Whether it is players joining rosters or new entries into the portal seeking fresh opportunities, player movement was a key storyline of the 2023 season. The portal continues to affect the landscape as the 2024 recruiting cycle winds down.
The rankings for the top recruiting classes across the country have taken shape, but quantifying the portal's impact on various programs can be difficult. Schools take different approaches to building their rosters, with some leaning more heavily on the portal than others, so portal rankings alone often don't tell the whole story.
With the initial portal window closed, this is the perfect time to look at 10 classes that made the biggest impact with transfers.
More coverage:
Top QBs in the portal | Top 75 portal players
1. Ole Miss Rebels
Despite the portal's brief existence, Lane Kiffin has made a mark with the additions of QB Jaxson Dart, WR Tre Harris and LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste. His moves this year are creating 2024 playoff buzz for the Rebels. The excitement stems from potential impact additions on defense. Ole Miss pulled from within the SEC to land former Texas A&M DT Walter Nolen, who is an explosive interior defender who was previously ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the 2022 class. The Rebels also added Princely Umanmielen after he notched seven sacks as a junior with Florida. Already an early-round draft candidate, Umanmielen immediately gives Ole Miss one of the top edge defenders in the conference as he works to further raise his profile. The Rebels added additional SEC experience to their front seven in Tennessee DL Tyler Baron and Arkansas LB Chris Paul Jr., who was among the Razorbacks' leading tacklers. The Rebels are also poised to add multiple experienced and productive players to their secondary. There are some notable offensive performers arriving as well, headlined by receiver Antwane Wells Jr., who was South Carolina's primary target in 2022 with 68 catches for 926 yards and six touchdowns.
2. Louisville Cardinals
After contending for the ACC title in 2023, the Cardinals hit the portal to reload and make another run in 2024. They're hoping to replicate their success in the portal at quarterback after bringing in Jack Plummer in 2023. Louisville added QB Tyler Shough, who brings starting experience with stops at Texas Tech and Oregon. The Cardinals have several offensive additions, including two productive tight ends in Mark Redman, a two-time second-team All-Mountain West selection at San Diego State, and Tanner Koziol, who at 6-foot-7, 240 pounds can contribute in the run game and as a receiver after making 34 catches this season with Ball State. Ja'Corey Brooks, a 2021 ESPN 300 WR, saw limited action this year with Alabama but flashed in 2022, catching 39 passes for 674 yards and eight touchdowns. South Alabama transfer receiver Caullin Lacy had far less fanfare entering college, but he arrives in Louisville coming off a big 2023 campaign when he caught 91 passes for 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns. Lacy was a first-team all-conference selection.
3. Colorado Buffaloes
The Buffaloes took college football by storm with their fast start, but Deion Sanders is looking to rebuild and cultivate more consistency within his program as he heads back to the transfer portal. The offensive line was a glaring need. Colorado won a big battle on the high school recruiting trail, landing five-star OL Jordan Seaton. The No. 1 offensive lineman will likely experience some growing pains but could be a plug-and-play addition, much like 2023 five-star Kadyn Proctor at Alabama this season. While that signing creates great promise, transfers are needed to revamp Colorado's line. It already has several on board. Houston transfer Tyler Johnson was an all-conference performer who allowed just one sack in 2022 and should immediately upgrade the interior line. The Buffaloes fielded some explosive playmakers in 2023 but are losing receiver Xavier Weaver. Vanderbilt transfer Will Sheppard, who has more than 2,000 career yards and caught 47 passes for 684 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023, is a top option.
4. TCU Horned Frogs
The Horned Frogs took a step backward after their national title appearance in 2022 but are working to quickly retool and return as a Big 12 contender in 2024. They have addressed multiple positions via the portal, including receiver, where they landed ESPN 300 prospect Braylon James. After a short stint at Notre Dame with limited production, he returns home to Texas and gives TCU a rangy target with good speed and big play potential and plenty of time to maximize his potential. Former Baylor tight end Drake Dabney gives TCU a player with experience in the conference where he was among the Bears' leaders in receptions and receiving touchdowns. TCU has done well with multiple offensive line additions, including Cade Bennett and Carson Bruno, who arrive with over 20 starts apiece. TCU is trying to bolster its defense as well. The Frogs landed Tulsa safety Jaise Oliver and former Tulane defensive lineman Devean Deal. Linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr was a big addition on defense as he led the Golden Bears in tackles this season and should be able to contribute immediately.
5. NC State Wolfpack
The Wolfpack signed one of the more underrated recruiting classes and just missed the top 25. In addition to a strong group of high school prospects, they've made notable additions via the portal. They had a collection of young quarterbacks behind grad transfer Brennan Armstrong in 2023. NC State returned to the portal and landed Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall. He battled injuries in 2023 but was productive overall while leading the Chanticleers, throwing for over 10,000 yards and rushing for over 1,000. The Wolfpack then landed Duke's leading rusher, Jordan Waters, who ran for 123 yards against NC State. He can be a nice complement to emerging young offensive players Kendrick Raphael and the versatile Kevin Concepcion. Further adding to its offense, NC State obtained one of the top offensive linemen in the portal in Zeke Correll, who brings valuable experience with over 30 starts while at Notre Dame.
6. Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders won four of their last five games, including their bowl game, and are trying to carry that momentum into 2024. They signed a top-25 recruiting class that includes their highest-ranked recruit in the ESPN 300 era, WR Micah Hudson, and Texas Tech is also actively adding talent via the portal. Offensively, the Red Raiders are poised to return key contributors in QB Behren Morton and RB Tahj Brooks and are adding several more players on that side of the ball with transfers. QB Cameran Brown arrives from West Georgia, where he was the Gulf Shore Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year and provides Texas Tech a dual-threat player with several seasons of eligibility to develop. The arrival of the speedy five-star Hudson will generate plenty of excitement, but grad transfer Joshua Kelly brings experience and proven production after stops at Fresno State and most recently Washington State, where he had 61 catches for over 900 yards. They also added two of the better tight ends in the portal in Jalin Conyers and Johncarlos Miller II.
7. Kentucky Wildcats
The Wildcats signed four-star, in-state QB Cutter Boley in their 2024 class, but they also addressed the position in the portal by landing two quarterbacks. Most notably, 2021 ESPN 300 QB Brock Vandagriff arrives after being a backup at Georgia and is expected to take over Kentucky's offense with former portal pickup Devin Leary moving on. Vandagriff was a touted prospect out of high school with a strong arm and good mobility who completed roughly 70% of his passes for over 6,000 yards in his final two prep seasons. Kentucky is hoping he taps into the talent he displayed as a high school prospect and fuels its offense. While Kentucky will lose productive 2023 transfer Tayvion Robinson, it will try to replace him with Ja'Mori Maclin, who arrives after a successful tenure at North Texas, including over 1,000 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns this season. Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson is a big defensive pickup for the Wildcats. He started for Georgia and was productive during its 2022 title run.
8. Missouri Tigers
Coming off an 11-2 season, the Tigers signed a top-25 recruiting class and strong portal additions are fueling optimism for 2024. With running back Cody Schrader moving on, Missouri is bringing in Marcus Carroll to help replace some of the ground production. Carroll was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection at Georgia State and rushed for 1,350 yards this past season. The Tigers claimed a key in-state victory on the recruiting trail this cycle when they landed five-star DL Williams Nwaneri. After losing the state's No. 2-ranked player Cayden Green to Oklahoma last year, Mizzou brought him home via the portal. After a short stay with the Sooners, the lengthy interior offensive lineman gives the Tigers one of the top big men from the 2023 class with several years of eligibility left to further develop and help power their run game. Toriano Pride Jr., a four-star out of East St. Louis who signed with Clemson in the 2022 class, returns closer to home as well and is a good addition to the secondary.
9. Oregon Ducks
Transfer portal success is not measured by sheer numbers, but rather the ability to address needs and supplement a roster. That's exactly what the Ducks are doing. Oregon shouldn't need to overhaul its roster via the portal considering the Ducks signed a top-five recruiting class and signed the No. 8 class last cycle. Still, the Ducks made moves to strengthen their team. With Heisman finalist quarterback Bo Nix moving on, Oregon went back to the portal and landed two more quarterbacks. Dillon Gabriel has been productive at previous stops with Oklahoma and UCF and brings a wealth of experience. He can act as a bridge as they develop 2023 five-star Dante Moore, who is transferring from UCLA. Moore was a one-time Oregon commit but flipped to UCLA late in the 2023 cycle. He still possesses elite skills and has eligibility, making him an ideal candidate to be the Ducks' future QB. Offensive linemen are always at a premium and Matthew Bedford is a strong pickup. He has limited eligibility but brings starting experience and valuable versatility from his time with Indiana, having logged starts at four of the five spots on the offensive line. He should immediately improve depth.
10. Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue is preparing for a new-look Big Ten while hoping to take a step forward in Year 2 under Ryan Walters. Purdue has a class that sits in the top half of the conference and includes promising portal additions. The Boilermakers lost their top two pass-catchers from 2023, but they bring in Kam Brown, who should quickly contribute after stops at Texas A&M and more recently UCLA. RB Reggie Love III jumps over from Illinois, where he had been a productive contributor. Defensively, the Boilermakers lose one of their top pass-rushers but return Kydran Jenkins and add grad transfer Shitta Sillah, an edge defender from Boston College who should replace some of the production lost on a defense that was effective getting after the quarterback. Purdue benefited from several Georgia players entering the portal, adding multiple Bulldogs, including Nyland Green. An ESPN 300 cornerback prospect in 2021, Green couldn't seize a starting job at Georgia, but was a contributor and should assume a larger role in the Boilermakers' secondary with two years of eligibility remaining.