The transfer portal's biggest game changers are here.
Brad Crawford
College football transfer portal recruiting ahead of the 2024 seasonapproaches its closewith top classes already established. It was a wild few months of roster changes and player acquisitions. Ranking the 50 most impactful transfers is an exercise centered around projections and how integral pieces fit based on career production, scheme fit and other factors.
Many of the nation's elite programs replaced exiting talent with immediate help while a few up-and-coming teams who have generated a ton of hype this offseason strengthened their rosters in a big way.
Lane Kiffin, Mike Norvell and Deion Sanders continue to utilize the portal more than any others, completely revamping their respective teams on the free agency market. Whether that leads to nationally-ranked finishes in conference championship contention remains to be seen.
RELATED: Underrated 2024 transfers and most over-looked players
Here are the 50 portal signees projected to make the biggest impact:
50.Dylan Edwards, RB, Kansas State
A freshman sensation at Colorado, Edwards scored four touchdowns as a versatile threat inhis first collegiate start.
49.Julian Fleming, WR, Penn State
The Nittany Lions were in need of a top-end talent at wide receiver and the former Ohio State five-star signee fits the bill.
48. K.J. Jefferson, QB, UCF
One of the most underrated transfers this cycle at quarterback, the former Arkansas star is responsible for 88 touchdowns in his career.
47. Silas Bolden, WR, Texas
A dangerous threat from the slot, Bolden should make up for the loss of Xavier Worthy on the Forty Acres.
46.Ja'Corey Brooks, WR, Louisville
Talented pass-catcher whonever found his comfort zone at Alabama, but that's going to change under Jeff Brohm in the ACC.
45.Will Sheppard, WR Colorado
The Buffaloes took several wide receivers, but Sheppard comes from the SEC with impressive productivity.
44. Jordan Waters, RB, NC State
Waters will be the featured option in a new-look Wolfpack offense primed to build on last season's success.
43. DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Florida State
The former Clemson and Oregon State signal caller is back in the ACC as the director of the defending league champions.
42.KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn
The Tigers swiped Penn State's top returning receiver and he's going to challenge for WR1 on the Plains.
41. Sam BrownWR, Miami
The productive pass-catcher from Houston was a much-needed get for the Hurricanes after losing Colbie Young to Georgia.
40. Joey Slackman, DL, Florida
More strength along the defensive front is always a net positive in the SEC, especially for Billy Napier's hard-nosed Gators.
39. Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri
The Tigers replace several starters in the secondary including both corners, so landing Pride from Clemson was a necessity.
38.Fadil Diggs, Edge, Syracuse
A productive pass rusher in College Station, Diggs now heads to the ACC as a featured threat up front.
37.Chris Paul Jr., LB, Ole Miss
Ole Miss gets a tackling machine to pair with several other high-end signees this portal cycle.
36. Jaishawn Barham, LB, Michigan
One of the most-talented linebackers in the country will be a plug-and-play star for the Wolverines.
35. Elijah Herring, LB, Memphis
Tennessee's leading tackler lost his starting job after the return of an injured veteran and will be playing with a chip on his shoulder.
34. Maalik Murphy, QB, Duke
The third-string quarterback behind Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning at Texas, Murphy is the guy for the Blue Devils and Manny Diaz.
33.Grayson McCall, QB, NC State
Another transfer quarterback for the Wolfpack, but McCall comes to Raleigh as one of the nation's most-decorated at his position following a stellar career at Coastal.
32.Parker Brailsford, OL,Alabama
The Washington transfer and anchor of the nation's top offensive line last fall has re-joined the Crimson Tide post-spring and will start.
31.Juice Wells, WR, Ole Miss
Paired with Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins,Wells gives Ole Miss a third elite-level target in the passing game.
30. Holden Staes, TE, Tennessee
The Vols' new starter at the tight end spot, Tennessee's staff is high on the former Notre Dame product as a third-down threat.
29.Raheim Sanders, RB, South Carolina
One of three ballcarriers the Gameco*cks brought in this spring, Sanders was a 1,400-yard rusher two years ago at Arkansas.
28. Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
The Buckeyes' new projected starter in a loaded quarterback room, Howard is a dual-threat who could make this Ohio State offense explode.
27. Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
Bernard's going to get his share of targets from the Crimson Tide's updated wideout room.
26.Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame
The former Duke starmissed spring practice after surgery, but should be a difference-maker for a preseason top 10 team in South Bend.
25. A.J. Harris, CB, Penn State
A new starter in the Nittany Lions' secondary from Georgia, where he would likely have been a depth chart casualty.
24. Jardin Gilbert, S, LSU
Alongside Major Burns, Gilbert gives the Tigers another thumper at the back end of Blake Baker's defense in Baton Rouge.
23.C.J. Daniels, WR, LSU
The former Liberty star is the new go-to target in the passing game with Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas off to the NFL as first-round picks.
22.Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia
Florida's lost one its top player in the backfield and now, the Bulldogs will provide him a ton of carries as the top option.
21. Nyland Green, CB, Purdue
Another former Georgia defensive back who left Athens to find a starting role at another Power program.
20.Jamaree Caldwell, DL, Oregon
One of several high-end grabs out of the portal for the Ducks, Caldwell should pair nicely with Jordan Burch and others up front.
19.Trey Moore, Edge, Texas
Moore led UTSA with 12.5 sacks last fall and was a premium purchase for the Longhorns this spring at edge.
18.Jamon Dumas-Johnson, LB, Kentucky
The top-rated linebacker will assume a leadership position with the Wildcats and coach Mark Stoops.
17. Aidan Chiles, QB, Michigan State
Jonathan Smith made his former quarterback at Oregon State an immediate priority ahead of his first season and he'll have the keys to the Spartans' offense.
16. Jabbar Muhammad, CB, Oregon
Muhammed will be one of the headliners within a talented back seven for the Ducks.
15.Lance Heard, OL, Tennessee
The former five-star signee at LSU projects to be an immediate-impact player in Knoxville.
14. Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Bond was one of several Alabama weapons to leave Tuscaloosa for another elite program. He has speed to burn.
13.Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma
If you blinked, you may have missed Burks in the OU spring game. The former Purdue pass-catcher should take the SEC by storm.
12. Cayden Green, OL, Missouri
Oklahoma lost one of its top returning offensive linemen to a rival program this cycle.
11.Jason Zandamela, OL, Florida
A post-spring get for the Gators, Zandamela should step on campus as a starter along a refaced offensive line.
10. Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
An ideal fit for Mike Elko and the Aggies, this former Purdue star wreaked havoc throughout the spring at Texas A&M. Via GigEm247, Scourton led the Big Ten with 10 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss last fall andwith Edgerrin Cooper entering the NFL Draft along with Fadil Diggs and Walter Nolen entering the transfer portal, adding a pass rusher was one of the top offseason priorities for the Aggies. Scourton has several offers and chose the Aggies over Oklahoma and Missouri, among others.
9. Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
The ACC's worst-kept secret was that the Hurricanes would go hunting for a difference-making ballcarrier given thedepth concerns in the backfield following a decisionfrom Henry Parrish — the team's second-leading rusher — to transfer. The Hurricanes had just three scholarship players available at running back this spring after injuries to Mark Fletcher and Ajay Allen. Bringing Damien Martinez to the mix, after he starred at Oregon State, means Miami has the ACC's most-talentedoffensive arsenalin 2024 and much of it comes via the portal.
8. Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
The addition of Florida edge Princely Umanmielen and former Texas A&M five-star defensive lineman Walter Nolen is a big reason why the Ole Misstransfer class ranks No. 1. Nolen, a former five-star signee in College Station, is a nightmare to block and ultimately chose the Rebels over Oregon this spring as one of this cycle's top defensive players available. He has a starting role in the middle of Pete Golding's defense in Oxford.
7. Princely Umanmielen, Edge, Ole Miss
PerSwamp247's Jacob Rudner,Princely Umanmielen was a player Florida hate to lose and wasone of the Gators' best defenders in the portalthis cycle.Umanmielen was a force on the edge of Florida's defensive front throughout the 2023 season, proving to be one of the nation's most effective pass rushers as he secured an elite win rate against opposing offensive linemen. Umanmielen paced all Florida defenders with career-highs in tackles-for-loss (11.5), sacks (7.0) and quarterback hurries (17) and tied his career-high in tackles (39), which was tied for fourth on the team but first among the Gators' defensive linemen.
6. Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama
KadynProctor started every game at left tackle for Alabama last season and passed the eye test as a difference-maker at the tackle position. The former five-star signee, a Des Moines native, earned True Freshman All-American honors and helped the Crimson Tide reach theCollege Football Playoff. Then Nick Saban retired and Proctor, like several other notable players, ended up in the transfer portal, where he was ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect before signing with Iowa. Now, he's back in Tuscaloosa.
5. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
QuinshonJudkins rushed for 106 yards and caught a touchdown for Ole Miss during its bowl win over Penn State and finished with 1,158 yards last fall, a year after gashing SEC defenses for 1,567 yards and 16 scores as a true freshman. He was the top running back available this cycle and signed with a Buckeyes team that was already gearing up for the return of TreVeyon Henderson in the backfield. That's a vicious 1-2 punch for Ryan Day and his new OC, former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly.
4. Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
Evan Stewart scored four touchdowns last season for the Aggies as their chief weapon on the outside, but he gets a plethora of targets in a more wideout-friendly scheme in the Big Ten at Oregon. He plays alongside Tez Johnson too, another all-conference caliber pass-catcher. At his best, Stewart is a field-stretcher and reliable target on third down capable of going the distance after the catch. His skills translate well to the wide-open Ducks scheme.
3. Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Cam Ward told 247Sports in Januaryhe endured "many sleepless nights"in choosing another year in college at Miami over the 2024 NFL Draft. In doing so, the former Washington State star gives the Hurricanes the piece they were missing to their 2024 puzzle offensively following Tyler Van Dyke's move to Wisconsin. In the Air Raid, Ward has a chance toown ACC statistically as the league's leading passer against the likes of several other top-end transfers.
2. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
Following twostatistically-impressive years at Oklahoma that came after three banners seasons in Orlando at UCF,Dillon Gabrielis on the move again for the third time in his lengthy college career, this time wrapping things up with the Ducks. He might be a Bo Nix-clone in terms of extending plays.Oregon reloaded with weaponry around the quarterback position and Gabriel's numbers in Will Stein's scheme should expand as a result. He is a preseason Heisman candidate for good reason.
1. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Caleb Downs finished his true freshmancampaign at Alabama with a team-leading 107 tackles to go along with 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. He earneda spot on the247Sports True Freshman All-American Teamalong with national All-American honors. He was one of college football's best overall players on defense last season and quickly earned his stripe this spring with the Buckeyes. Downs makes this Ohio State defense one of the most-feared nationally given the talent coming back.
