College football’s post-spring 2024 transfer portal recruiting picked up significantly with top-end programs adding more talent. Alabama and Oregon each bolstered elites classes, while Billy Napier and Florida made a significant move toward the front of the pack.
Exiting May, very few difference-makers on the open market remain uncommitted as the premium on quarterbacks, offensive linemen and edge rushers has already been met. Coming out of spring, Miami is another program hovering around preseason top 15 status that addressed specific needs in a big way with multiple high-end additions to pair with prized quarterback signee Cam Ward.
The usual suspects who dominated the portal — Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and Florida State’s Mike Norvell — once again acquired various starters that several other elite coaches were in on.
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Here are the updated top-10 team rankings in the transfer portal entering the summer break:
Number of transfers: 15
One of the nation’s most active teams in the spring portal window, the Hurricanes added quite a few elite pieces to the 2024 puzzle in recent weeks, including the top-rated running back available in former Oregon State star Damien Martinez. Houston wideout Sam Brown should help the offense withstand the loss of Colbie Young to Georgia and of course, the mega gem, was convincing Washington State’s Cam Ward to avoid the 2024 NFL Draft as Miami’s next QB1. A couple defensive signees are going to start, too. No excuses here. Mario Cristobal has his best roster since his arrival.
Number of transfers: 7
Ohio State lost 23 players to the portal, including recent Ja’Had Carter departure at safety, but the Buckeyes are confident of their ability to win it all in 2024 with the players who arrived in time for spring practice. The Buckeyes landed several immediate-impact starters after they were tied with Clemson with zero portal additions around Christmas. A lot changed since for Ryan Day, who convinced a pair of Alabama five-stars, a multi-year starting quarterback from Kansas State and Quinshon Judkins, one of the SEC’s top playmakers from Ole Miss, to join him in 2024, among other. Ohio State owns one of the most-talented roster in college football ahead of fall camp.
Number of transfers: 42
It’s “addition by subtraction” according to Deion Sanders, at least that’s how he put it after seeing more than a dozen of his players leave the Buffaloes in the spring window. Sanders said the exits are all part of the plan for mass roster revision. He secured commitments from several transfer portal players to fill holes, including running back Dallan Hayden (Ohio State) and reiterated recently that there’s no panic buttons being pressed ahead of his second season despite widespread roster turnover. His roster is once again transfer-heavy again and features added weaponry at the skill positions. FAU speedster LaJohntay Webster is a dynamic wideout who could become an instant preferred target for Shedeur Sanders.
Number of transfers: 17
The top-ranked transfer class in the ACC belongs to the Seminoles, who once again took the portal approach to reloading its roster under Mike Norvell. FSU used Alabama as its talent-factory thanks to five former Crimson Tide players making it official with the Seminoles. Norvell also signed his 2024 starting quarterback out of the portal with the acquisition of former Clemson and Oregon State star DJ Uiagalelei. A commitment from former Alabama wideout Malik Benson gives Uiagalelei a potentially-feared target on the outside following several draft departures at the position in Tallahassee. The Seminoles signed Marvin Jones Jr. as well, a top-rated edge from Georgia to make up for Jared Verse and Braden Fiske leaving for the NFL in the middle of the defense.
Number of transfers: 11
Arizona defensive lineman Bill Norton, Louisville defensive lineman Jermayne Lole and San Jose State cornerback Jay’Vion Cole are the post-spring addition to this portal haul for Steve Sarkisian, whose been highly-selective and has an elite class. Most signees are of the four-star variety, including an overhaul of his wide receiver room. Alabama’s Isaiah Bond, Oregon State’s Silas Bolden and Houston’s Matthew Golden are all committed to catch passes from Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. Bond is the third Alabama transfer for the Longhorns, joining linebacker Kendrick Blackshire and tight end Amari Niblack. Blackshire since left the program after spring in search for playing time elsewhere.
Number of transfers: 15
Billy Napier represents college football’s most-notable surge after spring practice. Florida moved inside the top five after previously being just outside of the top 10 thanks to the acquisition of three high-end players in recent weeks — Arizona State wideout Elijhah Badger, Colorado cornerback Cormani McClain and former USC offensive lineman Jason Zandemala. All have a chance to play significant reps on this season’s team once fall camp begins.
Number of transfers: 28
Texas A&M’s two-deep is portal-rich in Mike Elko’s first season with the SEC’s third highest-rated class. With eight four-star transfers, the Aggies did everything they could to absorb the mass exodus of players to the portal that followed Jimbo Fisher’s firing. Texas A&M’s most notable adds include Alabama cornerback Dezz Ricks, Washington tight end Tre Watson, Florida linebacker Scooby Williams, UAB cornerback B.J. Mayes and FAU offensive lineman Dorian Hinton. Elko also convinced Purdue edge Nic Scourton, this portal cycle’s sacks leader, that College Station was the spot for him after Christmas. He was an absolute star during the spring at his new program.
Number of transfers: 15
Two mammoth additions recently for the Crimson Tide were Kadyn Proctor, who left Tuscaloosa for Iowa after his freshman season before deciding to come back after spring practice and top kicker transfer Graham Nicholson from Miami University, the reigning Lou Groza winner. Much of Alabama’s portal class is from Washington, where first-year coach Kalen DeBoer led the Huskies each of the past two seasons. He knows those players well and a couple should be thrust into starting jobs with the Crimson Tide. One of the more interesting signees from the portal is former Huskies quarterback Austin Mack.
Number of transfers: 14
Oregon moved into the top 10 back in January with the addition of Texas A&M wideout Evan Stewart, one of the best-available pass-catchers in 2024, and has now risen to No. 2 after a pair of notable post-spring signings. Michigan State pass rusher Derrick Harmon and Alabama safety Peyton Woodyard have joined elite personnel on defense. Houston defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell is another big-time acquisition along with the future stability of Oregon’s quarterback room with Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel and UCLA’s Dante Moore.
Number of transfers: 22
Ole Miss has held the nation’s top portal class since January thanks to headliners like Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen and Juice Wells. The star list grew after spring with four more players moving to Oxford, including Miami running back Henry Parrish. Lane Kiffin has an absolutely loaded roster. The only significant loss for the Rebels this cycle in the other direction was running back Quinshon Judkins, who entered the portal after the team’s bowl win over Penn State. He committed to Ohio State seconds after Michigan won the national championship. With a new-look backfield thanks to the portal, the Rebels feel good about their chances on the ground even without Judkins.
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