SEC Football: Eight most impactful transfers (Week 5)

A tweet earlier this week gained a lot of traction and attention by noting that the top seven teams in 247Sports' transfer portal rankings were off to a combined 27-0 start this season.

That parameter conveniently cut out Nos. 9-10 on that list -- North Carolina and Kentucky -- but there's no denying how prominent the transfer portal is now in college football for shaping rosters and even changing teams' identities and fortunes from one year to the next.

The top 7 Transfer Portal classes in college football are 27-0 what does that tell you?! pic.twitter.com/lqfvyEqTkF
— The cfb lliason (@realfbllliason) September 23, 2025

With a month of data now, we take a look at the top eight most impactful transfer additions in the SEC this year.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer — Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) throws a pass during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Oklahoma won 24-17. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

1. Oklahoma QB John Mateer

John Mateer was the betting favorite in the Heisman Trophy race before breaking his right hand during Oklahoma's win over Auburn last weekend. Mateer is now expected to miss about a month after having surgery on the hand this week.

That will knock him out of the Heisman race, but there's no denying the impact the Washington State transfer has had for the No. 7-ranked and unbeaten Sooners.

Through four games, Mateer has completed 67.4% of his passes for 1,215 yards and six touchdowns (albeit with three interceptions) while also leading Oklahoma with 190 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He ranks second nationally with 351.3 yards of total offense per game.

2. Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss

Trinidad Chambliss is quickly becoming the best story in college football.

He wasn't even Ole Miss' starting quarterback a few weeks ago -- and whether he retains the job once Austin Simmons is fully recovered from his ankle injury remains to be decided as well -- but Chambliss is expected to make his third straight start for the Rebels on Saturday night vs. LSU.

And he's been sensational so far in his first two starts, passing for 660 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions while rushing for 174 yards and two scores in wins over Arkansas and Tulane. He's certainly given coach Lane Kiffin a tough decision ahead, as Simmons was off to an impressive start in his own right.

Beyond the stats, though, Chambliss' story is incredible. He waited his turn for two seasons at Division II Ferris State before getting his opportunity last year, leading the school to the D2 national championship. He then transferred to Ole Miss as a senior, opened the season as the backup to Simmons and now is squarely in the national spotlight as the No. 13 Rebels host No. 4 LSU on Saturday night.

Texas A&M Aggies football. — Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mario Craver (1) runs the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jordan Botelho (12) during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

3. Texas A&M WR Mario Craver

Mario Craver came to Texas A&M after one seasons at Mississippi State and it sure looks like an ideal mutual fit, as he leads all FBS players with 147.7 receiving yards per game (20 catches for 443 yards and four TDs in three games).

The speedy 5-foot-9 playmaker had seven catches for 207 yards and a touchdown in the Aggies' statement win over Notre Dame and followed that up with big games over Utah State and UTSA.

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar. — Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) looks around the stadium after a NCAA football game between Tennessee and UAB at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., September 20, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

4. Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar

Speaking of mutually-beneficial partnerships, Tennessee's offseason quarterback saga ultimately led them to a great situation with Joey Aguilar, the former Appalachian State (and briefly UCLA) QB.

When Nico Iamaleava departed the program after his high-profile spring game holdout while reportedly seeking more money, it left the Vols suddenly in flux after reaching the College Football Playoff last year. Iamaleava landed at UCLA, where Aguilar had already transferred after a productive season at App State. So Aguilar in turn left UCLA to take Iamaleava's place at Tennessee.

And both Aguilar and the Vols seem better off from the trade. Iamaleava is mired on a winless Bruins team while Aguilar has passed for 1,124 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions (plus a rushing TD) while coming a missed field goal against Georgia away from having the No. 15 Vols unbeaten and ranked even higher.

In that lone loss to Georgia, he passed for 371 yards, four TDs, 2 INTs and rushed for a score.

Missouri Tigers football. — Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) runs the ball as Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns safety Jalen Clark (2) defends during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

5. Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy

Ahmad Hardy had a huge season at Louisiana-Monroe last year, rushing for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns, and he's arguably been even better so far at Missouri this fall.

Hardy ranks second in the FBS with 600 rushing yards through four games and has scored six touchdowns for the 4-0, No. 20-ranked Tigers.

That includes a 250-yard, 3-TD performance vs. Louisiana and 138 rushing yards and a TD in his first SEC game vs South Carolina. Hardy is averaging 7.6 yards per carry and has helped Missouri create a new offensive identity as the Tigers rank fourth nationally in rushing after finishing 64th in that category last season.

6. Missouri QB Beau Pribula

Along with Hardy, the addition of Penn State transfer QB Beau Pribula has helped solidify Missouri's offense and power its strong 4-0 start.

After backing up Drew Allar the last two years at Penn State, Pribula has made the most of his chance to be the guy this fall for Mizzou, passing for 962 yards, eight touchdowns and two picks while rushing for 148 yards and three scores.

The Tigers are at their best when they lean on the ground game, with Pribula's running abilities a part of that (he rushed nine times for 72 yards in the win over South Carolina), but he's delivered when needed through the air too. In a win over rival Kansas in Week 2 that really set the tone for the Tigers' strong start, Pribula completed 30 of 39 passes for 334 yards and three TDs.

Auburn Tigers football. — Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) throws a pass during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

7. Auburn QB Jackson Arnold

Former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold has settled in well at Auburn, helping the Tigers to a 3-1 start and representing himself well against his former team in a one-score loss last weekend.

Overall, Arnold has passed for 721 yards, five touchdowns and zero picks while rushing for 181 yards and four scores.

He had 137 rushing yards and two TDs in Week 1 vs. Baylor, passed for 251 yards and three TDs vs. Ball State and then 220 yards and a TD in the loss to the Sooners. The passing stats aren't overwhelming, but Arnold is protecting the football and leading the offense well.

Ole Miss Rebels football. — Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Harrison Wallace III (2) runs after a catch during the first quarter against the Georgia State Panthers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

8. Ole Miss WR Harrison Wallace III/RB Kewan Lacy

Kiffin and the Rebels really rebuilt the identity of their offense through the transfer portal (even beyond the unexpected emergence of Chambliss at QB), as Penn State WR transfer Harrison Wallace III and Missouri RB transfer Kewan Lacy have been the team's top playmakers.

Although Wallas had just one catch in the Rebels' blowout win over Tulane last week, he has totaled at least 92 receiving yards in each of his first three games while emerging as the team's clear No. 1 target. Overall, he has 16 catches for 343 yards and two touchdowns and has been a big factor in Ole Miss' fast start.

Lacy came to Ole Miss after a year at Missouri and has rushed for 358 yards and seven touchdowns. His pace has slowed in the Rebels' last two games, rushing for just 44 yards and a TD (plus 40 receiving yards) vs. Arkansas and then 68 yards on 18 carries (albeit with two TDs) in the blowout win over Tulane. But he earlier went for 138 yards and a score against Kentucky and looks like an emerging star in the backfield for the Rebels.

Honorable mentions ...

Arkansas RB Mike Washington (from New Mexico State): 46 carries for 330 yards and 4 TDs, 6 catches for 93 yards and a TD.

Tennessee RB Star Thomas (from Duke): 42 carries for 272 yards and 4 TDs, 2 receiving TDs

Kentucky RB Seth McGowan (from New Mexico State): 275 rushing yards, 6 TDs, 5.4 YPC

Missouri LB Josiah Trotter (from West Virginia): Team-leading 26 tackles, 6 tackles for loss

Arkansas WR O'Mega Blake (from Charlotte): 24 catches for 326 yards and 3 TDs

Mississippi State WR Brenen Thompson (from Oklahoma): 17 catches for 291 yards and 3 TDs (plus a rushing TD)

Mississippi State WR Anthony Evans III (from Georgia): 21 catches for 290 yards and 2 TDs

Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion (from NC State): 13 catches for 227 yards and 3 TDs