The college football transfer portal featured more entries during the 2024 recruiting cycle than ever before, but how many of those players will be actual impact additions at their new schools? The numbers are more difficult to determine in that regard, but early intel suggests there’s a group among power conference teams and a member of the Group of Five that potentially should’ve received higher portal grades based on spring showings.
The early returns are in coming out of spring practice for transfer portal additions in 2024. And many potential impact players flew under the radar a bit during the evaluation process and should be quality players in the two-deep at their respective programs.
The spring portal window has now closed and there’s only three players inside our top 100 at 247Sports who remain uncommitted.
RELATED: Transfer portal’s best-available players in May
Here are 10 players who already made an impression and will be stellar underrated pickups this transfer portal cycle:
247Sports transfer rating: Three-star, 89.0
One of three ballcarriers the Gamecocks signed, Oscar Adaway was the backfield’s top option this spring out of North Texas with Arkansas transfer Raheim Sanders on the mend with a shoulder injury. Adaway showed enough to warrant a bevy of reps ahead of others at running back and got the first carry in the Garnet and Black spring game. He was a productive player with the Mean Green and should be, at worst, South Carolina’s No. 2 back this season if Sanders is healthy and in shape following his return.
247Sports transfer rating: Four-star, 90.0
The Stanford transfer hopes to solidify the No. 2 role at tight end behind former five-star Oscar Delp, who is pegged to replace three-time All-American Brock Bowers at the position for the Bulldogs. And being in the second-team role considering the Bulldogs’ heavy usage at the spot means Yurosek should take reps and targets away from Delp. He has notched 108 catches for 1,342 yards and five touchdowns over three collegiate seasons.
247Sports transfer rating: Three-star, 89.0
Since Tennessee has a returning starter at his position who missed most of the 2023 season with an injury, former Vols linebacker Elijah Herring elected to portal and made the short trek to Memphis, where he’s a guaranteed immediate impact addition. Herring was Tennessee’s leading tackler last fall after being thrust into a first-team role in September. Per GoVols247, Herring had several Power 4 programs interested in him, but chose the Tigers of the American Athletic Conference. He reportedly took a visit to Colorado, and among the other teams to offer or express interest in him were Kansas State, Virginia Tech, Miami, NC State and Illinois. Herring has two seasons of eligibility left.
247Sports transfer rating: Three-star, 89.0
One program’s seconds is another program’s treasure? Maybe that’s a bit harsh, but Seth McLaughlin was Alabama’s starting center last season, but heard the jeers down the stretch and during the College Football Playoff leading to departure. Snaps were skipped to the quarterback at times, but McLaughlin was otherwise reliable at the line of scrimmage and is particularly skilled in pass pro against interior defensive linemen. He quickly ran with the 1s this spring at Ohio State.
247Sports transfer rating: Three-star, 89.0
It’s not often a multi-year starting quarterback in the SEC with record-setting numbers transfers out, but that was the decision KJ Jefferson made after Arkansas switched offensive coordinators for the third time in his tenure. Gus Malzahn and UCF now get a chance to reap the reward with a proven commodity at the position. Jefferson dealt with poor offensive line play last fall, but still completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,107 yards and 19 touchdowns. He tacked on 447 yards and two scores on the ground.
247Sports transfer rating: Four-star, 90.0
One of the few underrated post-spring additions poised for impact, former Michigan State pass rusher Bai Jobe didn’t get as much pub as fellow defensive line transfer Derrick Harmon out of East Lansing but is an ideal fit for the Jayhawks. Jobe redshirted during his first season with the Michigan State program after he was the highest ranked recruit in the Spartan’s 2023 recruiting class. He played in one game last season, notching two tackles during his 11 snaps against Washington. He checks in at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds.
247Sports transfer rating: Three-star, 89.0
The Longhorns signed three wideouts and a tight end during this portal cycle to make up for the personnel losses to the 2024 NFL Draft. Silas Bolden, who starred in the slot last season at Oregon State, was the lowest-ranked of the four pass-catching additions, but should make quite a splash in Xavier Worthy’s role of sorts in a few months. Whether he plays inside or Steve Sarkisian finds other ways to get him the football like screens and jet sweeps, Bolden is a dynamo with top-end speed when he touches it.
247Sports transfer rating: Three-star, 88.0
Like many national title-contending programs this cycle, Georgia was ultra-selective in the portal and only went after immediate depth needs for an otherwise terrific roster. Michael Jackson III from USC wasn’t brought in to start with multiple guys returning, however, his presence as a slot option behind Dominic Lovett is worth nothing. A contributor for three seasons with the Trojans, Jackson never notched more than 17 catches in a campaign, but proved reliability when targeted.
“(The) slot position was maybe the most impressive part of G-Day,” Dawgs247’s Kipp Adams told 247Sports for this repot.
247Sports transfer rating: Four-star, 90.0
Versatile wideouts in the portal have worked out well for the Crimson Tide in recent years with the notable additions of Jameson Williams and Jermaine Burton. Now, Germie Bernard, who followed Kalen DeBoer from Washington, will try and make plays at Alabama, too. Bernard recorded 34 catches for 419 yards and two touchdowns for Washington in 2023, but played second fiddle to several high-profile options at the position, including first-rounder Rome Odunze. During Alabama’s spring game, Bernard made an impressive touchdown catch from Jalen Milroe.
247Sports transfer rating: Three-star, 87.0
A source told 247Sports coming out of spring that Gio Paez has a chance to start “out of necessity” at the defensive tackle spot since the Tigers are lacking bodies there. The lesser-known of several defensive players the Tigers signed this cycle, Paez comes over from Wisconsin where the initially thought was that he would be a depth option in Baton Rouge. Not anymore. Paez impressed the staff with his work ethic and attitude since arriving in March and gets after it in the middle.
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