The 10 college football transfers that will have the biggest impact

The rich have gotten richer through the transfer market. Many of the top available targets in the portal landed at some of the best teams in the Bowl Subdivision, drawn to both the increased name, image and likeness packages offered by college football’s elite programs and the chance to compete for the College Football Playoff.
One of the biggest winners was Ohio State, which was able to bring in an all-everything safety (Caleb Downs), a likely new starting quarterback (Will Howard) and the best available running back (Quinshon Judkins). Also in the Big Ten, Oregon looks to reload with a new starter under center (Dillon Gabriel) and an elite starting cornerback (Jabbar Muhammad).
Other programs with high-profile transfers include Notre Dame, Mississippi, Texas A&M and Miami. These are the newcomers set to make the biggest impact in 2024:
Nick Saban’s abrupt retirement and the opportunity for increased NIL offerings led Downs to leave Alabama after a superb freshman season that saw him become the first freshman to lead the program in tackles since at least 1970. He’ll immediately step into a starting role with Ohio State and become one of the top defensive backs and overall defenders in the Big Ten as the Buckeyes chase the national championship.
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While Downs will have two or more seasons to make his impact, Gabriel should have the biggest impact on this year’s Big Ten after a strong run as the starter Oklahoma. The senior has been productive across two FBS stops and brings experience and reliability to one of the top contenders for the playoff. Gabriel had a combined 73 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions in his two years with the Sooners.
Last year’s Big Ten leader in sacks and quarterback pressures will be the centerpiece of Mike Elko’s new defense at A&M. The preseason all-conference pick had a terrific spring with the Aggies and is already listed as a potential first-round choice in next year’s NFL draft. Scourton also speaks to a greater trend around transfers and the portal: Big-name and deep-pocketed programs, such as Texas A&M, are able to draw talents such as Scourton away from other Power Four schools that simply aren’t able to keep pace from a financial perspective.
It’s not guaranteed that Howard will step into the starting role with the Buckeyes after playing well in his almost two years as the Wildcats’ primary starter; he’ll have to fend off Devin Brown in fall camp to officially earn the job for the opener against Akron. As expected, he walks into a great position. The Buckeyes are deep at the skill positions and potentially dominant defensively, which would take pressure off of Howard as he adapts to the Big Ten.
Ward considered entering this year’s draft but eventually landed with the Hurricanes, giving Mario Cristobal’s program a huge boost at a position of dire need after two disappointing seasons. A former Championship Subdivision standout at Incarnate Word, the senior threw for 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in two seasons at Washington State and has the athleticism to bring a new flavor to Miami’s underachieving offense.
Nolen finished third on the Aggies in sacks and fourth in tackles for loss in 2023, indicating that he’s close to tapping into his five-star potential. He’ll stay within the SEC as the biggest star in the Rebels’ star-studded transfer class. The biggest key to his development into an elite edge defender will be consistency: Nolen has had the tendency to disappear for extended stretches of play, though part of that can be attributed to youth and a lack of experience.
Drawing in one of the top available defensive backs on the transfer market is great for the Ducks; doing so while hurting your bitter rival is even better. Muhammad spent his first two years at Oklahoma State, developing a name for himself as one of the best young defenders in the conference, before earning all-conference honors in his one season for the Huskies, who finished national runners-up. He’s expected to slot right into a starting role for Oregon and help keep the Ducks’ pass defense among the country’s best.
Leonard becomes Notre Dame’s second quarterback transfer out of the ACC in as many years, following Sam Hartman from Wake Forest. He’ll bring something new to the table as a runner and athlete, allowing the Fighting Irish to blend in a quarterback-run game that has been largely absent the past two seasons. The big question is whether Leonard can remain healthy after missing the final five games of 2023.
Judkins might seem like an almost unnecessary addition given the Buckeyes brings back leading rusher TreVeyon Henderson (926 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023). Look for Ryan Day to make it work by having both share the work. Judkins ran for 1,158 yards and 15 scores for the Rebels last year, coming on strong down the stretch with six 100-yard performances in his final nine games. Combined, Henderson and Judkins represent the top backfield pairing in the FBS.
Bond is an enormous get for the Longhorns as they look to replace last year’s top three receivers and stay rolling on a course for the national title. He led Alabama in receptions (48) and ranked second in receiving yards (668) last season, playing his best in big wins against Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee and Georgia. His proven track record of production in the SEC should quickly make him a favorite target for Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns’ passing game.