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Writer's pictureJake Faigus

25 college football transfers who will have an instant impact next season



It was a busy December and January in college football, where, for the first time ever, we had ourselves a "transfer portal window" - where players had a 45-day window to enter the portal after their season ended.


But with the portal now closed, and most major commitments in the books, it's time to look ahead and see who landed where.


We already gave you or five winners of the early part of the portal - now it's time to look at who will have the biggest immediate impact.


Here are 25 players that we expect to have major impact from the jump at their new school.




1. Travis Hunter CB (Jackson State to Colorado): Talent-wise no player comes close to Hunter this Transfer cycle. The former No. 1 recruit in the high school class of 2022 followed Deion Sanders to Colorado and will be an instant impact player for the Buffaloes on offense and defense.


2. Sam Hartman QB (Wake Forest to Notre Dame): Hartman is Wake Forest’s all-time leading passer and holds multiple ACC records too. He instantly makes Notre Dame Playoff contenders because the Irish desperately need stability at the quarterback position.


3. Ernest Hausmann LB (Nebraska to Michigan): Hausmann is a major transfer that Michigan got to fortify their linebacking corps. As a freshman this season he had 54 tackles and two TFL's, appearing in 10 games for the Wolverines.


4. Denver Harris CB (Texas A&M to LSU): Harris was a part of the historic 2022 recruiting class but got in trouble off the field, and eventually decided to leave College Station. Still, the talent is undeniable and he now heads to LSU, which has a need for players of his skill-set in the secondary.


5. Devin Leary QB (NC State to Kentucky): Leary was one of the biggest transfer portal targets and committed to Kentucky thanks in large part to Liam Coen coming back as the offensive coordinator. He can have an immediate impact at Kentucky and put the rest of the SEC on notice.



6. Fentrell Cypress CB (Virginia to Florida State): Cypress is one of the best defensive backs in the ACC and he’s transferring in-conference to the Seminoles. He can make a big impact on a Florida State defense that figures to be very good this year.


7. Jaheim Bell TE (South Carolina to Florida State): Bell is the best tight end in the transfer portal and is headed to the Seminoles. Bell is a great athlete, so look for the Florida State offense to involve him in a variety of ways, outside of just the passing game.


8. Dominic Lovett WR (Missouri to Georgia): Lovett led Missouri in receiving this year as a sophomore and was one of the few bright spots on an underwhelming Missouri offense. In the process, he earned All-SEC second team honors. He comes into a stacked receiving room for Georgia, but he should have an immediate impact thanks to his ability to get yards after the catch.


9. Jordan Burch EDGE (South Carolina to Oregon): Burch provides a big boost off the edge against the run, but mainly for rushing the passer. He comes into a star-studded defense at Oregon, but he should start right away due to how much potential he has and the flashes he showed at South Carolina.


10. Javion Cohen OL (Alabama to Miami): Cohen was actually a starter for the majority of the season at Alabama, but still elected to hit the portal, and now will head to Miami. The Hurricanes need a lot of help up front, and should get it from Cohen, as well as a pair of five-star offensive tackles signed out of the high school ranks.


11. Dasan McCullough EDGE (Indiana to Oklahoma): McCullough was used minimally but made an impact when he played at Indiana. He now heads to Oklahoma to help a defense that needs help across the board, and he should standout right away.


12. Shedeur Sanders QB (Jackson State to Colorado): Sanders is ranked after tossing for 40 touchdowns on over 70 percent completion percentage this year while leading Jackson State to a 12-1 record. He also is going to be the best quarterback Colorado’s had play the position in a very long time and will be able to succeed right away thanks to his dad coaching him.

13. Ja’Had Carter S (Syracuse to Ohio State): Carter was the 2nd ranked "athlete" when he came out of high school two years ago and has made a big impact at Syracuse. He comes over to bolster a Buckeye secondary that needed improving more based on this season.


14. Braden Fiske DL (Western Michigan to Florida State): Fiske was a tackling machine at Western Michigan and has one more left to make an impact and improve his draft stock. He’s going to Florida State to bolster an already stacked Seminole defense and should start right away in the linebacking corps.


15. Hudson Card QB (Texas to Purdue): Card has a unique story at Texas, actually winning the starting job before the 2021 season, only to lose it to Casey Thompson. And he actually played significant snaps for an injured Quinn Ewers this season. But with Ewers back and Arch Manning arriving, he elected to transfer, where he is the presumed starter for first-year head coach Ryan Walters.


16. LaDarius Henderson OL (ASU to Michigan): Henderson is one of the better offensive line transfers available and leaves ASU after starting 29 games over the course of his career. He now heads to Michigan, which should again rely on its offensive line to lead the way on offense, where both Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards return at running back.


17. Andre Carter DL (Western Michigan to Indiana): Carter was a force for Western Michigan this year on the defensive line. He goes to Indiana now to get a higher profile and help a struggling Hoosier defense.


18. Dorian Singer WR (Arizona to USC): Singer thrived in Arizona’s passing attack this past season and lead the team in receiving yards. He now goes to USC to join one of the best offenses in college football and catch passes from Caleb Williams, where he can make a huge impact.


19. Zy Alexander CB (Southern to LSU): Alexander is an underrated name because he’s coming from the FCS level, but he has a lot of talent. He’s joining an LSU secondary that needs the help and where he can start right away and make plays.


20. Anthony Lucas DL (Texas A&M to USC): Lucas was another player that was a part of that legendary A&M recruiting class last year as a former Top 60 recruit nationally, but he didn’t see the field much and is leaving for a better opportunity. He joins a USC defense that desperately needs help across the board, and he should be a force on the defensive line.


21. Sam McCall CB (Florida State to Texas A&M): McCall was a freshman last year and showed flashes for the Seminoles but didn’t see the field enough. He joins a Texas A&M defense that could use some help in the secondary, and he should start there too. Since there's only 25 spots on this list, we might as well mention Tony Grimes here too, a former five-star cornerback who played the last three years at North Carolina, before transferring to College Station this off-season as well.


22. Collin Schlee QB (Kent State to UCLA): Schlee joins a UCLA offense that is almost perfect for him to run after throwing for over 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns this year at Kent State. Schlee can fit into a UCLA offense that has been great under Chip Kelly and utilize the Bruins talent well too at quarterback.


23. Justin Rogers DL (Kentucky to Auburn): Rogers is leaving a talented Kentucky defensive line to go help a team in desperate need of more depth on the line in Auburn. Rogers was decent in his limited time at Kentucky, and now with how depleted Auburn is, he should make an impact almost immediately.



24. Erick All TE (Michigan to Iowa): All had a very good 2021 season, and was primed for a bigger role in 2022, but it never happened, whether it was because of injuries or others passing him by. He’s going to an Iowa offense that has struggled recently, but they use tight ends well, so he can stand out.


25. Justin Flowe LB (Oregon to Arizona): Flowe’s had a career mired in injuries at Oregon, but the potential is still there when you’ve seen him play. He’s headed to Arizona to immediately help that defense out and be a star on a defense that needs all the help it can get after the past few years in Tucson.


Follow Jake Faigus on Twitter - @Jake_Faigus


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