College football transfer portal team rankings after 2023 spring window
The spring window of the college football transfer portal has officially closed, wrapping up a second round of players looking to get a change of scenery in time for the 2023 football season. With most college football players announcing their intent to transfer and their preferred destination, it's time to get a look at the latest team rankings after most of the dust has settled.
More than 3,000 players at the FBS level entered the NCAA transfer portal during the previous cycle and this offseason got off to a fast start beginning in the winter right after the College Football Playoff national championship, and started up again in the 15-day spring period with more high-profile names taking a chance.
- Colorado makes headlines after a roster exodus, but what did the Buffaloes gain?
- Seminoles get instant impact players on both sides of the ball
- A new ACC contender enters the fray
- First-year coaches getting involved
- SEC contenders made prominent moves this offseason
- Where do things stand now at the end of spring football practice, the close of the spring transfer window, and the start of the summer preseason?
College football transfer portal team rankings after 2023 spring window
Rankings as of the close of the spring transfer period
10. Louisville
Top incoming transfers: CB Marcus Washington, WR Jamari Thrash, CB Marquis Groves-Killibrew, CB Storm Duck, S Devin Neal
Top outgoing transfers: DL Caleb Banks, LB Monty Montgomery, DB Nicaro Harper
Where things are: First-year coach Jeff Brohm has to contend with the departure of Malik Cunningham, but the Cardinals' skill group looks very promising, starting with quarterback Jack Plummer, in from Cal, while Thrash and Jimmy Calloway from Tennessee will help pace a more explosive wide receiver corps, but Louisville also picked up key offensive blockers (4 in total) and edge rushers, and especially a secondary unit that looked depleted coming in, led by former Georgia 4-star prospect Marcus Washington in the corner.
9. UCLA
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Top incoming transfers: QB Collin Schlee, RB Carson Steele, WR J. Michael Sturdivant, WR Kyle Ford
Top outgoing transfers: DL Tyler Manoa, LB Jeremiah Trojan
Need to know: UCLA's offense needed to make a splash in the transfer portal this offseason after losing its top two playmakers to the draft in quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet. Flipping quarterback prospect Dante Moore from Oregon was a vital move, as was the addition of some promising skill in Schlee and Steele behind center as well as two notable receiver pickups to open things up this season.
8. Arkansas
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Top incoming transfers: CB Jaheim Singletary, WR Tyrone Broden, LB Jaheim Thomas, DL Anthony Booker
Top outgoing transfers: TE Trey Knox, DB Jalen Catalon, WR Ketron Jackson, QB Malik Horsby
Where things are: The loss of Knox is important after he scored five times in 12 starts last season, as is quarterback Malik Hornsby, and the Hogs lost out on Var'Keyes Gumms despite Sam Pittman's interest in adding a tight end to replace Knox, but the Razorbacks picked up valuable defensive pieces in the secondary and on the line.
7. Auburn
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Top incoming transfers: DL Justin Rogers, OL Avery Jones, OT Gunner Britton, OT Dillon Wade, RB Brian Battle, QB Payton Thorne, WR Caleb Burton
Top outgoing transfers: WR J.J. Evans, OL Keiondre Jones, QB Zach Calzada, QB TJ Finley, DL Marquis Robinson
Where things are: First-year coach Hugh Freeze added a former five-star in Justin Rogers from Kentucky with 33 games of experience and some important blockers on offense to help better protect incoming quarterback Payton Thorne, a proven passer with solid production behind him and who can help lift this offense right away. Scrimmage play deteriorated at Auburn under Bryan Harsin and building out from these positions is key to the team returning to prominence in the SEC.
6. Wisconsin
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Top incoming transfers: QB Tanner Mordecai, QB Nick Evers, WR C.J. Williams, WR Bryson Green
Top outgoing transfers: QB Graham Mertz, OT Logan Brown, DB Titus Toler
Where things are: Expect to see a very different Wisconsin football team in 2023. First year coach Luke Fickell promises the Badgers won't lose their identity, but looking at his additions, you can safely say things will open up under new offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
Mordecai comes over from SMU with almost 7,800 career passing yards and 76 touchdowns and he has two dynamite targets joining him in Green and Williams to spread out Big Ten defenses and take some of the pressure off back Braelon Allen and balance things out.
5. Oklahoma
Top incoming transfers: Edge Trace Ford, Edge Dasan McCullough, RB Emeka Megwa, WR Andrel Anthony, WR Brenen Thompson
Top outgoing transfers: WR Theo Wease, QB Nick Evers, LB Clayton Smith, OT Brey Walker, CB Jaden Davis
Where things are: Getting pressure on quarterbacks was something Oklahoma notably failed to do in Year 1 under Brent Venables, but the addition of three blue-chip players will help give OU's pass rush some juice in 2023: Ford and McCullough are two ferocious weapons coming off the edge and the Sooners brought in D-lineman Jacob Lacey from Notre Dame.
4. Florida State
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Top incoming transfers: CB Fentrell Cypress, TE Jaheim Bell, OL Keiondre Jones, RB Caziah Holmes, DL Braden Fiske, WR Keon Coleman
Top outgoing transfers: RB Treshaun Ward, CB Demorie Tate, DB Sam McCall, WR Malik McClain, WR Mycah Pittman
Where things are: Two major additions, one on offense and the other on defense, will help propel the Seminoles into ACC title contention in 2023: "Deuce" Cypress is regarded as the premier cornerback in this transfer portal class, with a sophisticated skill set in pass coverage and run defense, and Bell comes over from South Carolina with an imposing frame and a school record for most receiving yards by a tight end. Both are impressive complements to the talent Florida State has also retained at key positions.
3. LSU
Top incoming transfers: WR Aaron Anderson, CB Denver Harris, CB Zy Alexander, CB JK Johnson
Top outgoing transfers: QB Walker Howard, DB Derrick Davis, CB Jordan Toles, LB DeMario Tolan, TE Jack Bech
Where things are: The defending SEC West champs picked up a battalion of defensive prospects in the transfer portal this offseason, including a quartet of cornerbacks led by former 5-star Denver Harris from Texas A&M, and a duo of linemen including Paris Shand and Jordan Jefferson who add depth to an already ferocious front seven.
2. USC
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Top incoming transfers: DL Bear Alexander, DL Anthony Lucas, RB MarShawn Lloyd, OT Michael Tarquin, LB Mason Cobb, WR Dorian Singer
Top outgoing transfers: WR Kyle Ford, WR Gary Bryant, WR C.J. WIlliams, LB Julien Simon
Where things are: USC's porous defense gained some valuable pieces in the form of Bear Alexander and Anthony Lucas on the line, plus the overlooked Purdue transfer Jack Sullivan, a workman coming off the edge. Singer was one of the Pac-12's best receivers a year ago and MarShawn Lloyd will help balance out the Trojans' offensive attack.
1. Colorado
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Top incoming transfers: CB Travis Hunter, QB Shedeur Sanders, WR Xavier Weaver, Edge Derrick McLendon, Edge Sav'ell Smalls
Top outgoing transfers: QB Brendon Lewis, QB J.T. Strout, OL Austin Johnson, WR Montana Lemonious-Craig, LB Demouy Kennedy
Where things are: Colorado got all the headlines after the roster purge that happened right after Deion Sanders' first spring game, as dozens of players departed the program, but what the team has gained far outweighs what it lost, especially at the skill positions and on the line with the acquisition of two major edge rusher gets.
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