Top 15 impact players and five biggest busts from the college football transfer portal
An unprecedented offseason of player movement has given some transfers the opportunity to shine on college football's biggest stage, while others have wilted in the spotlight
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8 min read
The transfer portal has changed everything about roster building in college football. Every offseason, players across the country trade one uniform for another -- but only a select few truly move the needle on a national scale.
This list highlights the 15 transfers who've made the biggest impact this season -- players who've changed games, elevated programs, and delivered when it mattered. And because the portal isn't all success stories, we'll close with five that haven't lived up to expectations.
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Top 15 impact players from the transfer portal
Fernando Mendoza | QB, Indiana
Arguably the most impactful offseason addition of any program in the country, Mendoza's veteran presence and command of Curt Cignetti's offense have quickly elevated Indiana from last year's College Football Playoff darling to a legitimate national title contender. With a statement win at Oregon already on the résumé, Mendoza has the Hoosiers positioned for a second straight playoff run -- while playing himself into the conversation as one of the first quarterbacks off the board in next April's NFL draft.
KC Concepcion | WR, Texas A&M
Texas A&M's decision to heavily invest in its receiver room this offseason has already paid major dividends, as the Aggies sit 8-0 for the first time since 1992. A former ACC Offensive Freshman of the Year, Concepcion has been a catalyst for the Aggies' explosive passing attack. He averaging more than 15 yards per reception in his first season in College Station and provides the dynamic playmaking element this offense had been missing.
Mario Craver | WR, Texas A&M
KC Concepcion isn't the only receiver making noise in College Station. True sophomore Mario Craver has been a revelation for Collin Klein's passing game, emerging as one of the nation's premier big-play and run-after-catch threats. The Mississippi State transfer opened the season on a tear, posting three straight 100-yard performances -- including a 200-yard outing against top-10 Notre Dame in South Bend.
Emmanuel Pregnon | OG, Oregon
Oregon ranks No. 8 nationally in rushing this season after ushering in three new starters along the offensive line, including Wyoming transfer Emmanuel Pregnon, who joined Isaiah World and Alex Harkey in Eugene to help solidify Dan Lanning's ground attack. Listed at 6-feet-5 and nearly 320 pounds, Pregnon's presence on the interior has paid huge dividends, providing stability and push up front as Dante Moore and the Ducks continue to fine-tune their passing game with a national championship in sight.
Trinidad Chambliss | QB, Ole Miss
Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss from Division II powerhouse Ferris State in April, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to their third national championship in four years after accounting for more than 3,000 total yards and 51 touchdowns in 2024. Less than a year later, Chambliss's blend of savvy experience and athleticism has Ole Miss on the brink of its first College Football Playoff appearance in Oxford.
David Bailey | EDGE, Texas Tech
Ranked the No. 12 overall prospect in the transfer portal according to 247Sports, the former Stanford standout has been nothing short of remarkable in his first season in Lubbock -- posting 10.5 sacks through eight games for the Red Raiders. Bailey's presence, along with other portal additions such as Romello Height and Lee Hunter, has propelled Texas Tech into a top-10 total defense and a legitimate threat to represent the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff -- all while elevating his own stock as one of the nation's fastest-rising NFL draft prospects.
Joey Aguilar | QB, Tennessee
Aguilar quickly made his way to Knoxville in April following Nico Iamaleava's shocking departure from Rocky Top -- and he responded by leading Tennessee to a 6-2 record while posting career highs in completion percentage and yards per attempt. After transferring from UCLA in the spring, both Aguilar and Josh Heupel deserve credit for how seamlessly they've adapted to adversity and kept the Vols in the SEC race.
Colton Hood | CB, Tennessee
Hood entered the season with tempered expectations after transferring from Colorado, but with opportunity abound following injuries to starting cornerbacks Jermond McCoy and Rickey Gibson III, the redshirt sophomore has quickly solidified himself as one of the best pound-for-pound defensive backs in the country. After emerging for the Volunteers this fall, Hood now finds himself in the mix to be one of the top cornerbacks in next April's NFL draft.
Chandler Morris | QB, Virginia
A sixth-year senior on his third program in as many years, Morris has helped guide Virginia to its best start since 2007. While the numbers aren't eye-popping, his steady presence under center has been a welcome boost for an upstart Cavaliers team now eyeing a run at the ACC title. With no ranked opponents left on the schedule, Morris and company could find themselves in the thick of the playoff conversation before season's end.
Ahmad Hardy | RB, Missouri
After bursting onto the scene as a true freshman at Louisiana Monroe, Hardy ranks second nationally in rushing with 937 yards and 13 touchdowns through eight weeks. A lightly recruited three-star out of Monticello, Mississippi, Hardy has ignited one of the nation's most productive ground games and positioned himself as a cornerstone of Eli Drinkwitz's offense in Columbia for years to come.
Justice Haynes | RB, Michigan
A former top-40 recruit in the Class of 2023, Haynes opted for a fresh start in Ann Arbor after a disappointing beginning to his career at Alabama — and it's proven to be the right move. The sophomore back has thrived in Michigan's downhill rushing attack, piling up 857 yards and averaging just over seven yards per carry. A physical, one-cut runner with natural burst and vision, Haynes has brought valuable experience and balance to the Wolverines' backfield while sharing the load with Bryce Underwood.
Mansoor Delane | CB, LSU
No transfer addition in the country has boosted his NFL draft stock more than LSU's Mansoor Delane. An experienced veteran who arrived in Baton Rouge after three seasons at Virginia Tech, Delane's presence in the Tigers' secondary has helped transform a once-beleaguered unit into something much closer to the proud "DBU" standard LSU fans remember. With no clear-cut No. 1 corner in next year's draft, don't be surprised if Delane's name is one of the first called in April.
AJ Haulcy | S, LSU
One of the most experienced defensive backs in the country, Haulcy quickly became one of the most coveted players in the portal after leaving Houston last spring. With 40 career starts under his belt, the Texas native has been one of the few bright spots for an LSU team that's fallen short of its national-title expectations -- elevating himself into the conversation as one of the nation's premier defensive backs as he shifts his focus toward Sundays after this season.
Hezekiah Masses | CB, California
A native of Deerfield Beach, Florida, Masses has made himself right at home in Berkeley, recording four interceptions for the Golden Bears in just eight starts. A smooth mover with excellent ball skills, the former Florida International standout has proven to be a major coup for Justin Wilcox and a Cal program that continues to uncover transfer-portal gems from coast to coast.
Eddie Walls | EDGE, Houston
A fifth-year transfer from Florida International, Walls has been one of the most impactful portal additions for Willie Fritz and the Cougars. At 6-4 and 250 pounds, the Florida native has already set a career high with 5.5 sacks through eight weeks -- anchoring a Houston defense that's helped propel the Cougars to a 4-1 start in Big 12 play.
Five biggest busts of the transfer portal
Jackson Arnold | QB, Auburn
A highly scrutinized marriage from the start, the pairing of Jackson Arnold and Hugh Freeze got off to a promising beginning in Waco as the Tigers handled Baylor behind Arnold's ability to extend plays and create on the ground. Since then, though, production has dipped -- Arnold has rushed for more than 50 yards just twice and thrown for more than 250 yards only once, coming against a 3-5 Ball State team. With the stakes as high as ever on the Plains, Freeze's decision to roll the dice on Arnold in the portal could prove costly as Auburn continues to search for stability at the game's most important position.
Makhi Hughes | RB, Oregon
Thought to be one of the most prized additions in the portal, Hughes arrived in Eugene after two productive seasons at Tulane, where he rushed for more than 1,300 yards in his first two collegiate years. But the jump from the Group of Five to one of the nation's deepest rosters proved challenging, as the Birmingham, Alabama, native struggled to carve out a consistent role in Oregon's loaded backfield. After logging just 17 carries through four games, Hughes opted to redshirt and preserve a year of eligibility -- setting the stage for another potential move this offseason.
Nic Anderson | WR, LSU
Anderson came to Baton Rouge from Oklahoma with lofty expectations after missing his sophomore season with an injury, hoping to regain the form that once made him one of the SEC's most promising young receivers. Caught between a crowded receiver room, inconsistent quarterback play and uneven offensive rhythm, Anderson's production never matched the billing of a top-10 prospect in the portal -- finishing with just 10 receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns.
Luke Hasz | TE, Ole Miss
One of the most well-rounded tight ends available in the portal, Hasz entered Oxford after flashing big-time potential early in his career at Arkansas. But through eight weeks, he has yet to record a reception for the Rebels. After undergoing ankle surgery earlier in the season, Hasz is working his way back into form with hopes of contributing down the stretch as Lane Kiffin's offense gears up for what looks like a College Football Playoff run.
Jaydn Ott | RB, Oklahoma
Much was made of Cal transfer Jaydn Ott this offseason, with the expectation that pairing a healthy Ott alongside John Mateer would bring balance and stability to the Sooners' offense. The result? Not so much. Through eight weeks, Ott has carried the ball just 21 times for 68 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per attempt as Oklahoma continues to search for answers in the run game.
