Transfer portal breakdown: The top offensive players available (right now)
We’re almost to the halfway point of the 45-day transfer portal open window (it started December 5). There’s another window, this one lasting two weeks, in late April, after most teams end spring practice.
Here’s a look at the top offensive players available in the transfer portal, as per the On3 Transfer Portal Position Rankings. We looked at defensive players Monday.
One important note: These are the current rankings. More players will continue to enter the transfer portal as bowls are played.
Quarterbacks
Remember that almost 47 percent of the opening-game starting quarterbacks this season in the FBS ranks were transfers. That gives you an idea of how frenzied the recruiting of portal quarterbacks can be. There are numerous quarterbacks who will start in 2023 who are in the portal this cycle. Still, quarterback-needy schools certainly want more to enter.
1. Brennan Armstrong (6-2, 210) had a big 2021 for Virginia, then struggled this season. In 2021, he threw for 4,449 yards and 31 TDs; he also ran for nine touchdowns. But a coaching change led to a philosophy change, and his stats fell off the table this season. He threw for less than half of what he did in ’21 (2,210, with just seven TDs). While he led the team in rush attempts, he managed just 371 yards and six TDs. In a system that favors the pass but likes its quarterback to be a running threat, Armstrong can put up good numbers again. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
2. Sam Hartman (6-1, 210) was a four-year starter at Wake Forest and owns the ACC career record for TD passes with 110, three more than former Clemson star Tahj Boyd. Hartman also is second in ACC history with 12,967 yards, behind only former NC State standout Philip Rivers (13,484). Hartman was a great fit for Wake’s mesh-point offense; he isn’t necessarily a great runner, but he is a willing runner and had success on the ground, with 855 yards and 17 TDs. He presumably will be in a more conventional offense next season and it’ll be interesting this spring to see how quickly he adapts. Hartman is a tough, gritty player who has a lot of trust in his arm; in short, he’s a gunslinger and fun to watch. He has one year left.
3. Spencer Sanders (6-1, 210) was a four-year starter at Oklahoma State. He was the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and a first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2021. He finishes his Oklahoma State career No. 2 in school history in total offense at 11,509 yards and second with 9,553 passing yards. Sanders also threw 67 TD passes, which is third in Cowboys history, and accounted for 85 career touchdowns, also third. Sanders is the second-winningest starting quarterback in Oklahoma State history, and his winning ways are appealing, too. But he also threw 40 picks with the Cowboys, and never completed better than 62.8 percent of his passes. His dual-threat ability and nice arm can be put to good use by the right coordinator. He has one year left.
Other quarterbacks of interest: Looking for a quarterback who will be 30 one week into the 2023 season? Austin Aune is your guy. He threw for 3,547 yards, 33 TDs but also 15 picks this season at North Texas. He was a part-time starter in 2020, then was the fulltime starter for the Mean Green the past two seasons. Aune was a second-round pick of the New York Yankees out of high school and spent six years playing minor league baseball before returning to football. He signed with Arkansas after giving up baseball, then transferred a few months later to North Texas and was there for four seasons. Aune has one season of eligibility remaining. … Hank Bachmeier (6-1, 210) was a three-year starter at Boise State. Bachmeier finished his time at Boise with 6,605 passing yards and 41 TDs but also 19 interceptions from 2019-22. He battled through injuries and played behind an underperforming offensive line. Bachmeier has two seasons left. … Grayson McCall (6-3, 210) was a three-time first-team All-Sun Belt pick and put up big numbers at Coastal Carolina. But while his skill set was a great fit for Coastal’s offense, it doesn’t necessarily translate to more “conventional” offenses. He is athletic and can make off-platform throws, but his arm strength is nothing special. Still, a three-time first-team all-league player in a conference as competitive as the Sun Belt is impressive, and he has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Running backs
There are two 1,000-yard rushers from this season who remain in the transfer portal: Carson Steele (1,556 yards at Ball State) and Titus Swen (1,039 at Wyoming). As a whole, this is an underwhelming group right now.
1. MarShawn Lloyd (5-9, 212) started for South Carolina this season, but was hampered by injuries throughout his time with the Gamecocks. He missed the 2020 season with a knee injury, was ineffective in 2021, then started eight games this season before missing the final month with a thigh injury. Lloyd averaged 5.2 yards per carry and scored nine TDs in rushing for 573 yards this season. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
2. Carson Steele (6-1, 215) had a big season at Ball State, with 1,556 rushing yards. His rushing total is eighth nationally and he had nine 100-yard outings, including four with at least 179. Steele, a former Mr. Indiana Football, rushed for 891 yards in 2021 as a true freshman. He has two years left.
3. Titus Swen (5-11, 206) was Wyoming’s most important offensive player. He was a 1,000-yard rusher for a team that doesn’t like to throw the ball (Wyoming averages 127.8 passing yards per game). He had three 100-yard games, including an impressive 212-yard effort against Boise State. Swen had six career 100-yard games in three seasons for the Cowboys; he was a reserve in two of those seasons. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Other running backs of interest: Dillon Johnson (6-0, 215) started 14 games over the past two seasons at Mississippi State. He rushed for 983 yards in that span, but his receiving ability is eye-opening. He had 65 receptions in 2021 and 48 this season, and leaves MSU tied for fifth in school history with 148 receptions. Johnson has two seasons of eligibility left. … Christian Turner is looking for his third school. He began his college career at Michigan in 2018, then played the past two seasons at Wake Forest. Turner rushed for 1,022 yards and 12 TDs in his time with the Demon Deacons. Turner lacks top-end speed, but he is a physical runner who is extremely comfortable running between the tackles. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Wide receivers
A number of receivers already have made decisions, but this remains a relatively deep group.
1. Dante Cephas (6-1, 180)was one of the most productive receivers in the MAC in each of the past two seasons for Kent State, earning first-team all-conference accolades both seasons. He had 130 receptions for 1,984 yards and 12 TDs in the past two seasons in a prolific version of the spread. Cephas had three 100-yard games this season, including a 246-yard outing against Ohio; he had seven 100-yard games in 2021. He has two seasons of eligibility left.
2. Nate McCollum (5-11, 184) led Georgia Tech with 60 receptions this season. He was the only Yellow Jackets wide receiver who had more than 23 receptions and was an honorable mention All-ACC selection. McCollum averaged 10.9 yards on his catches and three went for touchdowns. He had three 100-yard games, against Duke, Miami and Virginia Tech. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
3. Tez Johnson (5-10, 150) obviously is of small stature, but he was productive for Troy the past two seasons. Johnson had a combined 123 catches for 1,598 yards and eight TDs in 2021 and ’22. He also had success in a limited role as a punt returner. Johnson isn’t a No. 1 receiver in a Power 5 conference, but he can be a solid complementary piece whose quickness can be a weapon. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Other wide receivers of interest: Arland Bruce IV (5-10, 198) had 44 receptions in two seasons at Iowa but for just 396 yards. Then again, it was at Iowa. He looks to have the skill set to be a productive part of a receiving rotation. He has two years of eligibility remaining. … Devin Carter (6-3, 215) was an important part of NC State’s receiving rotation for four seasons, and is a proven deep threat. Carter had 117 receptions for 1,895 yards (16.2 yards per catch) and 10 TDs in the past four seasons with the Wolfpack. He has had 23 career catches of at least 20 yards, meaning almost 20 percent of his receptions have gone for that distance. He has one season left. … Don’t go by production when looking at Joshua Cobbs; instead look at size (6-4, 204) and potential. Cobbs led run-first Wyoming with 35 receptions for 407 yards and two TDs; remember, though, that Wyoming averages 127.8 passing yards per game. Cobbs had 25 receptions as the Cowboys’ No. 2 receiver in 2021. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.… Grant DuBose (6-3, 200) was a two-time second-team All-Conference USA selection for Charlotte. He had 62 catches for 792 yards and nine TDs this season. He had 126 catches, 1,684 yards and 15 touchdowns in the past two seasons for the 49ers after transferring from Division II Miles College in Fairfield, Ala. DuBose has one season of eligibility remaining. … Donovan Ollie (6-3, 212) was a two-year starter at Washington State who had 69 catches in that time frame. He was third on the team with 43 receptions this season; they went for 491 yards and three TDs. Ollie has two seasons of eligibility remaining. … Kyle Williams (6-0, 185) was a three-year starter at UNLV and was the Mountain West freshman of the year in 2020. Williams had 117 catches and nine TDs in three seasons at UNLV, averaging 13.4 yards per catch. He has 25 career catches of at least 20 yards. Williams has two years of eligibility left.
Tight ends
This has been an interesting group in the transfer portal; three of the best transfers at the position were lower-division players. It’s also a picked-over group, as almost all of the top guys already have picked their new school. The latest was C.J. Dippre (6-5, 250), a Maryland transfer who picked Alabama earlier today.
1. Arik Gilbert (6-5, 255) has the needed physical tools to be a star, but, alas, it has not happened. He had 35 receptions in eight games as a true freshman at LSU in 2020; he transferred to Georgia after that season and has two receptions since. Gilbert has had issues on and off the field, and while he has a ton of potential – he was a five-star recruit who was a national top-10 prospect – he’s also a “buyer beware” player.
2. Joshua Simon (6-4, 235) wasn’t overly productive for Western Kentucky, with 84 receptions in four seasons with the Hilltoppers. But 16 of those receptions went for TDs; this season, he had 20 catches and seven touchdowns, when he was a second-team All-Conference USA selection. Simon has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
3. Blake Smith (6-4, 255) had two catches in three seasons at Texas A&M. He redshirted in 2020 as a true freshman, saw time in two games in ’21 and played in three games this season, making both his catches against Auburn.
Other tight ends of interest: Keleki Latu (6-6, 230) played in 21 games as a reserve in two seasons at California. He had 18 receptions for 207 yards and a TD this season. Latu, who has two seasons of eligibility left, has added 25 pounds since signing with Cal and an intriguing upside. He’s the younger brother of UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu. … Jake Roberts (6-5, 250) started the past two seasons at North Texas. He had 28 receptions for 394 yards and three TDs in a Mean Green offense that used the tight end extensively; UNT backup TE Var’Keyes Gumm, who had 34 receptions, was a first-team All-Conference USA player. Roberts, who is from Norman, Okla., has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Offensive linemen
Experienced linemen in the transfer portal are extremely valuable commodities. While numerous standouts already have chosen new schools, there are a surprisingly high number of plug-and-play starters still available.
1. Unfortunately for Western Kentucky, T Gunner Britton (6-6, 305) is following in the footsteps of some recent Hilltoppers linemen: Develop into a standout in Conference USA, then transfer. Mason Brooks (Ole Miss) and Cole Spencer (Texas Tech) transferred after last season; Britton and C Rusty Staats (Texas Tech) did it this year. Britton started four games from 2019-21, then started every game at tackle this season – the first six on the right side, then the next six on the left side. He was a second-team All-C-USA selection. Britton has one season of eligibility remaining.
2. G Clark Barrington (6-6, 305) was a three-year starter at left guard for BYU and served as a team captain this season. Barrington earned some preseason All-America mention this season, but BYU’s rushing attack was a disappointment and he didn’t make any postseason teams. He was a part-time starter at guard in 2019, after returning from a two-year Mormon mission to Uganda, then moved into the starting lineup for good in 2020. Barrington has one season of eligibility left. Younger brother Campbell, a tackle, has transferred to Baylor; their dad played basketball at Arizona.
3. G Micah Mazzccua (6-5, 331) started 10 games at left guard for Baylor this season after seeing action in nine games as a redshirt freshman reserve in 2021. Mazzccua (it’s pronounced “Muh-ZOO-cuh”) played at Baltimore St. Frances Academy and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Other linemen of interest: T Jarrett Kingston (6-5, 302) started the first nine games at left tackle this season for Washington State before suffering a leg injury and missing the rest of the season; he started at guard for the Cougars in 2020 and ’21. Kingston is regarded as an especially good run blocker. He has one year of eligibility left. … T Walter Rouse (6-6, 318) was a four-year starter at left tackle for Stanford. He also was a finalist this season for the Campbell Trophy, the “Academic Heisman,” as a biomechanical engineering major. Rouse never redshirted and made his first career start in the second game of his college career. He has one season of eligibility remaining. … G Ethan White (6-4, 331) was a second-team All-SEC selection for Florida this season. He also started seven games in 2021 season before being sidelined late in the season with an injury. When healthy, White is an absolute road-grader in the running game. He has one season of eligibility remaining.