College football transfer portal team rankings in 2025 spring window

Like it or not ─ and generally, most people in the process who are not players like it less every year ─ 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 make and remake their rosters now includes something like the equivalent of a free agency period.
The spring transfer window repeated the process all over again after spring football practice, opening up on April 16 and staying open for 10 days to allow players and rosters to make their final adjustments before the 2025 season begins in earnest.
Where does that leave everything as we come out of 2025 spring football practice and following the most recent spring transfer window movement?
Here is our ranking of the 10 schools that got the most from the portal this early preseason when accounting for player value added to their rosters.
10. Texas A&M
Wide receiver KC Concepcion is a big acquisition after covering nearly 1,300 yards with 16 touchdown grabs over two seasons with NC State, and helped offset the loss of Noah Thomas, who caught 8 touchdowns off 34 grabs in 2024 for A&M.
Defensively, the Aggies procured Georgia transfer cornerback Julian Humphrey, a physical coverage defender who started 10 games for the Bulldogs before being replaced.
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9. Florida State
The loss of edge rusher Patrick Payton carves out a big hole in the Seminoles’ front line pass rushing combination, but Mike Norvell should have a more proficient offense this fall.
Thomas Castellanos steps in at quarterback after a promising time at Boston College after pairing up with coordinator Gus Malzahn, and wideouts like Duce Robinson from USC and Squirrel White from Tennessee are quality targets to put some points on the board.
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8. Nebraska
Two incoming receivers should give Dylan Raiola more room to work with after the Cornhuskers added former Kentucky target Dane Key and Cal transfer Nyziah Hunter to boost the offense. Hunter had almost 600 yards receiving in his first season.
Defensive end Williams Nwaneri left Missouri for the Huskers, a formerly highly-rated recruit who didn't get much exposure a year ago, but is very high on potential, while Elijah Pritchett and Rocco Spindler, from Alabama and Notre Dame, respectively, are experienced offensive linemen.
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7. Auburn
Eric Singleton was the No. 1 ranked wide receiver in the 2025 transfer portal cycle, according to a consensus of the recruiting services after he had over 700 yards receiving and scored 4 all-purpose touchdowns with Georgia Tech last season.
He should pair well with Auburn’s other gifted receivers and incoming Oklahoma transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold, a former five-star prospect, and both will get help in pass protection from two-year starting left tackle Xavier Chaplin.
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6. Missouri
Losing their most promising defensive lineman was tough for the Tigers, but they acquired a potential star in edge rusher Damon Wilson, a former five-star prospect in the 2023 class, in addition to wide receiver Kevin Coleman, Jr., who had 932 yards receiving and 9 TDs last year.
Beau Pribula steps in at quarterback after serving as the backup at Penn State, and he’ll have tailback Ahmad Hardy behind him after scoring 13 times a year ago. Missouri thinks this trio has the stuff to replace the outgoing Brady Cook, Luther Burden, and Nate Noel.
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5. Miami
It appeared Carson Beck was angling for the NFL Draft, but the former Georgia quarterback changed his mind and landed with the Hurricanes in a bombshell move that insiders estimate cost around $4 million in NIL bucks. He threw for over 7,400 yards and 52 TDs the last two years.
Miami made important gains in the secondary with cornerback Xavier Lucas in addition to Ethan O’Connor and Zechariah Poyser, while picking up defensive tackle David Blay, who had 6 sacks last fall, a big get for the Hurricanes to beef up their interior pass-rushing capacity.
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4. Ole Miss
Another star edge rusher for Portal King Lane Kiffin, signing Princewill Umanmielen, the brother of one of the Rebels’ top outgoing linemen, this one playing for Nebraska the last two seasons, recording 35 stops in 17 career appearances over the last two seasons.
Tight end Luke Hasz is another promising acquisition, as the former Arkansas transfer has 7 career touchdowns in 17 games while covering 577 total yards, while former Troy tailback Damien Taylor could emerge as a starter this fall.
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3. Oregon
Protecting young quarterback Dante Moore is of the utmost importance, and the Ducks made strides in that project by signing former five-star offensive tackle Isaiah World and USC guard Emmanuel Pregnon, both of whom should be stalwarts to Moore’s blind side right away.
Makhi Hughes is a major addition for Oregon’s offense as the former Tulane running back ran for almost 2,800 yards the last two seasons and brings a reputation as a physical, downfield ball carrier.
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2. LSU
Considered the best edge rusher in the 2025 transfer cycle, Patrick Payton turned down the NFL Draft for another year in college, recording 80 stops and 16 sacks while busting up 13 passes over the last three seasons at Florida State, where he was ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022.
After posting some of college football’s best vertical offensive numbers a year ago, LSU refurbished its receiving rotation by adding wide receivers Nic Anderson and Barion Brown, two targets with SEC experience at Oklahoma and Kentucky, respectively.
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1. Texas Tech
Sitting on a treasure chest of aggressive NIL dollars, the Red Raiders went to work resurrecting its pass rushing rotation, adding defensive end David Bailey, who had 14.5 career sacks at Stanford before his departure amid the sudden Troy Taylor coaching change.
Romello Height comes into his sixth season of college football with his fourth program, and in 36 career games has 73 total stops with 16 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, an interception, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
Wide receiver Micah Hudson is also back after leading Tech for A&M and then returning to Tech. He’s low on experience but very high on potential after initially signing with the program as its first-ever five-star recruit.
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