Transfer season is upon us in college football.
The next transfer portal window officially opens on Dec. 4. However, players on teams whose coaches have left or been fired can enter the portal before then.
Other players have already reportedly expressed their intentions to enter the portal once they’re able to.
Which players will be on the move this offseason? Let’s take a look at which stars and standouts are testing the waters for a possible transfer.
Dec. 3
Nolen announced Sunday he would enter the transfer portal. He was ranked the No. 1 overall college football recruit in the class of 2022 by some outlets, and those who did not rank Nolen in the top spot mostly had him at No. 2 behind current Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter. The 6-foot-4, 290 lb. Tennessee native was considered the crown jewel of the Aggies’ historic 2022 recruiting class, the most talented ever in the modern rankings era.
So far, Nolen has shown solid flashes of his sky-high potential amid the Aggies’ tumultuous last two seasons. In 2023, he had 37 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks. He was also Texas A&M’s highest-graded interior defensive lineman per Pro Football Focus.
Nolen’s announcement came just hours after reports of Texas A&M coach defensive line coach and former interim head coach Elijah Robinson, Nolen’s position coach and one of the architects of that 2022 recruiting class, departing to become Syracuse‘s defensive coordinator. Nolen is likely to receive widespread interest in the transfer portal, having received 26 Division I offers during his high school recruitment — 25 of which were from Power 5 teams.
[2023 college football coaching changes, rumors: Colorado, Texas A&M lose top assistants]
Dec. 1
Washington State QB Cameron Ward
Ward announced that he is entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. In two seasons with the Cougars, he threw for 6,968 yards, with 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
FOX Sports’ Brock Huard recently claimed Ward has “10 seven-figure deals waiting for him” in the transfer portal.
The former Notre Dame QB will play for his third college team next season after announcing he’s transferring from ASU. He appeared in just two games last season for the Sun Devils, and put up paltry numbers: 273 passing yards on a 53.1 completion percentage, two TD, three interceptions and a QB rating of 11.9. He was sacked 11 times in the pair of games.
Pyne originally joined Notre Dame in 2020, appearing in four games in 2020, before playing in two more the following season. He took off in 2022, throwing for 2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. Pyne transferred to ASU ahead of the 2023 season, but suffered a preseason injury that derailed his campaign. He’ll have three years of eligibility remaining as he searches for a new home.
Nov. 30
UCLA QB Dante Moore
Just a year after Chip Kelly pulled off the greatest recruiting coup of his Bruins tenure by flipping Moore, a top quarterback in the class of 2023, from Kelly’s former employer Oregon just before signing day, Moore is set to enter the transfer portal, he told 247Sports. The former five-star and consensus top-five overall 2023 prospect cited wanting to go somewhere to get developed as the main reason for his departure from Westwood after just one season.
Moore earned the Bruins’ starting quarterback job after playing in a quarterback rotation in UCLA’s season opener and started five games, but he was benched following an Oct. 14 loss at Oregon State in favor of junior backup Ethan Garbers. Moore then entered in relief of an injured Garbers late in a Nov. 4 loss to Arizona but exited with an injury of his own after one series. Moore again entered in relief after Garbers suffered another injury in the first quarter of the Bruins’ regular-season finale against Cal, but struggled mightily in a 33-7 drubbing at the hands of the Golden Bears.
Moore completed 53.5% of his passes for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his true freshman season.
It remains to be seen whether Oregon will pursue the one-time Ducks commit again this time around, or whether Michigan could pursue the Detroit native. Both Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy are expected to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Michigan State, which saw three quarterbacks enter the transfer portal after the hiring of new head coach Jonathan Smith, could also be a candidate for Moore’s services, per FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman.
The Beavers’ signal-caller is departing Corvallis after one season, entering the portal as he either eyes a new college home or will enter the 2024 NFL Draft, ESPN reported. Uiagalelei had a solid junior season at Oregon State, completing 57.1% of his passes for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while adding 219 rushing yards and six rushing scores.
Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State after starting his college career at Clemson. The five-star recruit initially impressed in fill-in starts for Trevor Lawrence during the 2020 season but fizzled out by the end of the 2022 season. Now, Uiagalelei will be on the move again, making his decision to leave just days after Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith accepted the Michigan State head coaching job.
Nov. 29
The dual-threat quarterback was a big reason for Duke’s 2022 turnaround under now-former head coach Mike Elko, who left for the same role at Texas A&M. The Blue Devils went 9-4 in Leonard’s first year as their starter, then Leonard followed that up by leading Duke to an upset of then-No. 9 ranked Clemson to open the 2023 season. He even went viral for asking a professor for a homework extension after the game.
Leonard continued to excel as Duke surged to a 4-0 start to 2023, but suffered an ankle injury in the waning moments of a last-minute loss to Notre Dame on Sept. 30. He returned on Oct. 21 against FSU, but struggled against the now-No. 4-ranked Seminoles. Then he suffered what would become a season-ending toe injury against Louisville the following week. Leonard finished with a 57.8% completion rate, 1,102 passing yards and three touchdowns, along with 352 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground in 58 attempts.
Ironically enough, Leonard is widely expected to be a candidate to take over for Sam Hartman at Notre Dame, per multiple reports. Several Notre Dame players are also among Leonard’s recent social media follows. Like Hartman this past season, Leonard would be playing out his final year of eligibility with the Irish after being a multi-year starter at an ACC school.
Former Texas A&M QB Max Johnson to North Carolina
The southpaw quarterback became the first high-profile portal entry to find a new home. He will reportedly join Mack Brown’s Tar Heels as the presumptive replacement for Drake Maye at starting quarterback, as Maye is expected to be a top prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Johnson, who will arrive at North Carolina as a graduate transfer, began the 2022 season as Texas A&M’s starter, but suffered a season-ending injury in its fourth game. He began the 2023 season as the backup but became the starter following an injury to Conner Weigman, throwing for 1,452 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games.
Johnson began his college career with LSU before transferring to A&M in 2022. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Florida DB Kamari Wilson and DL Will Norman
The two highly-touted former recruits appear to be departing the Gators in a seeming blow to head coach Billy Napier’s ability to keep successful recruits.
Wilson had 39 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one defended pass last season. He was a four-star and top-50 overall recruit in the class of 2022, per 247Sports. Norman was also a four-star, in the class of 2023. He redshirted this season, recording one tackle across four games.
Florida QB Max Brown
Brown will reportedly enter the transfer portal after playing in the Gators’ final two games following an injury to starting quarterback Graham Mertz. He provided a steady hand when Mertz fractured his collarbone against Missouri on Nov. 18, helping the Gators to a near-upset of the top-10 Tigers.
Brown, a true freshman from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a former three-star, completed 67.9% of his passes for 192 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in 2023.
Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall
McCall, a three-time Sun Belt Conference player of the year, has entered the transfer portal. It’s the second straight season McCall had announced his intention to leave the program. However, he returned last year after the school hired current coach Tim Beck to replace Jamey Chadwell, who had left for Liberty after the 2022 season.
McCall’s post on social media thanked the school for his five years before saying he had entered the portal as a graduate transfer with a final year of eligibility remaining.
McCall, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound fifth-year senior, missed his team’s final five games with a head injury suffered at Arkansas State on Oct. 21. McCall was knocked unconscious, carted off the field and spent the night in a hospital before returning to campus. He has thrown for 10,005 yards with 88 touchdowns and 14 interceptions the past five years. He set the NCAA single-season mark for pass efficiency rating (207.6) in 2021.
Duke DT Aeneas Peebles
Peebles will generate plenty of interest in the portal after a stellar season at Duke under former head coach Mike Elko, who left for Texas A&M. He compiled 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in 2023 as a pillar of Elko’s stout Blue Devils defense. The former class of 2020 three-star has one year of eligibility remaining and will likely cash in on that year at a major program following his breakout in 2023.
Nov. 28
Kim announced that he would enter the portal as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility left. The former 2020 three-star prospect was named the Spartans’ starter heading into 2023 but struggled amid a tumultuous year for the program as Mel Tucker was fired in September due to sexual harrasment allegations.
Kim started the first five games of the season for Michigan State, notching a 56.9% completion rate, 1,090 yards and six touchdowns. He was benched for backup Katin Houser after the team’s bye week and did not play again last season. Kim, Houser and true freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt are now all in the transfer portal, meaning new head coach Jonathan Smith — a former decorated college QB himself — will now have to completelely rebuild that position group.
Offensive linemen Kevin Wigenton II and Ethan Boyd, as well as wide receiver Tyrell Henry, are also in the transfer portal in addition to past-reported names.
Price was one of the Red Raiders’ top receivers in 2023, with 43 catches for 410 yards and five touchdowns. The former three-star recruit has one season of eligibility remaining.
Colorado LB Marvin “Deuce” Ham II
Ham became the latest Buffaloes player to state his intent to the transfer portal following Colorado’s disappointing finish to Deion Sanders’ first season at the helm. Ham was one of a handful of Buffaloes who predated Sanders and was able to not only stay but be an on-field contributor after Sanders’ unprecedented turnover of the roster via the portal following his infamous “Louis [Vuitton] luggage” speech.
Ham, a former four-star recruit in the 2019 class, had 36 total tackles and one sack in 11 games for the Buffaloes in 2023. He has one year of eligibility left.
Minnesota QB Athan Kaliakmanis
The sophomore quarterback announced that he will enter the transfer portal and leave the program after his first full season as the starter. Kaliakmanis posted on social media that playing with his Gophers teammates “has been the honor of all honors” and that “the most difficult part” of his decision was to leave them. With the coaching staff planning to open competition for the starting job next season, Kaliakmanis opted to depart with two years of eligibility remaining.
The native of Antioch, Illinois, started five games as a freshman last season when five-year starter Tanner Morgan was injured. Kaliakmanis closed the regular season by passing for a career-high 319 yards and two touchdowns in a road win against rival Wisconsin, but he never found the same groove in 2023.
Kaliakmanis had 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 games during a disappointing year for the Gophers (5-7), who became bowl-eligible when there was a shortage of six-win teams. He had a 53.1% completion rate and an average of 153 passing yards per game. His backup was fifth-year senior Cole Kramer, who has one season of eligibility remaining.
The redshirt sophomore announced his intention to enter the transfer portal, holding two more seasons of eligibility. Burks led Purdue in receiving in 2023, recording 47 receptions for 629 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s reportedly expected to be one of the top receivers to enter the portal this offseason, as some scouts believe he has the potential to be drafted this upcoming spring.
Louisiana Tech QB Hank Bachmeier
The senior QB officially entered the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. He was statistically one of the more efficient Group of 5 signal-callers this season, completing 67.7% of his passes for 2,058 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for two scores. He began his college career at Boise State before transferring to Louisiana Tech in 2023.
Nov. 27
Howard officially entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer, allowing him to bypass the waiting period. The senior enjoyed a great deal of success during his time in Manhattan, leading the Cougars to a win in the Big 12 Championship Game in 2022. He became KSU’s starting quarterback in the middle of that season, throwing for 1,633 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions with three rushing touchdowns. KSU went 4-1 in the games he started that season.
He nearly got Kansas State back to the Big 12 title game in 2023, leading it to an 8-4 record as he started all 12 games. He threw for 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, adding 364 rushing yards and nine rushing scores.
The junior signal-caller is entering the transfer portal, according to ESPN, after the Hurricanes finished the regular season a disappointing 7-5. Van Dyke completed 65.8% of his passes this season for 2,703 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he also threw 12 interceptions.
Michigan State QB Katin Houser
The redshirt freshman is entering the portal just days after Michigan State hired Jonathan Smith as its next head coach, ESPN reported. Houser, a four-star recruit, redshirted as a freshman and began the 2023 season as the Spartans’ backup quarterback before becoming their starter. He threw for 1,132 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions with two rushing scores.
Starting Michigan State right tackle Spencer Brown and linebacker Darius Snow also announced on social media that they’re entering the portal.
The redshirt junior quarterback told ESPN that he will be entering the transfer portal. After helping Baylor win the Big 12 title game in 2021 in one of his two fill-in starts that season, he became the Bears’ starting quarterback in 2022. He threw for 2,790 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with two rushing scores that season, going 6-7 as a starter. He threw for 2,188 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions with four rushing touchdowns in 2023, missing four games due to injury as Baylor went 2-6 in his starts.
USC WR Raleek Brown
The sophomore wideout has told multiple outlets that he’s planning to enter the transfer portal. Brown, who was regarded as a top-70 prospect in the Class of 2022, decommitted from Oklahoma and committed to USC following Lincoln Riley’s decision to go to USC at the end of the 2021 season.
He had 14 receptions for 151 yards and three touchdowns while adding 166 rushing yards and two rushing scores as a freshman. His playing time diminished in 2023, recording only three receptions and three rushes.
Kansas State RB Treshaun Ward
The senior running back will enter the transfer portal for a second straight season, leaving Manhattan after joining the Wildcats from FSU last year. Ward had a solid year at Kansas State, rushing for 643 yards and scoring seven total touchdowns as he split starting halfback duties.
Nov. 26
Utah QB Nate Johnson
The redshirt freshman told ESPN that he’s intending to enter the transfer portal once he’s eligible. Johnson’s decision to enter the portal comes after he flipped roles as the starting QB for the Utes with Bryson Barnes. He ended up finishing the season on the bench, throwing for 499 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions with 235 rushing yards and four rushing scores. Despite the solid-looking numbers, Utah struggled to score in two of his three starts, losing one of them.
Nov. 24
Mississippi State QB Will Rogers
Rogers announced his intention to transfer a day after his team’s season finale, making the decision before Jeff Lebby was announced as the school’s new head coach. Rogers can move as a grad transfer, making him eligible to play immediately.
Rogers started every game for the Bulldogs in the 2021 and 2022 seasons after starting for half of the 2020 season. Under Mike Leach, Rogers thrived in his first three years in Starkville, throwing for an SEC-record 505 completions in 2021 and had 82 total touchdown passes during that span.
However, the death of Leach last December seemed to affect the Bulldogs this season, struggling under Zach Arnett. Rogers also missed four games due to injury, throwing for 1,626 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2023.
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