Transfer portal breakdown: On3 transfer power rankings after Week 3
Here is our third set of rankings of college football’s most impactful transfers, by position. This considers all four-year transfers, not just those who changed teams this offseason.
This is not simply a list of the most talented players out of the transfer portal. Talent and potential certainly are considered. But so are past performance and current production.
First is an overall transfer ranking; following that are position-by-position breakdowns. These rankings fluctuate weekly.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams remains atop the list; he has guided the Trojans to at least 41 points in all three games, which is noteworthy because they scored more than 40 just twice last season. And his go-to receiver, Jordan Addison, remains second.
Among the big movers this week:
+ Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders is living up to his five-star recruiting ranking. Sanders, an Alabama transfer, lines up at linebacker for the Hogs. But defensive coordinator Barry Odom moves him around and Sanders has flashed his big-play potential coming off the edge, with six tackles for loss through three games. He had 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup as Arkansas had to work hard to fend off Missouri State; he previously came up big against two “better” opponents, Cincinnati and South Carolina.
+ Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is off to a fast start with the Huskies. Penix, a transfer from Indiana, put up big numbers in the first two games, but that was against Kent State and FCS Portland State. Then he shredded Michigan State on Saturday, throwing for 397 yards and four TDs. Penix got off to fast starts at Indiana, but injuries ended his year early in each of the past four seasons.
+ Florida State wide receiver Johnny Wilson came up huge in the Seminoles’ victory over Louisville. Wilson, who is 6 feet 7 and 235 pounds, had seven receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns. The second was a 2-yard fade midway through the fourth quarter that gave FSU the eventual winning margin. The question is whether Wilson, a transfer from Arizona State, can keep it going: In two seasons at Arizona State, he had a total of 18 receptions for 243 yards.
+ Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader continues with his, well, makeover. He struggled last season when the Orange finished 5-7, especially at the end of the year during a three-game losing streak. But he has Syracuse at 3-0, thanks to some late-game heroics against Purdue. Shrader threw three TD passes in the second half against the Boilermakers, including one with seven seconds left for the win. He has eight TD passes after throwing just nine last season.
+ Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley, a transfer from Nevada, continues to make a big impact for the Cougars. He had 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in a rout of Colorado State; coincidentally, the Rams now are coached by Jay Norvell, who was coach at Nevada while Henley was there.
On to the rankings.
TOP 25 TRANSFERS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. QB Caleb Williams, USC | Oklahoma (left after 2021 season) |
| 2. WR Jordan Addison, USC | Pitt (2021) |
| 3. QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee | Virginia Tech (2020) |
| 4. RB Chase Brown, Illinois | Western Michigan (2018) |
| 5. LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas | Alabama (2021) |
| 6. QB Will Levis, Kentucky | Penn State (2020) |
| 7. QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma | UCF (2021) |
| 8. WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona | UTEP (2021) |
| 9. QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington | Indiana (2021) |
| 10. WR Charlie Jones, Purdue | Iowa (2021) |
| 11. WR Johnny Wilson, Florida State | Arizona State (2021) |
| 12. C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan | Virginia (2021) |
| 13. QB Garrett Shrader, Syracuse | Mississippi State (2020) |
| 14. RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss | TCU (2021) |
| 15. QB Tanner Mordecai, SMU | Oklahoma (2020) |
| 16. WR Mitchell Tinsley, Penn State | Western Kentucky (2021) |
| 17. LB Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama | Tennessee (2020) |
| 18. G O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida | Louisiana (2021) |
| 19. EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State | Albany (2021) |
| 20. EDGE Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State | UNLV (2021) |
| 21. LB Eric Gentry, USC | Arizona State (2021) |
| 22. S Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame | Northwestern (2021) |
| 23. LB Daiyan Henley, Washington State | Nevada (2021) |
| 24. RB Zach Charbonnet, UCLA | Michigan (2020) |
| 25. S Jammie Robinson, Florida State | South Carolina (2020) |
QUARTERBACKS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. Caleb Williams, USC | Oklahoma (left after 2021 season) |
| 2. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee | Virginia Tech (2020) |
| 3. Will Levis, Kentucky | Penn State (2020) |
| 4. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma | UCF (2021) |
| 5. Michael Penix Jr., Washington | Indiana (2021) |
| 6. Garrett Shrader, Syracuse | Mississippi State (2020) |
| 7. Tanner Mordecai, SMU | Oklahoma (2020) |
| 8. Cameron Rising, Utah | Texas (2018) |
| 9. Jayden Daniels, LSU | Arizona State (2021) |
| 10. Jake Haener, Fresno State | Washington (2019) |
| 11. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland | Alabama (2019) |
| 12. Quinn Ewers, Texas | Ohio State (2021) |
| 13. Jayden de Laura, Arizona | Washington State (2021) |
| 14. Cameron Ward, Washington State | Incarnate Word (2021) |
| 15. JT Daniels, West Virginia | Georgia (2021) |
RUNNING BACKS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. Chase Brown, Illinois | Western Michigan (2018) |
| 2. Zach Evans, Ole Miss | TCU (2021) |
| 3. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA | Michigan (2020) |
| 4. Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama | Georgia Tech (2021) |
| 5. Travis Dye, USC | Oregon (2021) |
| 6. Eric Gray, Oklahoma | Tennessee (2020) |
| 7. Xazavian Valladay, Arizona State | Wyoming (2021) |
| 8. Tavion Thomas, Utah | Cincinnati (2019) |
| 9. Montrell Johnson, Florida | Louisiana (2021) |
| 10. Henry Parrish, Miami | Ole Miss (2021) |
| 11. Khalan Laborn, Marshall | Florida State (2021) |
| 12. Jalen Berger, Michigan State | Wisconsin (2021) |
| 13. Tiyon Evans, Louisville | Tennessee (2021) |
| 14. Nakia Watson, Washington State | Wisconsin (2020) |
| 15. Re’Mahn Davis, Vanderbilt | Temple (2020) |
WIDE RECEIVERS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. Jordan Addison, USC | Pitt (2021) |
| 2. Jacob Cowing, Arizona | UTEP (2021) |
| 3. Charlie Jones, Purdue | Iowa (2021) |
| 4. Johnny Wilson, Florida State | Arizona State (2021) |
| 5. Mitchell Tinsley, Penn State | Western Kentucky (2021) |
| 6. Jayden Reed, Michigan State | Western Michigan (2018) |
| 7. Keytaon Thompson, Virginia | Mississippi State (2019) |
| 8. Antwane Wells Jr., South Carolina | James Madison (2021) |
| 9. Tayvion Robinson, Kentucky | Virginia Tech (2021) |
| 10. Ali Jennings, Old Dominion | West Virginia (2020) |
| 11. Trey Palmer, Nebraska | LSU (2021) |
| 12. Kris Thornton, James Madison | VMI (2018) |
| 13. Tory Horton, Colorado State | Nevada (2021) |
| 14. Javon Baker, UCF | Alabama (2021) |
| 15. Tyler Hudson, Louisville | Central Arkansas (2021) |
TIGHT ENDS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. Dalton Kincaid, Utah | San Diego (2019) |
| 2. Michael Trigg, Ole Miss | USC (2021) |
| 3. Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion | Penn State (2019) |
| 4. George Takacs, Boston College | Notre Dame (2021) |
| 5. Tanner McLachlan, Arizona | Southern Utah (2021) |
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan | Virginia (2021) |
| 2. G O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida | Louisiana (2021) |
| 3. C Jacob Gall, Baylor | Buffalo (2020) |
| 4. G Doug Nester, West Virginia | Virginia Tech (2020) |
| 5. T Raiqwon O’Neal, UCLA | Rutgers (2021) |
| 6. T Mason Brooks, Ole Miss | Western Kentucky (2021) |
| 7. T Tyler Steen, Alabama | Vanderbilt (2021) |
| 8. G Dillan Gibbons, Florida State | Notre Dame (2020) |
| 9. G McKade Mettauer, Oklahoma | California (2021) |
| 10. T James Tunstall, Cincinnati | Stony Brook (2020) |
EDGE RUSHERS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. Jared Verse, Florida State | Albany (2021) |
| 2. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State | UNLV (2021) |
| 3. Brenton Cox, Florida | Georgia (2018) |
| 4. Hunter Echols, Arizona | USC (2021) |
| 5. Eku Leota, Auburn | Northwestern (2020) |
| 6. Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska | TCU (2021) |
| 7. Solomon Byrd, USC | Wyoming (2021) |
| 8. Lonnie Phelps, Kansas | Miami of Ohio (2021) |
| 9. Grayson Murphy, UCLA | North Texas (2021) |
| 10. Jordan Domineck, Arkansas | Georgia Tech (2021) |
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. Siaki Ika, Baylor | LSU (2020) |
| 2. Cory Durden, NC State | Florida State (2020) |
| 3. Jeffery Johnson, Oklahoma | Tulane (2021) |
| 4. Akheem Mesidor, Miami | West Virginia (2021) |
| 5. Mekhi Wingo, LSU | Missouri (2021) |
| 6. Landon Jackson, Arkansas | LSU (2021) |
| 7. Kyler Baugh, Minnesota | Houston Baptist (2021) |
| 8. JH Tevis, Indiana | California (2021) |
| 9. Jowon Briggs, Cincinnati | Virginia (2020) |
| 10. Randy Charlton, Mississippi State | UCF (2020) |
LINEBACKERS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. Drew Sanders, Arkansas | Alabama (2021) |
| 2. Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama | Tennessee (2020) |
| 3. Eric Gentry, USC | Arizona State (2021) |
| 4. Daiyan Henley, Washington State | Nevada (2021) |
| 5. Troy Brown, Ole Miss | Central Michigan (2021) |
| 6. Jacquez Jones, Kentucky | Ole Miss (2020) |
| 7. Dillon Doyle, Baylor | Iowa (2019) |
| 8. Shane Lee, USC | Alabama (2021) |
| 9. Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati | Miami of Ohio (2021) |
| 10. Tatum Bethune, Florida State | UCF (2021) |
| 11. Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri | Florida (2021) |
| 12. Ayinde Eley, Georgia Tech | Maryland (2020) |
| 13. Darius Muasau, UCLA | Hawaii (2021) |
| 14. Johnny Hodges, TCU | Navy (2021) |
| 15. Mohamoud Diabate, Utah | Florida (2021) |
DEFENSIVE BACKS
| Player, school | Former school |
| 1. S Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame | Northwestern (2021) |
| 2. S Jammie Robinson, Florida State | South Carolina (2020) |
| 3. NB Tanner McCalister, Ohio State | Oklahoma State (2021) |
| 4. CB Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas | LSU (2021) |
| 5. S Mark Perry, TCU | Colorado (2021) |
| 6. S Greg Brooks Jr., LSU | Arkansas (2021) |
| 7. CB Mekhi Blackmon, USC | Colorado (2021) |
| 8. S Otis Reese, Ole Miss | Georgia (2019) |
| 9. CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon | Colorado (2021) |
| 10. CB Tyrique Stevenson, Miami | Georgia (2020) |
| 11. CB Jay Shaw, Wisconsin | UCLA (2021) |
| 12. S Bentlee Sanders, Nevada | USF (2020) |
| 13. S Jalen Green, Mississippi State | Texas (2020) |
| 14. CB Eli Ricks, Alabama | LSU (2021) |
| 15. CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, LSU | Oklahoma State (2021) |