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ESPN staff
College football's transfer portal officially opened Monday, Dec. 5, and with it came each the storylines we've travel to expect.
QB1 is retired astatine 1 blueblood programme portion there's a wide exodus astatine this Power 5 school. The names filled the portal and assemblage shot fans were near to fig retired what this means for their favourite schoolhouse -- and subordinate -- up of vessel play and outpouring football.
Our reporters came unneurotic to find retired the astir intriguing prospects successful the portal, the champion backmost landing spots and the biggest questions facing each league aft the archetypal 3 days of the unfastened window.
My favourite disposable transportation is ...
David Hale: It's not the biggest sanction successful the portal, but cornerback Fentrell Cypress II could person a monolithic interaction wherever helium lands. He was a immense portion of a monolithic turnaround for the Virginia defence successful 2022, finishing the play with 13 PBUs portion allowing conscionable 5.9 yards per people arsenic the ACC's apical graded country by Pro Football Focus. He's already connected the radar of respective blue-blood programs, and if he's not a household sanction today, helium could easy blossom into 1 of the apical corners successful the state successful 2023.
Andrea Adelson: The quarterbacks and accomplishment players usually get each the shine, but we can't hide the large guys up front. That is wherefore I deliberation Rhode Island lineman Ajani Cornelius is truthful intriguing. He evidently has the size, astatine 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, that everyone is looking for successful an violative tackle. He had a ascendant twelvemonth successful 2022, including a show against Pitt that should spell a agelong mode toward proving helium tin grip FBS antiaircraft linemen (Cornelius did not let 1 unit successful that game). He besides has 2 years of eligibility left, which helps for some roster readying and development. With implicit 20 offers already, including Florida, Auburn and Oregon, Cornelius volition person his prime of landing spots.
Tom Luginbill: Dasan McCullough. Pass-rushers travel astatine a premium, and extracurricular of Jermaine Johnson 2 years ago, who transferred to Florida State, fewer person entered the portal with McCullough's accomplishment acceptable and production.
Dave Wilson: Western Kentucky backmost Austin Reed. His way is the communicative of the existent epoch of assemblage football. In precocious school, helium enactment up large numbers successful his lone twelvemonth arsenic a starter and finished 3rd successful the state's subordinate of the twelvemonth voting, but was not heavy recruited. He signed with Southern Illinois, but aft redshirting his archetypal year, helium transferred to the University of West Florida successful Pensacola, wherever helium led the Argos to a D-II nationalist championship, throwing for 4,084 yards and 40 TDs, was second-team All-American and was sixth successful the Harlon Hill voting, the small-school Heisman. Reed past transferred to WKU arsenic a grad transfer, wherever helium threw for 4,247 yards, 2nd successful the nation, and is present backmost successful the portal looking for his 4th school.
Tom VanHaaren: Under Ball State moving backmost Carson Steele's bio, it says helium has a favored alligator. So that automatically vaults him to the apical for me. Outside of Steele, I would spell with Braden Fiske, a antiaircraft tackle from Western Michigan. He had 58 full tackles, 12 tackles for nonaccomplishment and six sacks this play for the Broncos. He's getting involvement from Notre Dame and USC among others and could beryllium a subordinate who vaults into a Power 5 programme and shines adjacent season.
Craig Haubert: Indiana linebacker Dasan McCullough jumps retired for respective reasons. A highly ranked ESPN 300 imaginable successful the 2022 class, helium is simply a transportation enactment with inactive plentifulness of shot up of him who has already shown signs of fulfilling his potential. His begetter Deland is the RB manager astatine Notre Dame and helium contributed each play for the Hoosiers with respective starts and was disruptive with 6.5 tackles-for-loss and 4 sacks. The portal has nary shortage for WRs, DBs and adjacent QBs but an explosive, assertive versatile beforehand 7 defender with immoderate proven acquisition already should not beryllium overlooked.
Alex Scarborough: Fine. Since everyone is playing it chill and not talking astir the big-name quarterbacks here, I will. Say what you privation astir the mode DJ Uiagalelei fizzled retired astatine Clemson, helium has potential. Remember, everyone near Spencer Rattler for dormant erstwhile helium transferred from Oklahoma to South Carolina -- and for astir of the play they were close -- but past helium showed against Tennessee and Clemson what he's susceptible of. But, if it were me, I'd beryllium chasing 2 quarterbacks successful particular: Devin Leary and Spencer Sanders. I springiness Sanders a flimsy borderline due to the fact that helium brings much of a dual-threat skillset to the array (18 vocation rushing touchdowns to 5), but you can't spell incorrect with that overmuch endowment and acquisition astatine the astir important presumption connected the tract ...
The imaginable QB acceptable I similar the astir is...
Adelson: DJU to UCLA. Heading backmost to the West Coast mightiness beryllium the caller commencement that Uiagalelei needs, and going to a schoolhouse with a caput manager who has built his estimation connected his discourtesy makes this 1 consciousness similar a bully fit. Uiagalelei's struggles person been good documented, but determination is simply a valid question to beryllium asked astir whether the Clemson discourtesy enactment him successful a bully capable presumption to succeed.
Tom Luginbill: Spencer Sanders to Auburn. He could person Malik Willis-type accumulation successful Hugh Freeze's scheme. He has the perfect blend of passing prowess and dynamism. The downside is he's lone got 1 twelvemonth near of eligibility.
VanHaaren: I hold with Andrea astir Uiagalelei astatine UCLA, but I would similar to spot Devin Leary astatine Wisconsin with Luke Fickell. Not conscionable due to the fact that Wisconsin took Russell Wilson from NC State and saw success, but Fickell is going to request contiguous assistance astatine backmost with Graham Mertz entering the portal. Leary could travel successful and commencement from time one, elevate the Badgers' backmost play and get into a strategy that helped get Desmond Ridder to the NFL.
Craig Haubert: There are plentifulness of large names retired determination but one, portion possibly a agelong shot, that could beryllium intriguing is Georgia Tech's Jeff Sims to Florida. The Gators scored large connected the recruiting way flipping ESPN 300 QB Jaden Rashada from Miami but with Anthony Richardson entering the draught determination is country for an experienced QB connected the roster. Sims had been inconsistent astatine Georgia Tech, but this is simply a talented dual-threat beingness that has flashed large play quality and could payment from a caller start. He would besides springiness the Gators QB country a subordinate successful the mold of Richardson that is arguably a small stronger of a passer. Sims would apt besides travel successful with tempered expectations arsenic compared to immoderate different transportation QBs and let for a bully acceptable and competitory offseason QB battle.
Scarborough: I'm with Craig. I'd emotion to spot Sims astatine Florida. He'd beryllium a large acceptable successful Napier's offense.
Conference questions
ACC
Biggest ACC storyline to emerge:The QB exodus. The ACC entered the 2022 play billing it arsenic "the twelvemonth of the QB." It didn't enactment retired truthful good for a fig of large names, including Boston College's Phil Jurkovec, Clemson's DJ Uiagalelei, and NC State's Devin Leary. All 3 person present entered the transportation portal, on with Virginia's Brennan Armstrong, Georgia Tech's Jeff Sims and Pitt's Kedon Slovis. Those six QBs relationship for 142 games started astatine the schools they're leaving, While immoderate similar NC State, BC and Clemson person replacements connected their existent rosters, it inactive figures to beryllium an progressive portal play for the league, with Louisville and Wake Forest perchance looking for seasoned talent, too. In 2022, conscionable 2 teams -- North Carolina and Duke -- entered the twelvemonth without a seasoned QB astatine the helm. At this point, they're among the fewer -- on with FSU, Virginia Tech, Syracuse and Pitt (where Jurkovec announced helium intends to transfer) -- who person a QB connected the roster with much than a fistful of starts to their names.
ACC contender with the astir enactment to bash successful the portal: Florida State Seminoles. There are astir apt different teams with bigger needs successful the portal, but nary 1 successful the ACC has the operation of anterior portal occurrence and imaginable for a immense 2023 similar FSU. Mike Norvell has wholly rebuilt the programme done the portal, landing stars similar Jermaine Johnson, Fabien Lovett, Dillan Gibbons, Jared Verse, Trey Benson and Jammie Robinson implicit the past 2 years. The lone downside to that occurrence is that he'll request to support going backmost to the well, arsenic his transportation occurrence stories became NFL draught picks. Still, the interaction those transfers had turned Florida State from laughing banal to genuine contender successful the ACC, and if Norvell works his magic again this offseason, 2023 mightiness beryllium the twelvemonth the Seminoles yet reclaim their spot astatine the apical of the conference. -- Hale
Biggest remaining question: There is small uncertainty Miami wants to usage the portal to not lone crook implicit its roster, but reply important questions astatine cardinal positions (wide receiver, moving back, violative enactment for starters). The Hurricanes were not arsenic palmy with the portal past year, arsenic galore of the cardinal transfers they brought successful had mixed results. But aft a 5-7 grounds successful Year 1 nether Mario Cristobal, determination is simply a bigger consciousness of urgency to marque definite the Canes usage the portal to their vantage to assistance supplement what is projected to beryllium a top-10 recruiting class. There was already unit connected Cristobal to get the Hurricanes backmost to nationalist relevance. After a disappointing 2022, that unit volition lone grow. -- Adelson
Big 12
Biggest Big 12 storyline to emerge: The archetypal stages haven't been overly damaging to the Big 12 teams, different than immoderate cardinal losses astatine Oklahoma State. Texas had respective highly rated recruits leap in, but astir of them weren't important contributors and Oklahoma is successful a akin situation, though the impending departure of wide receiver Theo Wease is simply a loss. But the Sooners and Longhorns volition ever gully their stock of portal attention.
With Kansas State and TCU playing successful high-profile games, determination could inactive beryllium movement, but close now, the biggest losses person travel successful Stillwater.
Big 12 contender with the astir enactment to bash successful the portal: Oklahoma State. Now, Sanders, who has been incredibly breathtaking and puzzlingly inconsistent successful 4 years arsenic a starter, has entered his sanction into the portal looking for a caller start. Star in-state recruits similar Braylin Presley and Trace Ford are portal-bound. Dominic Richardson, a cardinal subordinate of the moving backmost rotation, is too, on with information Kanion Williams, who has been a squad captain. Linebacker Mason Cobb, who had 96 tackles, 13 for a loss, this twelvemonth is besides successful the portal.
Coach Mike Gundy has rebuilt implicit and implicit again, and has done much with little for years. But this volition beryllium rather a trial astatine a clip erstwhile the Cowboys were looking to basal atop of the caller Big 12.
Biggest remaining question: Can TCU capitalize connected this unthinkable tally successful Sonny Dykes' archetypal year? At SMU, helium made Dallas a bounce-back destination for players from the country who wanted to travel backmost location and play. Now successful a Power 5 job, making the playoff successful his archetypal season, there's impervious of conception to merchantability recruits. After hitting connected respective cardinal transfers past twelvemonth similar Johnny Hodges and Josh Newton, who some earned All-Big 12 honors arsenic cardinal pieces, tin the Horned Frogs go an adjacent bigger player? -- Wilson
Big Ten
Biggest Big Ten storyline to emerge: Maryland had 14 players participate the transportation portal since the opening of December. That included choky extremity CJ Dippre, who had 3 touchdowns successful 2022, and linebacker Ahmad McCullough, who had 45 tackles, 3 tackles for nonaccomplishment and a sack this season. There aren't a ton of prima players leaving, but 14 is simply a important fig and volition wounded the extent for a squad that needs extent to marque a tally precocious into the season. Maryland manager Mike Locksley has done good successful the portal successful the past, truthful if they tin regenerate immoderate of those spots with contributors, it won't beryllium a antagonistic for the team.
Big Ten contender with the astir enactment to bash successful the portal: Penn State has added immoderate bully pieces to its roster done recruiting implicit the past fewer classes, particularly with backmost Drew Allar and moving backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. The Nittany Lions had a bully play successful 2022 with 10 wins, but their 2 losses were to Michigan and Ohio State. Penn State needs to adhd a fewer coagulated contributors from the portal to bulk up the roster portion immoderate of the precocious schoolhouse prospects proceed to develop. They're not acold disconnected from being wherever they privation to be, but person already been progressive successful the portal to enactment up the roster. Penn State has offered wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., a South Florida transfer, choky extremity Kyle Morlock, antiaircraft extremity Elijah Jeudy, erstwhile Alabama cornerback Khyree Jackson among others. Getting immoderate contiguous contributors volition assistance Penn State proceed to amended and vie with Michigan and Ohio State successful the coming years.
Biggest remaining question: Michigan doesn't typically instrumentality successful transfers unless they're postgraduate transfers, Ohio State has typically built its squad done recruiting and picking up a fewer transfers present and there, but determination are a fewer Big Ten teams that could usage large hauls from the portal,. Michigan State and manager Mel Tucker person seen occurrence successful the portal with the 2021 season, winning 10 games and plucking moving backmost Kenneth Walker III from Wake Forest. But they person besides seen the downside successful 2022 erstwhile transfers don't lend arsenic overmuch arsenic anticipated and precocious schoolhouse prospects aren't afloat developed. In summation to Michigan State, caller Nebraska manager Matt Rhule could payment from bringing successful transportation players. The question, though, is due to the fact that helium has been successful the NFL, volition helium person the relationships to get successful accelerated capable with quality makers earlier they marque a decision. Rhule and his unit volition person to enactment accelerated and beryllium progressive to effort to get players they privation that tin assistance from time one. -- VanHaaren
Pac-12
Biggest Pac-12 storyline to emerge: The Deion Sanders epoch has begun successful Colorado and it has kicked disconnected with plentifulness of fireworks already. Sanders made quality rapidly upon arriving successful Boulder, wherever a video showed him talking to existent Colorado players and telling them to participate the portal. He besides efficaciously told them his son, Shedeur, would transportation and beryllium the Buffs' quarterback. The connection was beauteous clear: alteration is coming. And change, successful today's game, is lone quickened by the portal.
Sanders' recruiting prowess present that he's astatine a Power 5 schoolhouse volition inevitably seep into not conscionable precocious schoolhouse recruiting but transfers too. There is already chatter astir Jackson State recruits (especially, no. 1 wide imaginable Travis Hunter) pursuing Sanders to Boulder and there's nary uncertainty Sanders is going to beryllium making plentifulness of calls to players entering the portal, selling them connected his imaginativeness for the Buffaloes.
It volition beryllium fascinating to spot the turnover astatine Colorado and however overmuch alteration Sanders tin impact this offseason alone. The portal allows him to flex his spot successful a wholly antithetic way: He doesn't person to hold for recruits to get connected campus, get acclimated and spell done the learning curve that comes with making the leap from precocious school.
Pac-12 contender with the astir enactment to bash successful portal: UCLA. The Bruins are losing immoderate invaluable seniors connected some sides of the shot and, dissimilar their counterparts Oregon, Utah, USC, Washington and adjacent Oregon State and Arizona, they don't person a recruiting people (as of now) successful the top-50 successful the country.
The bully quality for UCLA is that Chip Kelly and his unit are already making moves. On Monday arsenic the portal opened, the Bruins nabbed Cal wrong linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo to statesman shoring up their defense.
Above all, the Bruins person to determine however to regenerate outgoing backmost Dorian Thompson-Robinson and his unthinkable 2022 season. It felt similar Kelly and DTR recovered thing this play and the programme would payment successful a large mode if they were to proceed that momentum contempt a alteration astatine the position. Could they spell with backup Ethan Garbers? Is freshman Justyn Martin ready? Or volition they dip into the portal and effort to snag a backmost looking for a caller commencement and a caller home?
Biggest remaining question: How galore quarterbacks volition marque their mode West? The conference, with its inconsistent defenses and offensive-minded coaches, has go a spot of a refuge for quarterbacks looking for greener pastures.
Last season, the Pac-12 added Caleb Williams, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix and Cameron Ward via the transportation portal, portion Washington State backmost Jayden de Laura made his mode to Tucson too. Only 1 of the aforementioned quarterbacks (Nix) is leaving assemblage and there's already spots disposable (UCLA, Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona State) for different highly-touted quarterbacks similar Devin Leary and D.J. Uiagalelei, who person already entered the portal, to consider.
The Uiagalelei landing spot volition beryllium peculiarly absorbing to watch. The now-former Clemson backmost is from Southern California and played astatine section powerhouse St. John's Bosco. If UCLA wants to modulation from the Dorian Thompson-Robinson epoch without having to crook to an underclassman, Uiagalelei presents an intriguing option. -- Uggetti
SEC
Biggest SEC storyline to emerge: All successful all, it's been comparatively quiescent successful the SEC truthful far. The lone noteworthy quarterbacks to deed the portal person been Ole Miss' Luke Altmyer and Vanderbilt's Mike Wright -- and neither was a starter to extremity the season. Arkansas' Malik Hornsby is connected the move, but KJ Jefferson already announced that helium was coming backmost aft an injury-plagued season. Only a fistful of our top-35 transfers are from the SEC: Missouri wideout Dominic Lovett, South Carolina choky extremity Austin Stogner, Alabama receiver Traeshon Holden and violative lineman Javion Cohen. Given however Alabama mislaid 2 games and missed the playoff, the Crimson Tide are worthy watching. So far, much than a twelve players are successful the portal, including erstwhile apical violative enactment imaginable Tommy Brockermeyer. They person needs astatine respective cardinal positions: receiver, violative enactment and quarterback.
SEC contender with the astir enactment to bash successful the portal: I'll beryllium funny to spot if Georgia does immoderate enactment successful the portal. They were the lone Power 5 squad this play that didn't motion a azygous transfer. So let's regularisation them retired from being overly active. To me, that leaves rival Florida arsenic 1 of the teams to wage attraction to. Napier did a batch successful the portal during his archetypal offseason, bringing O'Cyrus Torrence and Montrell Johnson with him from Louisiana, and signing Ricky Pearsall from Arizona State. But helium needs adjacent much help. The roster isn't anyplace adjacent complete, and present he's got a starting backmost to regenerate and much than a twelve players who conscionable deed the portal. Look for Napier and his unit to beef up the trenches -- the violative and antiaircraft lines.
Biggest remaining question: Who's going to get a quarterback? Because determination are rather a fewer teams with a request astatine the position. Florida conscionable mislaid Anthony Richardson to the NFL. Stetson Bennett is yet leaving Georgia. Same for Hendon Hooker astatine Tennessee, Will Levis astatine Kentucky and Bryce Young astatine Alabama. Joe Milton III seems similar he'll get a agelong look to regenerate Hooker successful Knoxville, but everyplace other feels wide unfastened for competition. At Alabama successful particular, dual-threat Jalen Milroe didn't instrumentality the bull by the horns erstwhile Young was injured. While determination are a fewer bully young prospects waiting successful the wings -- freshman Ty Simpson and commits Dylan Lonergan and Eli Holstein -- Nick Saban mightiness not person the patience to make a backmost erstwhile a ready-made merchandise is disposable successful the portal. -- Scarborough
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