Top players expected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal

The NCAA Transfer Portal doesn’t officially open for another three weeks, but that hasn’t stopped hundreds of players from announcing their intentions to enter.

Officially, players can be entered into the portal beginning January 2, and will have a two-week window until January 15 to get in. For players who are playing in the College Football Playoff beyond those dates, they’ll have a five-day window after their team’s final game to get in as well.

More than 300 players have already expressed their plans to enter the portal, and On3’s rankings team has graded the entrants as of Dec. 11. Last year, more than 4,900 FBS players — including walk-ons — entered their name in the portal between the two windows.

Now with only one window, we could see that number dwindle some, or it could be a mad dash to get into college football’s version of free agency. Here are the top 10 players currently expected to enter next month:

1. Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt

Leavitt entered the 2025 season as a darkhorse Heisman candidate after a breakout campaign as a redshirt freshman, where he completed nearly 62 percent of his passes for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He was riddled by injuries though, missing the team’s final five regular-season games. Last month, On3’s Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos reported Leavitt was being shopped around to other programs by his representatives, and he didn’t attend the team’s end-of-season banquet over the weekend.

2. Michigan State WR Nick Marsh

In spite of very up-and-down quarterback play during his two seasons with the Spartans, Marsh established himself as one of the Big Ten’s premier receivers. In his debut campaign, Marsh tallied 41 catches for 649 yards and three touchdowns. His receiving yards and receptions stand as the most by a true freshman in school history. This year, he hauled in 59 catches, totaling 662 yards and six touchdowns. With two years of eligibility left, he’ll be one of the most sought-after players in the portal.

3. Tennessee DB Boo Carter

Carter’s winding career in Knoxville looks to officially be over after two seasons. An early commit during his senior year to the Vols, Carter flirted with other programs ahead of Signing Day in 2023, but did officially ink with Tennessee. He quickly made his presence felt as a freshman, totaling 38 tackles, three tackles for loss and an interception. But issues began to pop up last offseason, and he was nearly dismissed from the team prior to fall camp. He appeared in nine games as a sophomore in a significantly reduced role, and will be looking for a fresh start elsewhere.

4. Notre Dame QB Kenny Minchey

A late addition to Notre Dame’s 2023 class, Minchey sat behind Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard his first two seasons with the program. This spring and into the fall, he battled with redshirt freshman CJ Carr for the starting job, with Carr ultimately getting the nod. During his three years in South Bend, Minchey completed 23 of 29 passes for 212 yards and will be one of the more intriguing quarterback options in the portal come January.

5. Miami (Ohio) EDGE Adam Trick

Despite coming from the MAC, Trick is the highest-rated pass-rusher currently in the portal. Across his last two seasons, he has appeared in 27 games for the RedHawks, totaling 96 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder has also been a turnover machine with three forced fumbles and was named first-team All-MAC this year.

6. Yale WR Nico Brown

A native of Huntington Beach (Calif.), Brown burst onto the scene this fall after missing most of his career due to injury. Fully healthy this season, he caught 71 passes for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging better than 108 yards per contest. The 6-foot, 185-pounder is another who will be highly coveted as a plug-and-play wideout.

7. Missouri RB Marquise Davis

Davis joined the Tigers late in the 2025 cycle, flipping from SEC rival Kentucky to Missouri just days before National Signing Day. Rivals ranked him as the country’s No. 7 running back in the class, and he showed why in small spurts as a true freshman. While playing behind All-American Ahmad Hardy and standout Jamal Roberts, he rushed 34 times for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Cleveland product will have all four years of eligibility remaining after only playing in three games.

8. Coastal Carolina OT Nick Del Grande

Del Grande, a native of Pennsylvania, developed into a three-year starter at left tackle and earned a preseason All-Sun Belt selection in 2025. As a sophomore, in 2024, he helped anchor a unit that led the Sun Belt in fewest sacks allowed (15), a mark which ranked tied for 17th in the NCAA FBS.

9. Liberty RB Evan Dickens

Dickens started his career at Georgia Tech, but transferred to play for the Flames ahead of last season. In his lone year in Lynchburg, he rushed for 1,339 yards and 16 touchdowns on just 229 carries, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt. His 17 total scores ranked No. 4 nationally, while his rushing average (121.9 YPG) was third-best in the country. The second-team All-CUSA has two years of eligibility left.

10. Northern Illinois OT Evan Malcore

A three-year starter at left tackle for the Huskies, Malcore led a unit that paved the way for one of the best rushing offenses in the country in 2024 and 2025. In total, he started 32 games during his time at NIU and projects as a plug-and-play tackle for teams seeking experience along the offensive line this fall.

Other notable names set to enter the portal

+ Perry Thompson (No. 13) – The Auburn wide receiver showed up on The Plains with high hopes, but struggled to carve out a significant role behind Eric Singleton, Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons. Thompson hauled in 17 passes for 154 yards this season and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

+ CJ Baxter Jr. (No. 14) – A former five-star, Baxter never quite rebounded from the ACL injury he suffered at the beginning of his sophomore season 2024. As a true freshman the year prior, he accounted for 815 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns, but this year he carried just 54 times for 196 yards. The Florida native will be one to watch for a number of Sunshine State programs.

+ Dylan Edwards (No. 15) – Edwards’ journey continues after playing at both Kansas State and Colorado during his first three seasons. An all-purpose weapon, he accounted for nearly 700 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore in Manhattan. But after a leg injury early this season, he never returned to the field for the Wildcats, who struggled to a 6-6 finish.

+ Jerrick Gibson (No. 20) – Another highly touted back coming from the Longhorns, Gibson spent two seasons in Austin where he struggled to break through on the depth chart. He played in all 15 games as a freshman after Baxter’s injury, totaling 402 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. But he only played in four games as a sophomore, rushing for 152 yards before leaving the program in October to preserve his redshirt.

+ Derek Williams (No. 27) – The third notable Texas entrant on the list, Williams appeared in 29 games across his three years on the Forty Acres, registering 76 tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception. He had a breakout season as a true freshman in 2023 with 42 tackles, but suffered a season-ending injury the following year and only appeared in four games in 2024.

He returned in 2025, but primarily served as a backup to senior Michael Taaffe, a second-team All-American last season.