College Football Transfer Portal Team Rankings for 2023
Like it or not, the transfer portal has forever changed college football.
With the introduction of immediate eligibility for first-time transfer players, the way coaches and schools are able to modify their rosters now includes something like the equivalent of free agency in the NCAA.
The first transfer window opened up on Dec. 5 and after a hectic 45 days, we're able to press pause, take a breath, and see where everybody went.
Related: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker for 2023
More than 1,500 players at the FBS level have entered the transfer portal this offseason, with 64 percent of those players finding another scholarship offer, while around 72 percent of those being at the Power Five level.
Which teams have made the most of the transfer portal in the 2023 cycle so far? Scroll through to see the 10 schools that made out this offseason.
College Football Transfer Portal Team Rankings for 2023
Transfer Portal Team Rankings as of March 27
10. Oregon
USA Today Images
Top incoming transfers: DE Jordan Burch, OT Ajani Cornelius, WR Traeshon Holden, DB Evan Williams
Top outgoing transfers: WR Dont'e Thornton, LB Justin Flowe, RB Byron Cardwell
Need to know: After losing four offensive line starters, the Ducks needed some skill to protect returning quarterback Bo Nix, and Cornelius is a talented blocker with three years eligibility left to develop against Pac-12 edge rushers. He should pair well with interior blocker Junior Angilau, coming in from Texas.
Burch and Holden could end up being difference makers at their respective positions; Burch is a former 5-star edge rusher prospect and top-15 overall recruit who brings explosiveness and power going after the quarterback, and Holden scored six times in 29 games for Alabama and can spread out defenses.
Related: College Football Transfer Portal Player Rankings for 2023
9. Auburn
USA Today Images
Top incoming transfers: DL Justin Rogers, OL Avery Jones, OT Gunner Britton
Top outgoing transfers: WR J.J. Evans, OL Keiondre Jones, QB Zach Calzada
Need to know: It's a new day on The Plains as Hugh Freeze has taken important steps to revitalize the talent base at Auburn, both on the recruiting front and in the transfer portal.
Auburn's recruiting class started just inside the top 100 nationally but finished in the top 25 on Signing Day, and that class was buttressed by some vital transfer pickups, especially on the line of scrimmage.
Freeze added a former five-star in Justin Rogers from Kentucky with 33 games experienced and two important blockers on offense to help better protect its quarterback. 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.
Related: College Football Transfer Portal Winners, Losers in 2023 Cycle
8. UCLA
USA Today Images
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.
7. Oklahoma
USA Today Images
Top incoming transfers: Edge Trace Ford, Edge Dasan McCullough, RB Emeka Megwa, WR Andrel Anthony
Top outgoing transfers: WR Theo Wease, QB Nick Evers, LB Clayton Smith, OT Brey Walker
Need to know: Generating pressure defensively and getting at quarterbacks was something Oklahoma notably failed to do in Year 1 under Brent Venables, but the addition of three notable 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.
The departure of thousand-yard rusher Eric Gray from the Sooners' backfield leaves a big hole for back Emeka Megwa, a strong, physical ball carrier who has experience at linebacker and who could be a promising addition who could earn more snaps as he gets integrated into OU's system.
6. Ole Miss
Top incoming transfers: QB Spencer Sanders, QB Walker Howard, WR Chris Marshall
Top outgoing transfers: CB Davison Igbinosun, DB Tysheem Johnson, QB Luke Altmyer
Need to know: Get ready for the biggest quarterback battle in college football in the coming months as Ole Miss tries to sort out its starter between three good options, including a pair of surprise pickups in the transfer portal.
Sanders arrives in Oxford with 67 touchdowns and over 9,500 passing yards in his career. Howard was a former high-profile LSU pledge, and both will go against Jaxson Dart, the starter this past season for the Rebels.
5. Wisconsin
USA Today Images
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
Need to know: 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.
4. USC
USA Today Images
Top incoming transfers: Edge 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
Need to know: Losing a trio of promising wide receiver talent wasn't ideal for an offense that wants to move the ball in the air as aggressively as Lincoln Riley's does, but the bigger problem was the team's porous defense, a unit that almost cost it several games early on and did cost it in two critical late losses in the Pac-12 title game and the Cotton Bowl.
The addition of edge rusher Anthony Lucas and linebacker Mason Cobb are crucial, incremental improvements to repairing those mistakes. Lucas is a former top 50 national prospect and 5-star on the 247 index who has a very high ceiling if he can combine his physicality with a more refined technique, and Cobb is a former second-team All Big 12 tackler. But watch for former Purdue lineman Jack Sullivan, a somewhat underrated pickup on the edge who is long on experience and a consistent producer.
3. LSU
USA Today Images
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
Need to know: LSU lost four defensive pieces who were all originally top 15 players at their position including corner, safety, and linebacker, but gained two former Rivals five-stars in receiver Aaron Anderson from Alabama and cornerback Denver Harris from Texas A&M, both of whom were top five nationally.
Anderson was a former No. 4 ranked wide receiver nationally out of New Orleans and could emerge as a quality target for Jayden Daniels to help balance out the production lost by Kayshon Boutte heading to the NFL. Harris was suspended the second half of his freshman year at A&M but comes in with astonishing potential as a pass cover corner.
2. Florida State
Top incoming transfers: CB Fentrell Cypress, TE Jaheim Bell, OL Keiondre Jones, RB Caziah Holmes
Top outgoing transfers: RB Treshaun Ward, CB Demorie Tate, DB Sam McCall, WR Malik McClain
Need to know: Two integral additions, one on offense and the other on defense, have helped propel the Seminoles into direct 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, especially at quarterback in Jordan Travis and defensive end in Jared Verse, not to mention the team's skilled running back contingent, one of the best in college football last year. This is a team with elite potential in the 2023 season.
1. Colorado
USA Today Images
Top incoming transfers: CB Travis Hunter, QB Shedeur Sanders, S Myles Slusher, WR Xavier Weaver
Top outgoing transfers: QB Brendon Lewis, QB J.T. Strout, OL Austin Johnson
Need to know: The most high-profile move of the college football offseason by far was the move Deion Sanders made from Jackson State to Colorado, in the process bringing over seven former JSU players with him, including former No. 1 corner Travis Hunter and Sanders' son at quarterback. Xavier Weaver, the skilled former USF receiver, comes over to beef up the Buffs' passing attack.
Maybe no single program in the nation received such an infusion of raw talent since the coach's arrival when comparing the state of the roster before now.
More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | All Teams