As the transfer portal becomes more and more of a factor in college football, here’s a look at some of the top transfers entering the season:
WR Isaiah Bond
New school: Texas
Old school: Alabama
Alabama’s second-leading receiver joins the potent aerial attack at Texas. The speedy Bond, who caught 48 passes for 688 yards and four touchdowns last year, could become the go-to target for quarterback Quinn Ewers, who lost top receivers Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell to the professional ranks.
S Caleb Downs
New school: Ohio State
Old school: Alabama
Downs became the first freshman to lead Alabama in tackles, notching 107 last fall, and added two interceptions and 3.5 tackles for loss. Downs was the consensus best defensive player to enter the transfer portal last offseason and gives the Ohio State secondary a game changer in its defensive backfield.
QB Dillon Gabriel
New school: Oregon
Old school: Oklahoma
The experienced signal caller enjoyed the best season of his college career last fall for Oklahoma — he threw for 3,660 yards, completed 69.3 percent of his passes and accounted for 42 total touchdowns — and now Gabriel will be surrounded by even more talent at Oregon. Oddsmakers have installed him as the slight preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.
RB Quinshon Judkins
New school: Ohio State
Old school: Ole Miss
There won’t be a better running back tandem nationally than Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Ole Miss, and Henderson has already established himself as one of the best all-around backs with 32 rushing touchdowns and 6.2 yards per carry average in three seasons.
QB Riley Leonard
New school: Notre Dame
Old school: Duke
Ankle injuries limited Leonard to seven games a year ago, but he’s healthy now and remains the same talented player who produced 31 total touchdowns, threw for 2,794 yards and ran for another 636 more in 2022. Notre Dame’s playoff hopes likely rest on Leonard rediscovering his form of two years ago.
DL Walter Nolen
New school: Ole Miss
Old school: Texas A&M
The Rebels are viewed as a championship sleeper, in part because of their improvement up front on both sides of the ball. The 305-pound Nolen is a big part of that. He’s a disruptive force and an All-SEC preseason first team selection.
DE Nic Scourton
New school: Texas A&M
Old school: Purdue
The 6-foot-4, 285-pound junior is a load to deal with, and will be a critical part of the Aggies defense. As a sophomore, he had 10 sacks and 42 quarterback pressures for Purdue to lead the Big Ten, the kind of an impact Texas A&M hopes continues in College Station.
WR Evan Stewart
New school: Oregon
Old school: Texas A&M
Stewart gives the Ducks a dynamite receiving tandem alongside returning star Tez Johnson. Despite shaky quarterback play at A&M, Stewart caught 38 passes for 514 yards and four touchdowns in eight games last year. Now, he will be playing with a Heisman Trophy contender.
OT Kadyn Proctor
New school: Alabama
Old school: Iowa
Technically, Proctor didn’t change teams, since he shined for Alabama last year, playing 13 games as a starter at left tackle and earning All-SEC freshman team honors. It was an eventful offseason for the massive 6-7, 360-pound sophomore. He transferred to his in-state school Iowa in January — he had committed to the Hawkeyes initially as a five-star high school recruit before flipping to Alabama — then went back to Alabama a few months later.
QB Cam Ward
New school: Miami
Old school: Washington State
Ward is part of an offensive overhaul through the transfer portal — coach Mario Cristobal also added running back Damien Martinez (Oregon State) and wide receiver Sam Brown (Houston) — that Miami hopes will lead to a bounce-back season. Ward brings 95 career touchdowns passes with him to Coral Gables.
