College football transfer portal winners, losers after 2023 spring window
The college football transfer portal has closed again after another active spring window in preparation for the 2023 season to come and over that two-week period we saw another class of talent going on the market looking for new teams to break through with as summer workouts and practice draw nearer.
The spring window wasn't quite as active or full of potential game-changing talent as the winter phase following the national championship, and it wasn't expected to be as the top-flight talent made its intentions known sooner rather than later, but there were still more than a few prospects worth taking a look at this time around.
Now, as head coaches and schools press pause at this phase of the offseason, let's see how the dust settled around the country to see which teams made out and which didn't as we put a bow on the 2023 spring transfer window.
College football transfer portal winners, losers after 2023 spring window
Winner: Auburn
Skill pieces: Auburn made some promising headway building its offensive attack by signing former Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne, a passer of some production and accuracy, and shortly after earning the pledge of former Ohio State wide receiver Caleb Burton, a duo that can open things up right away. Jyaire Shorter comes over from North Texas after posting 27 ypc last season, a proven deep threat.
More: Payton Thorne transfers to Auburn: What it means for 2023
Up front: First-year coach Hugh Freeze made some needed progress on the offensive line with some outstanding transfer additions including Avery Jones, a consensus top five lineman in the portal who will step in at center this fall from East Carolina. That's in addition to Dillon Wade out of Tulsa and Gunner Britton from Western Kentucky, both top 10 outside blockers in the portal.
Depth on D: Auburn fans should welcome former Kentucky interior tackle Justin Rogers, a top 10 lineman in this year's transfer class, a physical presence who should help the Tigers recover from some sluggish run defense in '22.
Loser: Michigan State
Dynamic duo gone: Mel Tucker's efforts to return the Spartans back into the national picture took a major hit by losing both Thorne and presumptive top wide receiver target Keon Coleman to the transfer portal. Thorne had almost 6,500 passing yards and 49 career touchdowns and Coleman projected to be one of the Big Ten's better returning wide receivers. Now the cupboards look pretty bare coming into this fall.
Related: Predicting where Keon Coleman could play in 2023
Winner: Louisville
Offensive additions: First-year coach Jeff Brohm oversaw some major roster turnover with 20 players using the transfer portal to join his Cardinals program, including a pair of notable quarterbacks, Jack Plummer and Brady Allen, plus some intriguing receiver skill: Kevin Coleman (32 rec, 475 yds, 3 TDs last season), Jamari Thrash (61 rec, 1,122 yds, 7 TDs, 4 100-yd games), Jimmy Calloway (20 games at Tennessee), and Jadon Thompson (46 rec, 649 yds, 1 TD).
And on defense: Louisville's secondary looks to have improved following the addition of former 4-star cornerback Marcus Washington from Georgia, corner Marquis Groves-Killibrew from Texas A&M, safety Devin Neal from Baylor, safety Cam Kelly from Virginia, and Storm Duck at cornerback from Penn State.
Loser: Notre Dame
What ND gained: The addition of transfer quarterback Sam Hartman is a major get for the Fighting Irish, who now have a proven veteran, and the ACC's leader in TD passes, to lead an attack that already boasts one of college football's best offensive lines and running back rotations. But...
What ND lost: Wide receiver Lorenzo Styles is out the door, heading to Ohio State's already loaded WR room, as is running back Logan Diggs, who ran for 820 yards a season ago but who is headed to LSU for this coming season. Losing quarterback Tyler Buchner to Alabama may not seem like a travesty now with Hartman in the picture, but it leaves the depth chart wanting in case of emergency.
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