2023 Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team
More than 3,200 players entered the transfer portal during the 2023 windows, and with rosters mostly set entering the summer, it’s a great time to release our 2023 Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team.
The roster includes a bevy of former Power 5 standouts switching schools, plus some Group of 5 and FCS transfers who figure to be featured prominently this fall, too.
Our offensive depth chart has 11 starters plus a backup tailback and the defensive depth chart is a 3-4 look with an extra DB as insurance. Lest we forget, we had to include a kicker, punter and the nation’s No. 1 overall transfer to the team, too.
The 2023 Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team: OFFENSE
QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
The ACC’s all-time leader with 110 passing touchdowns, Hartman is a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2022 now at Notre Dame. Hartman led Wake Forest to an 11-win season in 2021 and hopes to guide the Irish back to the College Football Playoff this fall.
RB Carson Steele, UCLA
Steele was awesome for Ball State last season, finishing sixth nationally in rushing with 1,556 yards and 14 touchdowns. The First-Team All-MAC standout should flourish in Chip Kelly’s run-first attack with the Bruins in 2023.
RB Treshaun Ward, Kansas State
Ward was very effective as FSU’s No. 2 tailback in 2022 — averaging 6.61 yards per carry with 628 yards and seven touchdowns — but now he gets to be RB1 at Kansas State replacing Deuce Vaughn.
WR AD Mitchell, Texas
Mitchell battled a bad ankle injury for most of the 2022 season at Georgia, but he returned late in the season to help the Bulldogs win a second-straight national championship. When healthy, Mitchell is a great route runner and ball-winner. The Texas native joins a talented WR room in Austin, but should be a great perimeter option for Quinn Ewers.
WR Dorian Singer, USC
Last season the Trojans plucked the best receiver from the ACC in Jordan Addison and Lincoln Riley made a similar move this offseason, grabbing one of the most productive wideouts from the Pac-12. Singer, an Arizona transfer, was second in the league in 1,105 yards with six touchdowns.
WR Dominic Lovett, Georgia
Lovett was an All-SEC performer in 2022 at Missouri, leading the Tigers in receptions (56) and yards (848). The playmaker figures to be an impact performer in the slot for the Bulldogs this fall, who have been very selective in the portal under Kirby Smart.
TE Jaheim Bell, Florida State
Bell did a little bit of everything for South Carolina last season, catching 25 balls for 231 yards and two touchdowns, while also running the ball 75 times for 261 yards and three scores. He should be a much more productive pass-catcher in FSU’s offense in 2022.
OT Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
An unranked prospect out of high school, Cornelius has skyrocketed up NFL Draft boards after starting at right tackle the last two seasons at Rhode Island. The 6-4, 315-pound was among the most coveted transfers as a premium position this offseason.
OG LaDarius Henderson, Michigan
The Arizona State transfer could play tackle or guard for the Wolverines in 2023, but for these purposes, we slotted Henderson inside to make sure he got due credit. The former Sun Devils’ team captain started 29 games the last three seasons at ASU.
C Matt Lee, Miami
Lee graded out as the highest-ranking returning center in all of college football, per PFF. The former UCF starter was an All-AAC First-Team honoree in 2022 and is an excellent interior pass blocker.
OG Javion Cohen, Miami
Cohen started 25 games at left guard for Alabama and now will finish his career playing for Mario Cristobal. Cohen was an All-SEC performer in 2021 and has played a lot of snaps the last few years. He is considered both a solid run and pass blocker.
OT Jeremiah Byers, Florida State
The 6-6, 300-pound tackle was an All-Conference honoree at UTEP the last two seasons. He started 30 games for the Miners, and while he hasn’t totally locked down the right tackle job with the ‘Noles, at worst he figures to be a key rotational lineman this fall.
The 2023 Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team: DEFENSE
DE Jordan Burch, Oregon
The former 5-star recruit hasn’t quite ever lived up to his recruiting rankings, but the South Carolina transfer did have his best season to date in 2022, leading the Gamecocks with 4.0 sacks and 14 quarterback hurries. The 6-6, 280-pound lineman can play with his hand in the dirt or standing up as a hybrid edge lineman for Dan Lanning this fall.
DT Braden Fiske, FSU
The 6-5, 300-pound tackle was a dominant interior defender for Western Michigan, recording 27.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and over 100 pressures in 45 games. Fiske is a plug-and-play DT starter for the Seminoles this fall.
DT Bear Alexander, USC
This is a bet on upside and potential. Alexander flashed his 5-star ability as a backup at Georgia in 2022, and since he wasn’t guaranteed to even start for the Bulldogs this fall, he transferred to USC for more immediate playing time. He has serious interior pass rush skills, as showcased in the national title game against TCU (two sacks).
EDGE Dasan McCollough, Oklahoma
The Freshman All-American from Indiana is expected to step in and not only start of Oklahoma but be a star performer at the Cheetah/Edge position for Brent Venables’ defense. In 2022, McCollough had 49 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and three PBUs.
LB Monty Montgomery, Ole Miss
Montgomery stuffed the stat sheet on a good Louisville defense in 2022, and he should provide an immediate boost to Ole Miss’ front seven this fall. The undersized inside linebacker had 70 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and two picks for the Cardinals last year.
LB Omar Speights, LSU
The Oregon State transfer was a tackling machine for the Beavers the last two seasons, recording 173 stops. Speights was a four-year starter who earned First-Team All-Pac 12 honors in 2022 with 83 tackles and 8.0 tackles for loss.
EDGE Andre Carter, Indiana
The former 3-star prospect has developed into a future NFL Draft pick, and he will get an opportunity to showcase his ability in the Big Ten this fall. Carter had a big junior season at Western Michigan in 2022, recording 13.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles.
CB Fentrell Cypress, FSU
The Virginia transfer switched teams in the ACC, as FSU landed the best cornerback in the portal this cycle. Cypress, a second-team All-Conference standout, led the ACC with 14 pass breakups in 2022 — defending 1.56 per game, fourth-best nationally.
CB Darian ‘Duce’ Chestnut, LSU
This spot easily could’ve gone to another LSU transfer corner in Denver Harris, a former 5-star recruit who has the most upside of any transfer cornerback this cycle. But Chestnut gets the nod, for now, this preseason, as the former Freshman All-American has two years of solid tape and four career INTs.
NB Ja’Had Carter, Ohio State
Carter could play safety or nickel for the Buckeyes this fall after flashing his versatility for Syracuse the last three years. On a solid Orange defense in 2022, Carter had 36 tackles, three INTs and three PBUs, while also adding a 95-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
S Patrick McMorris, Cal
The two-time First-Team All-Mountain West safety opted to enter the transfer portal and stay in-state to finish his career playing for Justin Wilcox at Cal. McMorris was very productive for the Aztecs and he earned Co-Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022.
S Jalen Catalon, Texas
Catalon battled all sorts of injuries during his career at Arkansas, but when healthy, he’s one of the better safeties in the country. He was a First-Team All-SEC honoree in 2020, but has been limited to just seven games the last two years. If he can stay on the field, Texas landed a stud.
The 2023 Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team: SPECIALISTS
ATH Travis Hunter, Colorado
On3’s No. 1 overall transfer prospect, Hunter figures to make an impact at Colorado at receiver, corner and returner in 2023. The former 5-star recruit was a two-way star at Jackson State as a freshman, picking off two passes while catching four touchdowns.
PK James Turner, Michigan
The former Louisville place kicker was an All-ACC honorable mention honoree in 2020 and 2022. The Saline, Mich., native returns home for his redshirt senior season after missing just two kicks (20 of 2022) last season.
P Ryan Sanborn, Texas
Sanborn was a four-year starter at Stanford, bringing both punting and kicking experience to Texas. He averaged 42 yards per punt in 2022, pinning opponents inside the 20 yard line 18 times.