Five high school transfers that will make a big impact this fall

There may not be a Transfer Portal for high school football but teams across the country are still seeing players come and go with increasing frequency every offseason. Hundreds, if not thousands, of players have transferred over the last several months and many of them will have a big impact for their new team. Here are five high school transfers that will be making a splash this fall:

QB Derrick Baker

Transfer: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) to Milton (Ga.)

Replacing a starting quarterback is never easy at any level of football, and Luke Nickel left big shoes to fill at Milton before heading off to Miami. But the addition of Derrick Baker means the Eagles may not miss a beat at all.

A three-star prospect in the 2027 class, Baker transferred in from Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas where he was the back-up quarterback for a Raiders squad that won the FHSAA Class 7A state championship. While the rising junior only threw 14 passes last season, he looks primed for a breakout 2025 campaign based on his performances on the 7-on-7 circuit this offseason.

With a plethora of weapons around him, Baker could easily throw for over 3,000 yards and 20-plus touchdowns this fall.

QB Trace Johnson

Transfer: F. W. Buchholz (Fla.) to Santa Margarita Catholic (Calif.)

The Eagles are coming off a disappointing 5-7 season, but they made one of the most high-profile hires of the offseason in naming former Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer as the head coach.

Palmer, who is an alum of Santa Margarita, has a huge task ahead of him in getting his alma mater back on the right track. He knows better than most that everything starts at the quarterback position and the Eagles got themselves a good one out of Florida in Trace Johnson.

Johnson, who committed to Tulane in June, could turn into one of the top passers in California this season. The ball comes quickly out of Johnson’s hand and the senior has a big arm as well. After throwing for over 3,500 yards and 29 touchdowns last season for the Bobcats, Johnson should blaze past those totals in Palmer’s offense.

OT Johnnie Jones

Transfer: Berkeley Prep (Fla.) to Venice (Fla.)

Johnnie Jones‘ move to Venice may remind many on Florida’s South Suncoast of Aljonon Oliver transfer from rival Sarasota Riverview to Venice last summer.

Getting a player of Oliver’s caliber led to great things for the Indians’ ground game, which churned out nearly 4,100 yards on the ground and 62 touchdowns. With Oliver graduating, Jones comes in as more than a viable replacement at left tackle for Venice.

The Indians’ 2025 schedule, which includes matchups against IMG Academy, Miami Northwestern and The First Academy, will give Jones an opportunity to go up against some of the state’s top defensive linemen in the fall.

QB Niemann Lawrence

Transfer: Ransom Everglades (Fla.) to Miami Northwestern (Fla.)

With former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at the helm, it’s not hard to understand why a young quarterback with NFL aspirations would want to play for Northwestern.

Class of 2028 phenom Niemann Lawrence transferred in from Ransom Everglades over the offseason and there’s no denying his talent. There’s only one problem: Leon Strawder, the Bulls’ starting quarterback from last year, is back for his senior season. Strawder threw for 2,677 yards and 41 touchdowns last season and led Northwestern to its first state championship since 2019.

We will see if there is a legitimate quarterback competition between Lawrence and Strawder or if Bridgewater plans on platooning them. Either way, what can’t be argued is Lawrence comes to the Bulls as one of the Sunshine State’s best passers, regardless of classification, and that’s bad news for 2025 and future opponents.

EDGE Dre Quinn

Transfer: Greater Atlanta Christian School (Ga.) to Buford (Ga.)

We can’t just have a bunch of offensive guys on this list, can we?

Dre Quinn‘s transfer to one of the top high school football programs in the country turned some heads this offseason. Quinn, a four-star prospect committed to Clemson, adds to an already very talented Buford defensive front seven, which includes four-star edge rusher Bryce Perry-Wright.

Last season, Quinn was a disruptor for the Spartans and racked up 42 tackles, with 9.5 of those going for a loss. Paired up with Perry-Wright on the Wolves’ line, we only see these numbers trending up in 2025.