The transfer portal has been a gamechanger for teams and coaches across the college football landscape. Really for all sports but the primary focus is football, as we review the teams who were able to cash in.
The transfer portal can work both ways. The Oklahoma Sooners are a prime example of that. After watching both Spencer Rattler (South Carolina) and Caleb Williams (USC) exit stage left, they needed to address multiple spots including at quarterback.
New head coach Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby were able to convince former UCF southpaw quarterback Dillon Gabriel to change directions and come to Norman, instead of playing for Chip Kelly at UCLA. The Sooners added other new members such as former UCLA offensive linemen McKade Mettauer and Hawaii edge rusher Jonah La’ulu.
The NCAA set a deadline of May 1 for transfers to be eligible to play in the 2022 season without requiring a waiver. With the deadline now in the rearview mirror, we break down the top 10 transfer teams according to 247Sports composite transfer rankings.
Miami Hurricanes
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
Total Points: 53.37 | Total Transfers: 11
With new head coach Mario Cristobal now in charge of the Hurricanes, he is reloading the Miami program in hopes of bringing them back into relevance. Top transfers include former West Virginia DL Akheem Mesidor and former Clemson WR Frank Ladson.
TCU Horned Frogs
AP Photo/LM Otero, File
Total Points: 53.98 | Total Transfers: 13
The Horned Frogs did lose a few players such as Ochaun Mathis to Nebraska and Zach Evans to Ole Miss, but new head coach Sonny Dykes has been loading up the talent in Fort Worth. He recently added several former Longhorns to his team for 2022. Top transfers include former Louisana RB Emani Bailey and former Arkansas RB Trelon Smith.
Texas Longhorns
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 54.25 | Total Transfers: 5
The Longhorns are unique to this list because they have the fewest number of incoming transfers, which is tied with the Alabama Crimson Tide. They each brought in five players, but the Texas list is led by a former pledge, Quinn Ewers. The team also added former Wyoming WR Isaiah Neyor and former Alabama TE Jahleel Billingsley.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 57.33 | Total Transfers: 9
Former Oklahoma assistant Shane Beamer has been busy in the transfer portal. After having to use a grad assistant at quarterback last season, he brought former Sooners QB Spencer Rattler to Columbia. Among the other top guys to transfer in is Austin Stogner, who was coached by Beamer in Norman.
UCLA Bruins
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 57.58 | Total Transfers: 12
Chip Kelly could be trying to fight off the hot seat rumors in 2022 and he made sure to get the best talent he could for the upcoming campaign. After losing WR Chase Cota to Oregon, the former Ducks head coach snagged former Duke WR Jake Bobo. His other top transfers include Edge rushers Grayson and Gabriel Murphy from North Texas.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 57.68 | Total Transfers: 5
Alabama joins the list with the fewest number of transfers, which is tied with the Longhorns. After losing his top two WRs to the NFL draft, head coach Nick Saban brought Jermaine Burton over from the Georgia Bulldogs. He also added top RB Jahmyr Gibbs and former five-star CB Eli Ricks from LSU.
Oklahoma Sooners
Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman-USA TODAY Network
Total Points: 60.06 | Total Transfers: 12
Oklahoma had quite the turn of events in November when they were tasked with not only having to replace their head coach but also their starting quarterback in the coming months following the exit of Lincoln Riley. Former defensive coordinator Brent Venables returned to Norman to run the football program and landed quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Venables also added four-star defensive lineman Jeffrey Johnson of Tulane.
LSU Tigers
Andre Broussard/Special to The Daily Advertiser/USA TODAY NETWORK
Total Points: 72.85 | Total Transfers: 15
Speaking of coaches leaving for another Power Five gig, we have Brian Kelly who traded his Fighting Irish gear for the Purple and Gold of LSU. The Tigers saw plenty of players leaving but plenty coming the way of Baton Rouge as well. They added former Arizona State QB Jayden Daniels and convinced Myles Brennan to remove himself from the transfer portal.
Ole Miss Rebels
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 82.05 | Total Transfers: 14
Lane Kiffin brought the Rebels their first 10-win season since 2015 and only their second since 2003. His star quarterback Matt Corral left for the NFL and Kiffin responded by snagging Jaxson Dart from USC out of the portal. His other big acquisitions were former USC TE Michael Trigg and former TCU RB Zach Evans. The offensive drop-off shouldn’t be a problem for one of the brightest offensive minds.
USC Trojans
Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Total Points: 85.12 | Total Transfers: 15
The USC brass was able to pluck Lincoln Riley out of Norman and so went a lot of Sooner talent. Both in terms of the transfer portal and in recruiting. The wound is still fresh, so he won’t be a name many will remember fondly any time soon. Especially not after bringing QB Caleb Williams, WR Mario Williams, and CB Latrell McCutchin with him. Not to mention a few highly-touted former Sooner commits.
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