More than 1,500 scholarship college football players have entered the transfer portal at the FBS level since August, and over 1,000 of them have already found new homes. This 2022-23 portal cycle is moving faster than ever, thanks in large part to the NCAA’s new transfer window opening on Dec. 5 and hundreds upon hundreds of players becoming available at the same time right as the regular season ended.
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In an effort to help you keep tabs on who’s going where and which names you need to know, The Athletic has brought back its tracker of the best available players in the portal. Players are ranked based on their experience, production, potential and how much interest they’re generating. This is a fluid list that we’ll constantly update as top targets make commitments.
GO DEEPER
Tracking where college football's best available transfers have signed
Singletary was a five-star signee and the No. 5 cornerback in his 2022 class. He’s a long 6-foot-1, 175-pound cover man from Jacksonville, Fla., with big-time potential. He redshirted during his true freshman season, appearing in three games and playing just 13 snaps on defense. He’s looking for much more playing time at his next school. Singletary will have lots of Power 5 programs pursuing him now that he’s officially in the portal. He was previously committed to Ohio State and also considered Florida and Miami before signing with Georgia. Florida State and Oregon are likely contenders as well.
2. CB Davison Igbinosun, Ole Miss
Igbinosun was a four-star in the 2022 class and the No. 1 recruit in New Jersey when he signed with Ole Miss. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound defensive back earned a starting job right away as a true freshman and showed the potential to be one of the best young cover corners in the SEC while recording 37 tackles and five pass breakups and allowing just three catches of 20-plus yards. Igbinosun cited “uncertainty in the coaching staff” in announcing his decision to explore a transfer. Can newly hired defensive coordinator Pete Golding persuade him to stay? It’s worth noting Igbinosun was previously committed to Rutgers during his recruiting process and that his older brother, Desmond Igbinosun, is a starting safety for the Scarlet Knights.
Jackson has been an All-ACC selection in all three of his seasons as a starter and leader for the Cavaliers’ defense. The team captain has produced three consecutive 100-tackle seasons, leading the ACC with 117 last season and averaging 10.4 per game this year. The senior has one more season and hasn’t ruled out returning to Virginia, but he’ll be in high demand if he decides to leave.
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4. WR Xavier Weaver, USF
Weaver has led the Bulls in receiving in each of the last two seasons with a combined 94 catches for 1,433 yards and nine total touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound speedster was a second-team All-AAC selection as a junior and has taken visits to West Virginia, Arkansas and Colorado so far.
5. DB Tysheem Johnson, Ole Miss
Johnson has proven to be a versatile and valuable player at safety in Ole Miss’ secondary. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound sophomore from Philadelphia has been a starter in each of his first two seasons and has recorded a total of 125 tackles, eight TFLs and one interception. He was the Rebels’ third-leading tackler this season and can play in the box, in the slot or back at safety. He has two more seasons of eligibility and should have good options.
When Miami won the battle for coveted UCF transfer center Matthew Lee, Clark understandably decided to move on as a grad transfer. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound senior has been a four-year starter for the Hurricanes, initially playing at both guard spots before moving to center for the last two seasons. That combination of experience (more than 2,700 career snaps) and versatility can be tough to find among transfer linemen. SMU, LSU, Missouri and West Virginia have extended offers.
The 6-foot-5, 304-pound lineman has been a four-year starter for the RedHawks and earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2023. Feth moved into a starting role at right guard as a true freshman in 2019 and made the move over to center in 2021 when Danny Godlevske transferred to Oklahoma State. Now Feth is looking to make a similar move as a grad transfer. He quickly picked up several Power 5 offers.
8. DE Byron Vaughns, Utah State
After three years as a backup at Texas, Vaughns moved on and got a chance to earn more playing time by transferring to Utah State. In his two seasons with the Aggies, Vaughns recorded 99 tackles, 61 pressures, 19 TFLs, six sacks and two forced fumbles. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound edge rusher has picked up offers from Arizona State, Cal, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Notre Dame, USC, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
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9. QB Sam Huard, Washington
Huard was a big-time in-state recruiting win for the Huskies as a five-star and the No. 12 overall player in the Class of 2021. He threw for 233 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions on 80 snaps as a true freshman and was the third-string quarterback behind Michael Penix Jr. and Dylan Morris in 2022. With Penix returning for another year, it made sense for Huard to move on and see if he can start elsewhere.
10. WR Gary Bryant Jr., USC
Bryant flashed exciting potential as a sophomore in 2021 with 44 catches for 579 yards and eight total touchdowns. When the Trojans’ new coaching staff loaded up on transfer wide receivers, Bryant ended up with a diminished role in their offense. After three games and just two catches, Bryant elected to redshirt and sit out the rest of the season. The former top-50 recruit has visited Miami and Arizona.
Players previously ranked
Ranking at time of commitment. For more details on each player, visit our top transfer portal signings tracker.
1. QB Sam Hartman (Wake Forest to Notre Dame)
1. ATH Travis Hunter (Jackson State to Colorado)
1. DE Jordan Burch (South Carolina to Oregon)
1. QB Walker Howard (LSU to Ole Miss)
1. WR Adonai Mitchell (Georgia to Texas)
2. QB Devin Leary (NC State to Kentucky)
2. QB Grayson McCall (staying at Coastal Carolina)
2. QB Brennan Armstrong (Virginia to NC State)
2. DE Anthony Lucas (Texas A&M to USC)
3. LB Omar Speights (Oregon State to LSU)
3. CB Fentrell Cypress II (Virginia to Florida State)
3. DT Braden Fiske (Western Michigan to Florida State)
3. OL Ajani Cornelius (Rhode Island to Oregon)
3. CB Denver Harris (Texas A&M to LSU)
3. WR Dante Cephas (Kent State to Penn State)
4. WR Dominic Lovett (Missouri to Georgia)
4. DE Rondell Bothroyd (Wake Forest to Oklahoma)
5. WR Tyrin Smith (UTEP to Texas A&M)
5. OL Dillon Wade (Tulsa to Auburn)
5. OL Matthew Lee (UCF to Miami)
5. DT Justin Rogers (Kentucky to Auburn)
6. QB Hudson Card (Texas to Purdue)
6. LB Monty Montgomery (Louisville to Ole Miss)
6. OL Jarrett Kingston (Washington State to USC)
6. WR J.Michael Sturdivant (Cal to UCLA)
6. OL Ethan White (Florida to USC)
7. RB Brian Battie (USF to Auburn)
7. OL Clark Barrington (BYU to Baylor)
7. CB Smoke Bouie (Texas A&M to Georgia)
7. QB Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State to Ole Miss)
9. CB Tony Grimes (North Carolina to Texas A&M)
9. DB Ja’Had Carter (Syracuse to Ohio State)
9. OL Walter Rouse (Stanford to Nebraska)
10. DT Branson Deen (Purdue to Miami)
10. QB DJ Uiagalelei (Clemson to Oregon State)
10. OL Jeremiah Byers (UTEP to Florida State)
11. WR Lideatrick Griffin (staying at Mississippi State)
11. LB MJ Sherman (Georgia to Nebraska)
11. WR Dorian Singer (Arizona to USC)
11. QB Tanner Mordecai (SMU to Wisconsin)
11. RB Carson Steele (Ball State to UCLA)
12. CB Duce Chestnut (Syracuse to LSU)
12. DB Jalen Catalon (Arkansas to Texas)
12. DB DeShawn Gaddie (North Texas to Ole Miss)
12. WR Corey Gammage (Marshall to Memphis)
13. RB MarShawn Lloyd (South Carolina to USC)
13. OL Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky to Auburn)
13. WR Tyrone Bolden (Bowling Green to Arkansas)
13. CB Terry Roberts (Iowa to Miami)
14. WR Chris Marshall (Texas A&M to Ole Miss)
14. WR Jamari Thrash (Georgia State to Louisville)
14. DT Davon Sears (Texas State to Oklahoma)
14. QB Sam Jackson (TCU to Cal)
15. WR Kyle Ford (USC to UCLA)
15. DE Jordan Domineck (Arkansas to Colorado)
15. WR RaRa Thomas (Mississippi State to Georgia)
15. LB Trezmen Marshall (Georgia to Alabama)
17. RB Treshaun Ward (Florida State to Kansas State)
17. DE Tunmise Adeleye (Texas A&M to Michigan State)
17. WR Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech to Ole Miss)
17. DE Trace Ford (Oklahoma State to Oklahoma)
17. WR Tez Johnson (Troy to Oregon)
17. WR Bryson Green (Oklahoma State to Wisconsin)
18. DE Gilber Edmond (South Carolina to Florida State)
18. WR Drae McCray (Austin Peay to Texas Tech)
18. WR John Paul Richardson (Oklahoma State to TCU)
19. LB Mason Cobb (Oklahoma State to USC)
19. TE CJ Dippre (Maryland to Alabama)
19. TE Caden Prieskorn (Memphis to Ole Miss)
19. RB Larry McCammon III (staying at FAU)
20. OL Victor Curne (Washington to Ole Miss)
20. DB Kobi Albert (Kentucky to Mississippi State)
20. OL Micah Mazzccua (Baylor to Florida)
20. CB Gavin Holmes (Wake Forest to Texas)
20. DE Daniel Grzesiak (Utah State to Cincinnati)
20. DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste (Ohio State to Notre Dame)
21. OL John Campbell Jr. (Miami to Tennessee)
21. OL Tommy Brockermeyer (Alabama to TCU)
21. WR CJ Williams (USC to Wisconsin)
22. RB Dillon Johnson (Mississippi State to Washington)
23. DB Evan Williams (Fresno State to Oregon)
23. WR Jaylin Lane (Middle Tennessee to Virginia Tech)
24. TE Seydou Traore (Arkansas State to Colorado)
24. WR Isaac TeSlaa (Hillsdale College to Arkansas)
24. WR Kevin Coleman Jr. (Jackson State to Louisville)
25. WR Dont’e Thornton (Oregon to Tennessee)
(Photo of Sam Huard: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
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