With the transfer portal becoming an increasingly important part of college football, here are some of the top transfers entering this season.
WR Isaiah Bond
New School: Texas
Old School: Alabama
Alabama’s second-leading receiver will join a potent aerial attack at Texas State, and the speedy Bonds, who caught 48 passes for 688 yards and four touchdowns last year, could be a go-to target for quarterback Quinn Ewers with top receivers Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell heading into the pros.
S Caleb Downs
New School: Ohio State University
Old School: Alabama
Downs recorded 107 tackles last fall, becoming the first freshman to lead Alabama in tackles, along with two interceptions and 3.5 tackles for loss. Downs was considered the best defensive player among transfer candidates last offseason and is a game-changer for Ohio State’s defensive backfield.
QB Dillon Gabriel
New School: Oregon
Old School: Oklahoma
The experienced playmaker had the best season of his collegiate career last fall at Oklahoma, completing 69.3% of his passes for 3,660 yards and 42 total touchdowns. Now Gabriel will be surrounded by even more talent at Oregon, where oddsmakers have him as a slight favorite to win the Heisman Trophy preseason.
RB Quincy Judkins
New School: Ohio State University
Old School: Ole Miss
Nationally, there’s probably no better running back duo than Judkins and Treveion Henderson. Judkins is coming off his second consecutive 1,000-yard season at Ole Miss, and Henderson has already established himself as one of the best all-around backs with 32 rushing touchdowns and an average of 6.2 yards per carry over three seasons.
QB Riley Leonard
New School: Notre Dame
Old School: Duke
An ankle injury limited Leonard to seven games last year, but he’s healthy now and remains a talented player who has totaled 31 touchdowns, 2,794 passing yards and another 636 rushing yards in 2022. Notre Dame’s playoff hopes will depend on Leonard returning to the form he was in two years ago.
DL Walter Nolen
New School: Ole Miss
Old School: Texas A&M
The Rebels are considered a favorite to win the championship thanks to improvements up front on both the defensive and offensive lines, and a big part of that is the destructive 305-pound Nolen, who was a first-team All-SEC selection.
DE Nick Scorton
New School: Texas A&M
Old School: Purdue
At 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, the junior will be a tough load to handle and a key part of the Aggies defense. As a sophomore, he led Purdue in the Big Ten with 10 sacks and 42 quarterback pressures, and Texas A&M will be hoping that impact continues in College Station.
WR Evan Stewart
New School: Oregon
Old School: Texas A&M
Stewart, along with returning star Tez Johnson, give the Ducks a strong receiving duo. After some shaky quarterback play at A&M, Stewart caught 38 passes for 514 yards and four touchdowns in eight games last year. Now he’ll be playing for a Heisman Trophy contender.
OT Kadyn Proctor
New School: Alabama
Old School: Iowa
Technically, Proctor didn’t switch teams, as he flourished at Alabama last year, playing in 13 games as the starter at left tackle and earning a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. It was an eventful offseason for the big, 6-foot-7, 360-pound sophomore, who transferred to Iowa State in January. He had originally committed to the Hokies as a five-star high school recruit before transferring to Alabama, only to return to the state a few months later.
QB Cam Ward
New School: Miami
Old School: Washington State
Ward is part of a revamped offensive line that coach Mario Cristobal also added through the transfer portal, running back Damien Martinez (Oregon State) and wide receiver Sam Brown (Houston). Miami hopes this will lead to a bounce-back season. Ward brings 95 career touchdown passes to Coral Gables.
