has assembled has been solid, and now the Tigers can add a few players from the portal to help cover gaps.
Toriano Pride Jr., a Clemson cornerback transfer, committed to them this week. Pride recorded 22 tackles, five pass breakups, and one interception in 2022 as a true freshman. Although his stats were down this season, he was still a good addition to a rising team and should provide assistance in the secondary next year.
Last year, Notre Dame made waves in the portal when they acquired quarterback Sam Hartman. But not
With 1,118 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, Mitchell led the team in both categories this season. His yards per catch averaged 17.47. Mitchell is a welcome addition to Notre Dame’s receiving group, which was led by Chris Tyree (484 yards) and Jaden Greathouse (five touchdowns) in the previous season.
Continuing with the offensive approach, Tyler Shough, a transfer from Texas Tech, helped Louisville begin to stack the QB deck. The Cardinals are trying to find a replacement for Jack Plummer, and Jeff Brohm, the head coach, and Shough seem like a good fit.
Shough can succeed in an offense that relies heavily on passes because he has experience playing in one.
This week, Kentucky also added a new quarterback. Former ESPN 300 quarterback Brock Vandagriff pledged to the Wildcats. Despite sitting behind several quarterbacks at Georgia, he is a former top-40 recruit who hasn’t yet demonstrated his abilities at the collegiate level.
Devin Leary, who transferred in before the previous season, is being replaced by someone for the Wildcats.
Max Brosmer, a talented quarterback who transferred from New Hampshire, was another addition made by Minnesota. Although not a household name, Brosmer led the FCS in passing yards this season with 3,464 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
As starter Athan Kaliakmanis enters the transfer portal, Brosmer will help the Gophers significantly in 2024.
Although Shough, Vandagriff, and Brosmer are no longer available, there are still a few quarterbacks that are in great demand.
Teams with a limited number of quarterbacks available and several signal-callers being courted by multiple schools could find themselves in a musical chairs situation.
Transfer to Oklahoma Bo Nix’s eligibility has expired, so Dillon Gabriel, who has been connected to Oregon, would be a fantastic addition. If Gabriel ends up in the Big Ten, he can help the Oregon staff transition to a new quarterback position while also offering an experienced and highly productive quarterback.
In addition, Dante Moore, a UCLA transfer, might end up in Oregon. Although he had a mixed season as a true freshman in 2023, he was a five-star recruit in the 2023 class and is still regarded as one of the best players available.
