Miami the Only ACC Team With More Top-100 Transfers Than Cal

Cal’s incoming group of football transfers have generally received high grades, and the transfer player rankings of three reputable sites bears that out. ESPN, 247Sports and On3 transfer player rankings put Cal near the top of the heap in the ACC, with only Miami ahead of the Bears. The 247Sports site ranks Cal’s incoming group of transfers the 14th-best in the country, and second-best in the ACC, behind Miami.

However, it is the impact each transfer makes that affects wins and losses, which is why the player rankings are significant. In other words, having five or six transfers who make a major impact are more helpful than having two dozen so-so transfers in backup roles.

ESPN recently ranked this year’s top 100 transfers, and three of them committed transferred to Cal. The only ACC school with more top-100 transfers is Miami, the national runnerup which is welcoming in four top-100 transfers. Louisville is tied with Cal for second with three. However, 11 of the 17 ACC schools did not add any of ESPN’s top-100 transfers.

The Cal players on ESPN’s top-100 transfers list are wide receiver Chase Hendricks (from Ohio) at No. 66, wide receiver Ian Strong (from Rutgers) at No. 74 and running back Adam Mohammed (from Washington) at No. 92. In its comment on Strong, ESPN includes this closing sentence about Cal: Don't be surprised if this quickly becomes among the ACC's top offenses under Lupoi and his new OC Jordan Somerville. (ESPN’s comments about each of these three Cal players appear at the end of this report.)

Only one player who transferred rom Cal is ranked in the top 100, and that’s linebacker Cade Uluave, who is No. 72 and is headed to BYU.

Other sites seem to agree with ESPN’s rankings. The 247Sports’ list of the top 150 transfers includes five headed for Cal, and only Miami with seven has more. Louisville is third with three. Ten ACC teams did not bring in any of 247Sports’ top 150 transfers.

The 247Sports’ five top 150 incoming Cal transfers are wide receiver Hendricks at No. 67, wide receiver Strong at No. 97, running back Mohammed at No. 98, tight end Dorian Thomas (from New Mexico) at No. 133, and safety Kingston Lopa (from Oregon) at No. 145.

Uluave, at No. 64, is the only departing Cal transfer ranked in the 247Sports top 150 transfers.

On3’s ranking of the top 150 transfers has four Cal players on it, and only Miami and Louisville, with five apiece, have more. Florida State and Virginia are next with three apiece. The four Golden Bears on On3’s top 150 are wide receiver Strong at No. 35, Hendricks at No. 104, Thomas at No. 125, and Mohammed at No. 145.

No player who transferred from Cal to another school is among On3’s top 150 transfers.

Number of Top Transfers Heading to Each ACC School

ESPN top-100 transfers

Miami – 4

Cal – 3

Louisville – 3

Florida State – 2

Georgia Tech – 1

Virginia Tech – 1

Clemson – 0

SMU – 0

Virginia – 0

North Carolina State – 0

North Carolina – 0

Stanford – 0

Pittsburgh – 0

Boston College – 0

Syracuse – 0

Wake Forest – 0

Duke – 0

247Sports Top-150 Transfers

Miami – 7

Cal – 5

Louisville – 3

Georgia Tech -- 3

Virginia Tech – 3

Florida State – 2

SMU – 2

Clemson – 0

Virginia – 0

North Carolina State – 0

North Carolina – 0

Stanford – 0

Pittsburgh – 0

Boston College – 0

Syracuse – 0

Wake Forest – 0

Duke – 0

On3 top-150 Transfers

Miami – 5

Louisville – 5

Cal – 4

Florida State – 3

Virginia Tech – 3

Virginia -- 2

Georgia Tech – 1

North Carolina State -- 1

SMU – 0

Clemson – 0

Stanford – 0

North Carolina – 0

Pittsburgh – 0

Boston College – 0

Syracuse – 0

Wake Forest – 0

Duke – 0

ESPN Comments on 3 Cal Players Ranked Among Top 100 Transfers

66. Chase Hendricks, WR

Transferring from: Ohio

Transferring to: Cal

Years remaining: 1

HT: 6-0; WT: 203; Class: Junior

Background: Hendricks broke out as one of the most productive receivers in the Group of 5 last season with 71 receptions for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns while also averaging 17.9 yards per punt return. His six games with 100-plus receiving yards tied for second-most among all G5 wideouts and included big performances against Power 4 defenses with a 121-yard day against West Virginia and 115 yards vs. Rutgers. Hendricks also beat Ohio State's secondary for a 67-yard score on a catch and run.

Scout's take: Hendricks is coming off a breakout junior season and flashes as a route runner. He's smooth transitioning upfield, can make the first defender miss and he runs hard after the catch. Hendricks averaged 17.9 yards per punt return in 2025. -- Muench

What he brings to Cal: New coach Tosh Lupoi and his staff weren't messing around in their efforts to surround Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele with better playmakers entering the rising QB's sophomore season. Hendricks was one of several big recruiting wins during the portal window who'll raise expectations for Cal's offense.

74. Ian Strong, WR

Transferring from: Rutgers

Transferring to: Cal

Years remaining: 1

HT: 6-3; WT: 211; Class: Junior

Background: Strong caught a touchdown pass in his first career game with the Scarlet Knights and was an impact contributor throughout his three years in the program with 111 career catches for 1,668 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. The two-year starter dealt with injuries as a junior but still surpassed 100 receiving yards in four of his first five games and finished fifth in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game.

Scout's take: Strong is not the most explosive or sudden receiver, but he is a smooth and savvy route runner. He's a natural hands catcher and a big target with a wide catching radius. He tracks the ball well and he can make contested catches downfield. -- Muench

What he brings to Cal: The incoming trio of Hendricks, Strong and New Mexico transfer TE Dorian Thomas was an impressive haul for a Cal offense that's also hoping to get one more year for 1,000-yard receiver Jacob De Jesus. Don't be surprised if this quickly becomes among the ACC's top offenses under Lupoi and his new OC Jordan Somerville.

92. Adam Mohammed, RB

Transferring from: Washington

Transferring to: Cal

Years remaining: 2

HT: 6-0; WT: 215; Class: Sophomore

Background: Mohammed initially signed with Arizona but transferred to play for Jedd Fisch and his staff at Washington. He put up 716 rushing yards, 179 receiving yards and five TDs in two seasons as a backup to Jonah Coleman and looked ready to be the No. 1 back in Seattle next season before opting to transfer.

Scout's take: Mohammed is a strong, downhill runner with some bell-cow traits. He's well-built and compact at 215 pounds to handle the inside punishment and has great patience and feet to find cutback seams before flashing impressive burst through the second level. He's a one-cut-and-go type who doesn't waste yards. Not a home-run threat, but has some wiggle in the open field and enough speed to rip off big chunks. He has good pass-catching skills and excels in short yardage. -- Muench

What he brings to Cal: Here's another excellent pickup to support Sagapolutele and a Cal offense that looks terrific on paper entering 2026. Mohammed was a much-needed upgrade, too, after this program finished No. 135 nationally in rushing at 81.7 yards per game. Kendrick Raphael and Brandon High Jr. both moved on via the portal, so there's no question Mohammed is the No. 1 back in this offense moving forward.

Recent articles:

Cal remaining basketball schedule provides path to NCAA tournament

No. 7 Louisville women hold off Cal

Cal men squarely on the NCAA bubble after their win at Miami

Our story on the Bears' big triumph over the Hurricanes

A huge football recruiting weekend for the Bears

ESPN puts three Cal games among its top 100 football games of 2025