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Biggest names in college football to enter the transfer portal

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College football conference championships are wrapped. The College Football Playoff field is set. The final US LBM Coaches Poll of the regular season is out. We know the complete bowl schedule. Now, the college football transfer portal opens, with eyes on some of the top players who might enter and where they may go.

USA TODAY Sports will track the moves of all college football’s top players as they make decisions on where they will play next season. (Need a refresher on how the transfer portal works? We got you covered here.) Follow along. 

When does the transfer portal open for football? 

In the Football Bowl Subdivision, a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal begins Dec. 4. There is also a spring window from April 15-30. It’s worth noting that these windows restrict when an athlete’s name can be entered into the portal, not when they actually transfer to a different school. 

When does the transfer portal close? 

The transfer portal window closes on Jan. 2, 2024.

Ex-Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel heads to Oregon

Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel says he is going to play for Oregon next season. Gabriel threw for 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns this season and will be attending his third school. He started his collegiate career at UCF before moving on to Oklahoma.

Gabriel is expected to compete to replace Heisman Trophy candidate Bo Nix, who spent the last two seasons with the Ducks.

QB Blake Shapen commits to Mississippi State

Former Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen told ESPN Friday that he is committing to Mississippi State.

Shapen, a junior, entered the transfer portal following a season during which he threw for 2,188 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Bears’ leading passer. He presumably will step into the lineup for new coach Jeff Lebby, the former offensive coordinator at Oklahoma. The Bulldogs saw multi-year starter Will Rogers exit via the portal after their 5-7 campaign came to a close.

Jo’Quavious Marks transfer portal

Running back Jo’Quavious Marks will enter the transfer portal after four seasons as Mississippi State. Marks, a reliable lead back with capable receiving skills, holds the program record for receiving yards by a running back, putting up 1,225 yards through four years.

The 5-10, 210-pound Marks did considerable damage to opposing defenses for the Bulldogs in both the ground game and as a receiver. He rushed for 1,883 yards and 22 touchdowns and added 1,225 receiving yards and five touchdowns over four seasons.

The Atlanta native has participated in 45 games and made 32 starts in four years with the Bulldogs, with only one absence, on Sept. 24, 2022, against Bowling Green. Marks had at least one reception in every game of his collegiate career. — Sahil Kurup, Clarion Ledger

Trevor Etienne transfer portal

Sophomore running back Trevor Etienne, one of the top offensive players for Florida football in 2023, has entered his name into the transfer portal.

The 5-9, 205-pound Etienne finished 2023 with 753 yards and eight TDs rushing on 5.7 carries in splitting carries with Montrell Johnson Jr. for the second consecutive season. He also added 172 yards receiving on 21 carries and returned kickoffs for the Florida Gators, averaging 24.9 yards per return.

Etienne’s combination of speed and field vision made him one of Florida’s most dynamic offense players, but his inability to consistently pick up blitzes landed him in head coach Billy Napier’s doghouse at times. He wound up rushing for 1,472 yards and scoring 15 TDs in two seasons with the Gators. – Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun

Raheim Sanders transfer portal

Junior running back Raheim Sanders released a statement saying he has decided to enter the transfer portal.

‘After much prayer and reflection, it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life,’ Sanders wrote. ‘In order for me to reach further goals, it’s best for me to enter my name in the transfer portal with one year of remaining eligibility.’

Sanders rushed for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Razorbacks in 2022, but injuries limited him to six games this season. He rushed for 209 yards and two TDs for Arkansas, which was 4-8 in 2023.

Nyland Green transfer portal

Sophomore defensive back Nyland Green is the latest Bulldogs player to put his name in the transfer portal.

Green registered 13 tackles across three seasons for Georgia, where he was part of the team’s 2021 signing class.

Gunnar Gundy transfer portal

Oklahoma State sophomore quarterback Gunnar Gundy, who is also the son of coach Mike Gundy, has entered the transfer portal.

As an graduate transfer, Gundy has up to two years of eligibility remaining. He appeared in three games during the 2023 season, throwing for 202 yards on 21-of-34 passing with one touchdown. He also rushed for 39 yards.

Brock Vandagriff transfer portal

UPDATE: Brock Vandagriff is staying in the SEC. Two days after the former Georgia QB entered the transfer portal, the sophomore committed to Kentucky.

Georgia sophomore quarterback Brock Vandagriff is entering his name in the transfer portal.

Vandagriff was 12 of 18 for 165 yards with two touchdowns in eight appearances for the Bulldogs in 2023

‘Dawg Nation, thank you for the unwavering support over the past 3 years,’ Vandagriff wrote on social media. ‘I was able to accomplish a huge goal of mine, which is graduating from the University of Georgia. … I will be entering the portal as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility. I am excited for the opportunities that are ahead of me.’

Vandagriff’s future team could rest with the decision of Georgia starting QB Carson Beck, who could enter the NFL draft.

Is the transfer portal the same for every sport? 

While football and basketball might get the most media talk (and fan interest), yes, the transfer portal database includes athletes for all sports.

Tyler Shough from transfer portal

Louisville football coach Jeff Brohm’s success in the portal continues with the addition of Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough, who posted his commitment on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Listed at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Shough broke his fibula in the Red Raiders’ Big 12 opener against West Virginia on Sept. 23. He applied for a waiver to get an extra year of eligibility due to medical hardship after playing in only four games in each of the 2021 and 2023 seasons. It’s unclear if the waiver has officially been approved yet, but Shough should have no problem winning his case.

Alexis Cubit, Louisville Courier Journal

Andrew Mukuba transfer portal

Safety Andrew Mukuba and defensive end David Ojiegbe on Tuesday became the seventh and eighth Clemson football players, respectively, to enter the transfer portal since season’s end.

Mukuba started 10 games this season and finished with a career-low 42 tackles in 578 snaps. He was a Freshman All-American in 2021 and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Ojiegbe, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound freshman from Largo, Maryland, played 11 snaps in two games this season while redshirting.

Scott Keepfer, Greenville News

Patrick Payton transfer portal

Patrick Payton, a redshirt sophomore defensive end at Florida State, announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on X, formerly Twitter. ‘Im Sorry Nole Nation I Plan To Enter The Transfer Portal…..,’ he wrote. Payton started all 13 games for FSU this season, recording 42 tackles, a team-high 13.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

LT Overton transfer portal

LT Overton, a defensive lineman who was one of the five-star prospects in Texas A&M’s top-ranked 2022 recruiting class, told On3 that he plans to enter the transfer portal. Overton, who at one point was the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class before he reclassified, has two years of eligibility remaining.

Jalen Catalon transfer portal

Texas senior safety Jalen Catalon is back in the transfer portal for a second consecutive year.

After starting four of Texas’ first six games, Catalon suffered a leg injury against Oklahoma that caused him to miss the next four games. He finished having played eight games with the Longhorns in 2023.

Catalon transferred to Texas last January after four seasons at Arkansas.

Dequan Finn transfer portal

Toledo’s Dequan Finn has become the latest quarterback to express intent to enter into the transfer portal.

Finn, a junior, had the best season of his three years with the Rockets in 2023. He completed 201-of-317 passes for 2,657 yards with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 563 yards and another seven scores.

Toledo (11-2) will play Wyoming in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl on Dec. 30.

Arch Manning transfer portal

Texas freshman quarterback Arch Manning’s name started to bubble up as a potential transfer portal candidate, especially following the announcement by Ohio State starting quarterback Kyle McCord.

However, according to 247Sports, Manning is expected to remain in Austin, and current backup QB and fellow freshman Maalik Murphy is the more likely of the two to transfer. Starting QB Quinn Ewers is coming off a highly productive sophomore season, passing for 3,161 yards and 21 touchdowns with just six interceptions.

Manning saw his only action of the season in Texas’ 57-7 blowout against Texas Tech. He completed 2-of-5 passes for 30 yards and rushed for 7 yards on three attempts.

Aidan Chiles transfer portal

Oregon State freshman quarterback Aidan Chiles announced on social media Monday that he is entering the transfer portal.

‘I am truly grateful that I had the chance to come to Oregon State and to be a Beaver. I appreciate all of the coaches, players, and fans who have supported me throughout my freshman year here in Corvallis,’ Chiles wrote on X.

Chiles saw limited action in nine games for Oregon State in 2023, working as the primary backup to starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

Tyler Buchner transfer portal

Alabama redshirt sophomore Tyler Buchner entered the transfer portal Monday, and is expected to switch to lacrosse at his next school, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Buchner, who transferred to Alabama after spending 2022 at Notre Dame, made one start at quarterback for the Crimson Tide before Jalen Milroe seized control of the starting gig.

Ohio State football players entering the transfer portal

DE Omari AborRB Deamonte TrayanumS Cam MartinezOL Victor CutlerRB Evan PryorCB Ryan TurnerK Parker LewisCB Jyaire BrownS Kye StokesQB Kyle McCordOL Jakob JamesLB Reid CarricoWR Julian Fleming

Walter Nolen transfer portal

Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen, who was the No. 2 overall recruit in 2022, announced his intent to enter the transfer portal with an Instagram post on Sunday night.

Nolen played 22 games for the Aggies, compiling 66 tackles, five sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

Nolen was a five-star recruit when he signed with Texas A&M. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Julian Fleming transfer portal

Ohio State senior wide receiver Julian Fleming thanked Ohio State fans with a post on X and said he will enter his name into the transfer portal for his final season.

‘It was an amazing four years and I have built relationships that will last a lifetime with so many of my fellow players as well as coaches,’ Fleming wrote Monday.

Fleming caught 79 passes for 963 yards and seven touchdowns in four seasons with the Buckeyes. His 2022 season was his best, as he hauled in 34 receptions for 533 yards and six touchdowns.

Spencer Petras transfer portal

After recently entering the transfer portal, former Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras has found a new home. Petras is headed to Utah State with his final remaining year of eligibility.

The quarterback served in a coaching role this season as he rehabbed his shoulder following an injury late in the 2022 season that required surgery. Petras is headed back west after spending five years on Iowa’s roster.

Petras joins the Aggies just as they have an opening in their quarterback room due to some rather uncommon circumstances. Utah State quarterback Levi Williams is going to play in the Aggies’ bowl game but then forego his final year of eligibility. Rather than transferring or heading to the NFL, he is going to undertake Navy SEAL training. — Hawkeyes Wire

Tyler van Dyke transfer portal 

All Van Dyke could need is a change of scenery. He was a revelation as a redshirt freshman in 2021, tossing at least three touchdowns in each of his final six starts and 25 overall against six interceptions. While that made him a Heisman contender heading into 2022, his career quickly fizzled: Van Dyke has 17 picks across the past two years and has looked uncomfortable and hesitant since coach Mario Cristobal arrived. There will plenty of coaching staffs that look at Van Dyke and see an impactful reclamation project, and they may be right. — Paul Myerberg 

Taylen Green transfer portal

Boise State sophomore quarterback Taylen Green announced on X that he will be entering the transfer portal after two seasons with the Broncos.

‘I love Boise State University, and I have truly enjoyed my time here,’ Green wrote. ‘From the bottom of my heart, it has been an honor competing for this great University, and there is nothing I have taken more pride in than representing all of you when I took the field in the Blue and Orange every week.’

Green passed for 3,794 yards, 25 touchdowns and 15 interceptions the past two years. He added more than 1,000 rushing yards and 19 scores on the ground.

Blake Shapen transfer portal

Baylor junior quarterback Blake Shapen has entered the transfer portal following a season during which he threw for 2,188 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Bears’ leading passer.

Baylor’s quarterback room now consists of junior RJ Martinez, sophomore Sawyer Robertson and freshmen Brayson McHenry and Cade Tessier.

Samuel Okunlola transfer portal

Pittsburgh edge rusher Samuel Okunlola, who led the Panthers in sacks this season, has entered the transfer portal.

Okunlola just completed his freshman season and has three years of eligibility remaining.

South Carolina football players entering transfer portal

QB Tanner BaileyDB Kajuan BanksWR O’Mega BlakeQB Colten GauthierDL Felix HixonWR Kylic HortonPK Mitch JeterDL D’Andre MartinDL Xzavier McLeodOL JonDarius MorganDB Isaiah NorrisWR Landon SamsonWR Zavier ShortWR Antwane WellsDL Donovan Westmoreland

Juice Wells transfer portal

South Carolina senior Antwane ‘Juice’ Wells Jr. enters the transfer portal as an intriguing option at wide receiving, and one with two years of eligibility remaining.

Wells went to South Carolina after spending his first two seasons at James Madison. He had 68 receptions for 928 yards and six touchdowns in 2022. He played in just three games in 2023 due to a foot injury he suffered during the preseason.

How has the transfer portal changed college sports? 

It’s important to understand that the NCAA transfer portal is merely a tool used by coaches and players to find new schools. What really changed the landscape of college sports, and allowed a sort of free agency frenzy, was the NCAA’s rule change on immediate eligibility. 

It used to be that if athletes wanted to transfer, they had to sit out a year before suiting up for their new school. But in spring 2021, the NCAA voted to allow athletes to transfer once and become immediately eligible. (Athletes are allowed to transfer a second time without penalty if they’ve completed their undergraduate degrees and are enrolling in a graduate program.) Since that rule change, hundreds of athletes have entered the portal each offseason, though not all find what they’re looking for in their decision to switch schools. 

Will Howard transfer portal

After an ugly start to his career upon being thrust into the lineup as a freshman, Howard developed into one of the most prolific and accomplished passers in Kansas State history. But the writing is on the wall: Avery Johnson is ready to take over as the Wildcats’ starter, making this a good time for Howard to hit the open market. As a veteran starter with a proven track record and noticeable year-to-year improvement, Howard should draw interest from some of the biggest programs in the country. Though his biggest suitors should come from traditional members Big Ten, Howard will draw interest from Notre Dame and Big Ten newcomers Oregon, Washington, UCLA and Southern California. — Paul Myerberg

Can players choose to stay at their school if they enter the transfer portal? 

Absolutely, though it’s somewhat rare in high-level college football. According to NCAA data, only 5% of FBS athletes who entered the transfer portal in 2020 or 2021 later withdrew and are assumed to be back at their original school. 

Will Sheppard transfer portal

Vanderbilt senior wide receiver Will Sheppard announced on social media that he is entering the transfer portal.

Sheppard has pulled in 2,067 yards and 21 touchdowns over the past three seasons with the Commodores.

QB transfer portal 2024 

This week, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said the price for a Power Five-caliber starting quarterback is ‘$1 million to $1.5 million to $2 million right now.’ That’s for a transfer portal class that is currently deep in experience but devoid of a transcendent passer. 

But programs in the Bowl Subdivision will pay the cost, and sometimes the investment will pay off. Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels were not seen as game-changing transfers when they joined Oregon and LSU, respectively, and the pair head into Saturday as the overwhelming favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. is a third former transfer in the mix for postseason hardware. 

Coaches are looking at three different types of quarterbacks: one-year rentals looking to cash in a final year of eligibility, plug-and-play starters with more than one season on campus, and high-ceiling but inexperienced players who transfer as redshirt freshmen or sophomores. 

What does entering the transfer portal mean? 

Because the transfer portal is really just an online database, entering it just means that an athlete’s name is uploaded to the database. When an athlete decides they want to explore transferring to another school, they have to notify their current school’s compliance office. And the compliance office then has two business days to put that athlete’s name in the portal. 

Dillon Gabriel transfer portal

Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel announced Monday that he will be leaving Norman with a social media post that thanked Sooner Nation.

‘My time in the palace was a game time experience I will never forget,’ Gabriel wrote. ‘Sooner Nation, you held me accountable and I am better for it.’

Gabriel is a redshirt senior and could decide to enter the NFL draft, but he also has one more year of eligibility remaining. He played his first three seasons at UCF before transfer to Oklahoma in 2022. He threw for a career-best 3,660 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions last year, and also posted a career-best 172.0 passer rating.

Freshman Jackson Arnold would likely become the front-runner to take over for Gabriel. Arnold was a five-star recruit who got playing time in a handful of games, throwing for 202 yards on 18 of 24 passing with two touchdown passes and another TD on the ground.

Who are the top transfer portal players? 

Here are the best quarterbacks available: Washington State’s Cam Ward, Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei, Kansas State’s Will Howard, UCLA’s Dante Moore, Duke’s Riley Leonard, Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall, Arizona State’s Drew Pyne, Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke, Texas Tech’s Tyler Shough, Ohio State’s Kyle McCord, New Hampshire’s Max Brosmer and Holy Cross’ Matthew Sluka. — Paul Myerberg 

How does the transfer portal work? 

The transfer portal is not a shortcut for the rest of the recruiting process. Coaches still have to recruit. Athletes still have to ensure they’re eligible to compete at a new school. The portal is simply a way to help the two sides connect more easily, and earlier. 

Kyle McCord transfer portal

Ohio State junior quarterback Kyle McCord, who started all 12 of the Buckeyes games in 2023, has put his name in the portal, according to the Columbus Dispatch, which is part of the USA TODAY Network.

In his debut season as a starter, McCord threw for 3,170 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions and received third-team All-Big Ten recognition last week. But his status as the starter moving forward was unclear.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day was noncommittal about McCord remaining the starting quarterback as a senior next season or even for the Cotton Bowl at the end of this month as he met with reporters at a news conference Sunday.

‘We’ll just kind of see how practice goes,’ Day said.

Day mentioned all of the passers would have opportunities to compete for reps ahead of the matchup against Missouri on Dec. 29. Ohio State has three other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster with sophomore Devin Brown, as well as graduate student Tristan Gebbia and Lincoln Kienholz. — Columbus Dispatch

What is a transfer portal in college football? 

A 2019 article on the NCAA’s website describes the transfer portal as a ‘compliance tool to systematically manage the transfer process from start to finish.’ Put more simply: It’s a database. The NCAA made this database in an attempt to simplify the first step in the transfer process. In the pre-portal days, athletes would have to ask their coach for permission to contact other schools, then find ways to get the word out that they were available. Coaches, meanwhile, would have to use their connections and word-of-mouth referrals to identify transferring athletes. Now, it’s all just there in one spot.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY