• The 25 best players in the transfer portal: An overwhelming amount of talent has entered the transfer portal ahead of bowl season.
• N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary: The redshirt junior is currently the biggest prize in the portal after his performance last season.
• Virginia cornerback Fentrell Cypress II: After a dominant campaign, the junior is the top defender in the portal.
Estimated Reading Time: 10 mins
College football teams can build their rosters in two ways: 1) the traditional way, recruiting high school athletes to join their program, and 2) via the transfer portal.
The latter has only increased in importance since its inception in 2018. In fact, this season’s Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams, entered the transfer portal just last year before finding his home at USC.
Here are the 25 best players who have entered the transfer portal this season.
1. QB Devin Leary (N.C. State Wolfpack)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Leary was one of the nation’s best signal-callers in 2021. His 31 big-time throws were tied for the seventh most in the FBS.
This year, the redshirt junior earned only a 64.8 passing grade before a torn pectoral muscle ended his season after six games. Still, Leary’s performance in 2021 currently makes him the biggest prize in the transfer portal.
2. QB DJ Uiagalelei (Clemson Tigers)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Despite being benched multiple times this year, DJ Uiagalelei showed improvement from last season. The former five-star recruit posted a 79.6 grade in 2022 after a 66.3 mark last year.
The junior has the arm to make any throw asked of him; the issue has been inaccuracy, which stems from his footwork. Since 2021, his 23.8% uncatchable pass rate ranks 107th out of 134 FBS quarterbacks. If Uiagalelei can keep improving in that regard, he has a limitless ceiling.
As for his next stop, keep an eye on Oregon. The Ducks could lose starter Bo Nix, and Matayo Uiagalelei, a five-star edge defender and DJ’s younger brother, listed Oregon in his top three. The other two schools in his top three, USC and Ohio State, likely won’t be in the market for a quarterback this offseason. A return home to the West seems to be in the cards for DJ, who hails from California.
3. WR Dominic Lovett (Missouri Tigers)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Dominic Lovett was quietly one of the best receivers in college football this season. His 83.7 grade ranked fourth best among Power Five receivers.
Lovett averaged 2.94 yards per route run, tied for the seventh most in the Power Five. Even more impressively, he did that as just a true sophomore, meaning the best could be yet to come.
MIZZOU!!!! Dominic Lovett with a ridiculous 39 yard sideline catch!! pic.twitter.com/jQTk2f12az
— ???????????????????????? @???????????????????????????????? (@FTBeard7) September 24, 2022
4. CB Fentrell Cypress II (Virginia Cavaliers)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Fentrell Cypress II put together a massive breakout season for the Cavaliers. His 87.8 grade ranked third highest among Power Five cornerbacks.
The junior allowed only 0.53 yards per coverage snap, the fifth-lowest mark among the same group.
5. TE Jaheim Bell (South Carolina Gamecocks)
Transfer Destination: Florida State Seminoles
Get the ball in Jaheim Bell’s hands and good things will happen. Among Power Five tight ends returning next year, only Georgia’s Brock Bowers has a higher receiving grade over the past two seasons than Bell’s 88.8 mark.
Bell has forced 24 missed tackles in that span, which is tied for the most among all FBS tight ends. This year, Bell also ran for 257 rushing yards, over 100 more than any other tight end in the country. Bell announced that he’ll be attending Florida State next year, where he should form a lethal connection with quarterback Jordan Travis.
6. C Drake Nugent (Stanford Cardinal)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Drake Nugent’s 80.2 grade this season ranked seventh best among college football centers. The senior particularly excelled as a run blocker, where he earned an 83.7 grade that ranked fourth best.
7. QB Chance Nolan (Oregon State Beavers)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Chance Nolan’s 85.5 passing grade since last season is tied for ninth among active Power Five quarterbacks.
While Nolan threw 18 interceptions in that span, he made only 16 turnover-worthy plays, showing that he’s had some bad turnover luck. The redshirt junior played in just five games this year before suffering a season-ending neck strain. What he showed on tape last season warrants a spot in the top 10, though.
8. CB Darian “Duce” Chestnut (Syracuse Orange)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Duce Chestnut is the third-highest-graded cornerback in the ACC over the past two seasons. Those were also his first two seasons of college football.
The sophomore’s 24 coverage stops in that span tie for the sixth most among cornerbacks.
9. CB Denver Harris (Texas A&M Aggies)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
This ranking is all about projection for Denver Harris, who was a five-star recruit and the No. 3 cornerback coming out of high school, according to On3’s consensus ratings.
The true freshman saw significant playing time in five games this season before being suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. He looked excellent across those snaps, as well. Among FBS cornerbacks with at least 95 coverage snaps, nobody allowed fewer yards per coverage snap than Harris (0.29 yards).
10. DI Levi Bell (Texas State Bobcats)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Levi Bell is one of only two interior defensive linemen in the country with top-five grades as both a pass rusher and run defender. The other is Georgia’s Jalen Carter, who’s currently the No. 4 prospect in PFF’s 2023 NFL Draft big board.
Bell is both the third-highest-graded and third-most valuable interior defensive lineman in the nation, according to PFF’s wins above average metric.
11. S A.J. Haulcy (New Mexico Lobos)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Coming out of high school, A.J. Haulcy garnered three FBS offers: Kansas, Louisiana and New Mexico.
Just one year later, Haulcy will have no shortage of suitors as to where he’ll head next. His 84.9 grade was the second-best figure among true freshmen defenders and tied for sixth among safeties overall.
12. CB Charles Woods (West Virginia Mountaineers)
Transfer Destination: SMU Mustangs
An injury limited Charles Woods to just four games this season, but he was one of the nation’s best cornerbacks last year.
In 2021, Woods’ 87.2 coverage grade was the sixth-best mark among Power Five cornerbacks. The senior allowed only a 22.1 passer rating when targeted, the lowest among the same group. For comparison, spiking the ball in the dirt on every play nets a 39.6 passer rating. Woods will play for SMU in his final year of eligibility next season.
13. QB Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina Chanticleers)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Grayson McCall has been one of the nation’s best quarterbacks over the past three seasons. His 94.0 passing grade since 2020 leads all active quarterbacks.
The biggest question will be how McCall plays outside of Coastal Carolina’s unique triple-option scheme. However, as PFF’s Jason DeLoach points out, McCall does just fine on true dropbacks:
If you’re worried about the system Grayson McCall comes from, fair. But on “True Dropbacks” (No Screens/RPOs/Play Action) since 2020, he trails only two QB’s who will be active next year in PFF Pass Grade:
1. Drake Maye
2. KJ Jefferson
3. Grayson McCall#CFB #CollegeFootball— CFBNumbers (@CFBNumbers) December 12, 2022
14. WR Dante Cephas (Kent State Golden Flashes)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Dante Cephas missed three games this season due to injury, but he was one of the most efficient receivers in the country when on the field. His 3.12 yards per route run ranked seventh in the FBS this year.
He’s a menace with the ball in his hands, as well. Cephas’ 421 receiving yards after contact since last season places 10th among all receivers in college football. He’s also a big-play threat, as his 49 catches of 15-plus yards since 2021 also ranks 10th in the nation.
15. QB Brennan Armstrong (Virginia Cavaliers)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Among FBS quarterbacks, Brennan Armstrong’s 91.8 grade last season trailed only Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Kenny Pickett. All three were Heisman finalists. Armstrong racked up the fifth-most big-time throws in college football that season (35).
He’s so low here because of his 2022 season. His 58.4 grade was among the 20 worst out of 146 quarterbacks in the country. The senior had only 14 big-time throws compared to 19 turnover-worthy plays. A major reason for the sudden dropoff in play could be the departure of offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who left Virginia to become Syracuse’s play caller this year. Anae is now N.C. State’s offensive coordinator, and the Wolfpack are losing Devin Leary to the portal. A reunion in Raleigh, North Carolina, could be in store for Armstrong and Anae.
16. QB Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State Cowboys)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Spencer Sanders took a step back this season. His 63.3 passing grade was nearly 20 points lower than his previous 81.4 mark in 2021. Sanders also had 17 turnover-worthy plays compared to only 10 big-time throws.
Like Devin Leary and Brennan Armstrong, you’re banking on that being an outlier season for Sanders, who’s proven to be an above-average Power Five quarterback.
17. WR Dorian Singer (Arizona Wildcats)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Dorian Singer was forced to walk on at Arizona as a zero-star recruit coming out of high school. Two years later, he’s become one of the Power Five’s most productive receivers and should have no shortage of scholarship offers.
Singer’s 1,105 receiving yards this season were the fifth most in the Power Five. The sophomore also made 29 catches of 15-plus yards, tied for the fifth most in the Power Five.
18. TE Erick All (Michigan Wolverines)
Transfer Destination: Iowa Hawkeyes
Erick All played in only three games this season before undergoing surgery on his back.
Last year, All was one of the best receiving weapons on a playoff-bound Michigan team. His 2.14 yards per route run ranked fourth among Power Five tight ends in 2021. All’s 76.5 run-blocking grade was also a top-10 mark for Power Five tight ends. That season, his quarterback was Cade McNamara. Both will reunite at Iowa in 2023.
19. DI Thomas Gore (Georgia State Panthers)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Thomas Gore has dominated for two years now. His 90.6 grade since 2021 ranks fifth among all interior defensive linemen in college football.
Gore excels in all aspects, sitting as one of only five interior defensive linemen with 85.0-plus grades as both a pass rusher and run defender in that span.
20. WR Ali Jennings III (Old Dominion Monarchs)
Transfer Destination: Virginia Tech Hokies
After an excellent two seasons at Old Dominion, Ali Jennings III will travel 300 miles west to play for Virginia Tech.
During his time with the Monarchs, Jennings racked up the 11th-most receiving yards in the nation (2,021). This past year, he averaged 2.95 yards per route run, which was a top-15 mark in the FBS.
21. EDGE Anthony Goodlow (Tulsa Golden Hurricane)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Anthony Goodlow has played very well for a couple of years now.
The redshirt senior’s 88.0 grade since 2021 is the 16th-best mark among all FBS edge defenders. Goodlow was one of only seven edge defenders last season with 80.0-plus grades as both a pass rusher and run defender.
22. WR Chris Marshall (Texas A&M Aggies)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
As was the case for Marshall’s former teammate Denver Harris, this ranking is mostly projection-based.
Also like Harris, Marshall was a former five-star recruit who was the No. 3 player at his position coming out of high school, according to On3’s consensus ratings. And unfortunately like Harris, Marshall was one of four players who Texas A&M suspended indefinitely in October.
Unlike Harris, Marshall didn’t look particularly impressive across his limited snaps, earning just a 56.9 grade. In six games, the true freshman caught 11 of his 15 targets for 108 yards, averaging 0.77 yards per route run. Still, as a rising sophomore with a high ceiling, Marshall will have his fair share of suitors this offseason.
23. LB Francisco Mauigoa (Washington State Cougars)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
As just a true sophomore, Francisco Mauigoa was the Pac-12’s second-highest-graded linebacker, earning a 75.8 mark.
One school to keep an eye out for Mauigoa is Miami (FL). That’s because his younger brother, Francis, is currently committed to the Hurricanes as a top-10 recruit and the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation, according to On3’s consensus ratings.
24. RB Ray Davis (Vanderbilt Commodores)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Vanderbilt’s offensive line recorded the worst run-blocking grade in the Power Five this season (44.4). Even with that offensive line doing him no favors, Ray Davis still produced.
The senior ranked fourth in the SEC this season with 1,044 rushing yards. Even more impressively, 737 of those yards came after contact, the third most in the conference.
25. RB Carson Steele (Ball State Cardinals)
Transfer Destination: Undecided
Carson Steele led the country with 1,161 rushing yards after contact this season. His 94 forced missed tackles trailed only Texas’ Bijan Robinson, this year’s Doak Walker Award winner and a first-round prospect on PFF’s 2023 NFL Draft big board.
With an 88.8 grade this season, Steele finished tied for third in the Group of Five among running backs and was 12th in the nation. Perhaps most impressively, he did all of this as just a true sophomore.
