College football’s first — and most significant — transfer portal window closed last week.
Although the quarterback transfer market hasn’t been as exciting as last year, the numbers – 2,729 players entered the portal this December compared to 1,617 last December – and the names – cornerback Travis Hunter (Jackson State to Colorado) were wide under they were receivers Dominic Lovett (Missouri to Georgia), Edge Dasan McCullough (Indiana to Oklahoma), running back Carson Steele (Ball State to UCLA), and quarterback Sam Hartman (Wake Forest to Notre Dame).
The portal is now closed until May 1st, so it’s time to evaluate which teams performed best. I’ve spoken to coaches and HR directors, including at the American Football Coaches Association Convention earlier this month, to rank the biggest early-cycle Portal winners.
Here are eight teams they picked.
No program has generated more enthusiasm for its portal capabilities than Florida State, even from coaches outside of the ACC. The portal has become a focal point for the Seminoles, who have drawn on multiple transfers from last winter — defensive end Jared Verse (Albany), wide receiver Johnny Wilson (Arizona State), running back Trey Benson (Oregon) — to get theirs Record making first 10-win season since 2016.
FSU was active again, attracting potential differentiators from both the Group 5 and Power 5 programs, including some from the ACC.
The Seminoles reinforced their offensive line with UTEP’s Jeremiah Byers and Auburn’s Keiondre Jones. They found verse on the defensive front with West Michigan’s Braden Fiske, who lost six sacks and 12 tackles last season, and South Carolina’s Gilber Edmond. FSU added tight end Jaheim Bell, who had 55 receptions and seven touchdowns over the past two seasons in South Carolina.
An ACC coordinator said that while Clemson remains the most talented team in the league overall, FSU is closing the gap.
“Florida State did a great job as the second best team,” said the coach. “The FSU made theirs through the transfer portal.”
After back-to-back appearances in the college football playoffs, Michigan has emerged as a team to watch on the portal. Michigan high school recruiting has been solid, not spectacular, but the team has made waves with their signings. This year’s group includes offensive tackles LaDarius Henderson (Arizona State) and Myles Hinton (Stanford), who join a group that has won back-to-back Joe Moore Awards for the nation’s top line. Tight end AJ Barner, an Indiana captain, adds some depth after Luke Schoonmaker’s NFL loss.
“Michigan did a great job supporting offensive lines,” said a Power 5 human resources director. “You know what you’re going to get with LaDarius Henderson and the Hinton kid. They may be better than the guys they have now.”
The Wolverines also turned to their defense, adding Coastal Carolina’s pass rusher Josaiah Stewart and linebacker Ernest Hausmann, who started the games as a true freshman in Nebraska. A Big Ten assistant said Hausmann is one of the best linebackers available on the portal.
“They’ve done a pretty good job with some important people,” said a Big Ten human resources director. “They’ve gotten pretty heavy. It will be interesting – the dynamics of the dressing room with the current guys, that’s always a problem. But they got some good pickups.”
Few coaches are surprised the Sooners hit hard after their first losing season since 1998. Oklahoma addressed both sides of the ball, but especially a defense that needed talent after ranking 89th in points allowed and 82nd in yards allowed per game nationally.
“They struggled so badly last year,” said a Big-12 aide. “The portal, if you do it right, it can change things. You have a firm grip on the portal.”
The coaches expect edge rusher Dasan McCullough, a transfer from Indiana, to impact the session immediately. Oklahoma emphasized its defensive line in the portal, adding the Oklahoma State end Trace Ford, Wake Forest end Rondell Bothroyd and Notre Dame against Jacob Lacey. Former Sooners tight end Austin Stogner will return after a season in South Carolina, where he had 20 receptions. Wide receiver is an area that Oklahoma will likely continue to portal track when it reopens.
The Bruins will likely never win signing day under coach Chip Kelly, although high school recruits like 2023 quarterback Dante Moore are notable. UCLA has a much stronger position in the portal. Transfers like wide receiver Jake Bobo (Duke), edge Laiatu Latu (Washington) and cornerback Jaylin Davies played key roles in the team’s 9-4 record last season.
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UCLA continues to thrive on the portal this winter. The team went to the MAC for star running back Carson Steele (Ball State) and quarterback Collin Schlee (Kent State). Steele had 1,556 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns last season. UCLA stayed in the Pac-12 for a significant addition at receiver with J. Michael Sturdivant, who had 65 receptions for 755 yards and seven touchdowns at Cal, and also added crosstown rival USC’s Kyle Ford (20 receptions, 365 yards in year 2022). ). Another intriguing addition is Oregon’s Moliki Matavao, a 2021 ESPN 300 recruit.
“You did a good job with this guy,” said a Pac-12 personnel director.
UCLA added some running back depth alongside Steele with Army’s Anthony Adkins and bolstered their defense with Cals Oluwafemi Oladejo and safety Jordan Anderson, a perennial starter at Bowling Green.
“They filled some needs,” said a Power 5 human resources director. “I’ve heard a lot about them on the West Coast.”
LSU will always be one of the best positioned programs for top high school players, especially from the state. But the team struggled with the roster during its recent coaching change, hitting the portal for quarterback Jayden Daniels (Arizona State), defenseman Mekhi Wingo (Missouri), cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse (Oklahoma State) and others. The roster is in better shape now, and LSU signed ESPN’s Recruiting Class #7, but also continued to grow the portal.
Top signings include linebacker Omar Speights, who earned Oregon State’s 2022 All-Pac 12 first-team honors, as well as defensemen Duce Chestnut (Syracuse), Denver Harris (Texas A&M) and JK Johnson (Ohio State) . LSU also reinforced its defensive line with Ovie Oghoufo (Texas), Jordan Jefferson (West Virginia) and Jalen Lee (Florida).
“Maybe that’s not what Brian Kelly wants to do, but last year they got exhausted and they took a bunch of kids off the portal,” said an SEC coordinator. “This year they’re taking a lot of kids off the portal. It’s kind of like one of those endless cycles where once you’ve done it you have to keep doing it to refill. LSU might be a bit different where you can get some blue chips that can help you right away, but it’s hard.”
A lot is changing in Wisconsin under the new coach Luke Fickell, including the aggressiveness of the team in the transfer portal. The Badgers have excelled at their transfer volume, the notable players they have signed and the positions they have targeted, particularly quarterback and wide receiver.
Wisconsin added three quarterback transfers — Tanner Mordecai (SMU), Nick Evers (Oklahoma) and Braedyn Locke (Mississippi State) — as part of an offensive overhaul under coordinator Phil Longo. Other notable offensive additions include wide receiver Bryson Green, who had 584 yards and five touchdowns last season, and CJ Williams, an ESPN Top 150 recruit in 2022 at USC.
“It’s a huge achievement for them as they try to change the mindset of being an old Big Ten, running football and spreading it with coach Longo,” said a Power 5 human resources director. “It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out.”
Like other new coaches, Fickell turned to his previous team for key additions like center Jake Renfro and wide receiver Will Pauling. But Wisconsin has also been looking elsewhere for potential Impact players, including Temple Pass rusher Darian Varner (7.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss) and Jeff Pietrowski (5.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles in 2021).
“They’re not all high-quality players, but they’re good players,” said a Big Ten coordinator.
Deion Sanders told the Colorado players at his first team meeting as coach that he would bring bags, and he has kept his promise. Colorado has redesigned much of its roster through the portal, starting with those who followed Sanders from Jackson State. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-wayer Travis Hunter, ESPN’s No. 2 recruit in 2022, are leading the group along with Shilo Sanders (Deion’s son and Shedeur’s brother) and others.
Colorado has also turned to the FBS for transfers such as offensive tackle Savion Washington (Kent State), defensive end Taijh Alston (West Virginia), linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo (West Virginia), safety Myles Slusher (Arkansas), Edge Taylor Upshaw (Michigan), cornerback Kyndrich Breedlove (Ole Miss) and defensive tackle Leonard Payne Jr. (Fresno State).
“The child [Payne] will be a really good player for them,” said a Pac-12 human resources director. “Deion will be a problem. If he wins games, he’ll be a real problem.”
Another Pac-12 human resources director added: “They’ve reached a few [transfers] but there are some good ones in there.”
The team that won the portal and changed their roster last winter is back. USC hasn’t landed transfers as sprightly as Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams or Biletnikoff-winner Jordan Addison, but several prolific players will play for coach Lincoln Riley in 2023 at Lloyd, Washington State , meets Jarrett Kingston, Florida offensive tackle against Michael Tarquin and Arizona wide receiver Dorian Singer, who led the Pac-12 with 1,105 receiving yards last season.
“USC has a couple of kids,” said a Pac-12 human resources director. “The Florida tackle is good, Dorian Singer is really good. The fact that they got a 1,000-yard receiver that has already proven itself in conference is a no-brainer. The portal revolves around production. It’s about taking people who have already proven they can be productive at that level.”
The Trojans’ defense is the larger area of concern after a poor end to Riley’s first season. USC added Oklahoma State linebacker Mason Cobb, who had 96 tackles and 13 losses last season. Other Portal pickups on defense included Arizona cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace, Purdue defense end Jack Sullivan, Georgia State linebacker Jamil Muhammad and Texas A&M defense lineman Anthony Lucas, ESPN’s No. 117 overall recruit in the Class of 2022.