A record day for transfers

Updated 1d ago

The college football transfer portal is open until early January. Check back for all the latest news and our analysis.

Max Olson and The Athletic College Football Staff

December 28, 2023 at 3:35 PM ESTCollege football transfer portal tracker, live updates: Commitments, latest moves, analysis

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A record day for transfers

It has been a record-breaking day for transfer portal activity. By my count, we are quickly closing in on 500 FBS scholarship players entering the transfer portal today. Last year, the end-of-day total for the first day of the winter window was 456. We have already surpassed that. According to SportsSource, the total number of Monday portal entries — FBS, FCS, D-II, walk-ons — is now over 1,000.

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Which QBs could Miami target in the transfer portal?

Which QBs could Miami target in the transfer portal?

(Photo: USA Today)

Mario Cristobal estimated Miami’s 2024 roster would feature at least 30 new players between its recruiting class and transfers, and it’s obvious the Hurricanes are looking for an experienced starting quarterback among those additions. Quarterbacks to watch for Miami include ex-Kansas State starter Will Howard, former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward, ex-Mississippi State starter Will Rogers, 2023 UCLA five-star recruit Dante Moore. Tulane’s Michael Pratt and Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa are names to watch if they decide to return to college in 2024.

Defensive line and safety are also priorities for the Hurricanes to address in the portal. Junior defensive tackle Leonard Taylor announced for the draft Sunday, and safeties Kam Kinchens and James Williams are considered NFL prospects. Neither Kinchens or Williams has formally announced they’re leaving yet.

There have been six portal departures thus far for Miami: starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, running back Don Chaney Jr., receiver Frank Ladson, linebacker Corey Flagg Jr., and edge rushers Jahfari Harvey and Chantz Williams.

Kasen Weisman leaving Colorado

Colorado freshman QB Kasen Weisman has entered the transfer portal. Deion Sanders and his staff flipped Weisman away from Kansas after landing the job in December, but he was stuck behind fellow newcomers Ryan Staub and Gavin Kuld in backing up Shedeur Sanders.

A twist for Wisconsin

In some wild transfer portal news, Wisconsin apparently has lost Syracuse outside linebacker transfer Leon Lowery, who has de-committed from the Badgers. I talked to Lowery last night after he committed to Wisconsin following a weekend visit to Madison, when he said this:

“I see what Coach (Luke) Fickell is doing,” Lowery said. “He’s a winning coach. You can see what he did with Cincinnati. He turned a not good football program into competing for a national title. I just believe in him. Just their interest into me, they made me feel as family.

“I could tell that they don’t want me — they needed me. They want me to come there and they want to develop me, and that’s what I like. I just want to be there. I want to be a part of that mentality with my position coach and just get to work.”

Lowery did not respond to a message left for him Monday about his de-commitment and directed all inquiries on X through his agent.

Taylen Green in portal but could return to Boise State

Boise State quarterback Taylen Green is entering the transfer portal but says he’s not closing the door on returning. The dual-threat Green had an electric finish to the 2022 season, earning Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors, but he was up and down this year, including getting benched at one point.

He returned to the starting job and had 226 passing yards and 90 rushing yards in the Mountain West championship win against UNLV. The 6-foot-6 Texan is a dynamic runner but didn’t take the step forward in the passing game this year that many expected. The Broncos still have Maddux Madsen, who played well as a redshirt freshman before a season-ending injury.

Why is Brock Vandagriff leaving Georgia?

Why is Brock Vandagriff leaving Georgia?

USA Today

In an expected move, Georgia backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff, a five-star prospect when he signed in 2021, is entering the transfer portal. While things could change it is confirmation that Georgia starter Carson Beck has not decided to enter the NFL Draft.

Vandagriff will have two years of eligibility at his next school, having redshirted in 2021 and played as a backup the past two seasons. He has appeared in eight games this year, mostly after Beck was taken out of the game in blowouts. Kentucky would be the program to watch if Vandagriff does leave, though entering the portal does not preclude a player returning to his school.

Read more here.

GO FURTHER

Georgia backup QB Brock Vandagriff to enter transfer portal; Kentucky the team to watch as possible landing spot

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Jalen Huskey leaving Bowling Green

Bowling Green CB Jalen Huskey is one of the most intriguing Group of 5 players to hit the portal so far today. The sophomore from Maryland put together a first-team All-MAC season with 52 tackles, six pass breakups, four interceptions and only one passing TD allowed according to Pro Football Focus. Huskey has good size (6 feet 1, 185 pounds), good tape and two more seasons of eligibility. Expect him to get lots of calls.

Georgia QB Brock Vandagriff enters portal: Is Kentucky the favorite?

Georgia backup QB Brock Vandagriff has officially entered the portal as a grad transfer. That seems like a fairly positive sign that Carson Beck could bypass the draft and return to Georgia in 2024. We've heard a lot of buzz that Kentucky is a school to watch in Vandagriff's recruitment. It might be worth noting, too, that Vandagriff previously committed to Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma before signing with Georgia.

Hawkeyes DT — a monster on special teams — set to enter the portal

Hawkeyes DT — a monster on special teams — set to enter the portal

Jeffrey Becker / USA Today

Iowa backup defensive tackle Anterio Thompson has entered the portal, one year after earning second-team All-American honors at junior-college national champion Iowa Western. Thompson (6-3, 293) saw only a couple of snaps on defense this fall, but he was a staple on the Hawkeyes' punt return unit. He blocked a punt — resulting in a safety — against Western Michigan and blocked another one against Northwestern that led to a touchdown.

Blessed with size and athletic ability, the market should be high for Thompson, who was just squeezed out of action because of a deep and high-level defensive line. He has two more seasons available.

All quiet in Aggieland thus far

All quiet in Aggieland thus far

Stephen Lew / USA Today

One thing we have not seen so far this morning since the portal opened: Texas A&M transfers.

This is going to be a massive week for new head coach Mike Elko. Can he persuade the stars of their No. 1 ranked 2022 class to stay in College Station? Defensive lineman Walter Nolen announced Sunday night that he plans to enter the portal. There's been a lot of speculation around top receiver Evan Stewart after he didn't travel for the finale vs. LSU. We'll see how many of those promising young players are willing to give the new regime a chance after beloved assistant Elijah Robinson just left for Syracuse.

Cincinnati loses veteran players to the portal

Cincinnati loses veteran players to the portal

Katie Stratman / USA Today

A handful of starters and significant contributors for Cincinnati in 2023 are officially in the transfer portal, or have announced intentions to enter. Safety Deshawn Pace, who led the Bearcats in tackles with 80 and was named All-Big 12 honorable mention, entered as a graduate transfer. Fellow safety Bryon Threats, who was second on the team in tackles at 57 and tied for the team lead with two interceptions, has one season of eligibility remaining. Running back Myles Montgomery had 428 rushing yards on 66 carries (6.5 ypc) and three touchdowns and tight end Chamon Metayer had 23 receptions for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns; both have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Most of Cincinnati's portal entrants, including the four players noted here were holdovers from Luke Fickell's tenure, though almost all of the departures were anticipated as Scott Satterfield continues to put his imprint on the roster entering his second season at the helm.

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Former blue chip linebacker transfers from Ohio State

Former blue chip linebacker transfers from Ohio State

Jeff Hanisch / USA Today

Ohio State linebacker Reid Carrico is in the portal. A former four-star and top-100 prospect, Carrico has been behind on the linebacker depth chart, and it’s been hard to work his way up in Jim Knowles’ two linebacker system.

South Carolina is losing some Juice. . . Antwane Wells has hit the portal

South Carolina is losing some Juice. . . Antwane Wells has hit the portal

Matt Pendleton / USA Today

South Carolina wide receiver Antwane "Juice" Wells is now officially in the portal as a grad transfer. I'm very interested to see where he goes. He could be a steal when he's healthy. Wells had a breakout year in 2022 after transferring from James Madison, with 68 catches for 928 yards and 6 TDs to lead the Gamecocks. Wells missed most of this season due to injury and is now back on the market.

It's noon on Portal Day....and chaos has commenced

Six hours after the portal officially opened, hundreds of players' names have entered the vortex.

Highly-touted Buckeyes receiver enters portal

Highly-touted Buckeyes receiver enters portal

Rick Osentoski / USA Today

Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming has entered the portal. Fleming came to Ohio State as the top receiver in the 2020 class but battled injuries throughout his career. He never made the impact some might have expected, tallying 990 yards and 7 touchdowns over four years. He’ll have one year of eligibility remaining.

This is a big loss for Ohio State, but not a catastrophic one, with freshman receivers Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss ready to jump into the lineup and two five-star wideouts coming in next year in top prospect Jeremiah Smith and Indiana native Mylan Graham.

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Cornhuskers tight end moves on in search of playing time

Nebraska tight end Jake Appleget has entered the portal. Appleget played in six games this season as a redshirt freshman out of Lincoln Southeast. He was mired on a depth chart that includes three returning tight ends on scholarship — Thomas Fidone, Nate Boerkircher and Ismael Smith Flores — in addition to walk-on Luke Lindenmeyer, who received ample reps in 2023. The Huskers also have multiple commitments in the 2024 class from players with the potential to play tight end, including Carter Nelson, a top-100 prospect nationally.

Nittany Lion wide receiver is leaving Happy Valley

Nittany Lion wide receiver is leaving Happy Valley

Matthew O'Haren / USA Today

Penn State wide receiver Cristian Driver has entered the portal. Driver is the son of former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver. Cristian spent two seasons at Penn State: his first working as a safety during his redshirt year before switching over to wide receiver last winter.

Driver's impact was largely limited to special teams, where he played 21 snaps this season and 48 snaps in all, per TruMedia. He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 class, with the 5-11, 188-pound receiver having played his high school football at Liberty Christian in Argyle, Texas. Driver picked Penn State over Wisconsin, with partly due his dad having built a close relationship with James Franklin dating back to Franklin's one year in Green Bay as the wide receivers coach.

One of the MAC's best 'backs has entered the portal

One of the MAC's best 'backs has entered the portal

Matt Lunsford / USA Today

Ohio RB Sieh Bangura has entered the transfer portal, The Athletic has learned. That's a Group of 5 player who should get Power 5 attention. One of the best backs in the MAC, Bangura has produced 2,274 total yards and 23 total touchdowns over the past two seasons and earned Freshman All-America honors last year.

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