No. 1 Transfer Portal LB Snubbed In Most Impactful College Football Rankings

The college football transfer portal saw over 10,000 names entered during the two week window in January.

Per usual, it was quarterbacks like Sam Leavitt (LSU) and Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech) making the most headlines, but that doesn't mean there weren't high-profile players at other positions. One player that had just about every major program in the country after him was Pitt transfer Rasheem Biles.

Ranked as the No. 1 linebacker in the portal and the No. 15 player overall in Rivals' rankings, Biles heard from programs such as Colorado, Miami, Ohio State and Michigan. Following a unique process that saw him schedule and not take a couple of visits, Biles ended up at Texas, where he will have a chance to help the Longhorns replace Anthony Hill (NFL) and Liona Lefau (Colorado).

Despite being an All-ACC selection for the Panthers this past season, when On3's JD PicKell released his list of the 10 most impactful transfers, Biles was not included as a part of the top 10. Instead, he was named as an honorable mention, which shows PicKell still views him as an impact player, but felt there were other names that could have a great impact in 2026.

Top 10 most IMPACTFUL transfers

Full explanation: https://t.co/Ze0LWKbVKz pic.twitter.com/lSbzBDtraj
— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) February 17, 2026

As seen in the rankings, Biles wasn't the only Longhorn that crossed the mind of PicKell as Arch Manning's new top wide receiver Cam Coleman was featured, as were the two running back transfers that the Longhorns brought in.

Texas was able to secure commitments from Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown, while also flipping NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers from Alabama.

Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (3). — Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (3) celebrates a defensive stop. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

When explaining why Biles was given the honorable mention selection instead of a spot within the rankings, PicKell simply suggested it was a numbers game.

"Before we get to the 10, I want to start with an honorable mention cause this dude deserves to be in the top 10 just by nature of there only being 10 spots I had to make some tough decisions," PicKell said. "But y'all, Pitt transfer to Texas, linebacker Rasheem Biles...All-American kind of player is going to uphold that standard in Austin, Texas of what a defense is supposed to look like with that Longhorn logo on the side of the helmet. I fully expect Rasheem Biles to add to what they were a year ago."

Biles should be a key piece of the new-look defense, which is run by a familiar name in Will Muschamp, who was hired to replace Pete Kwiatkowski after his dismissal earlier this offseason.