Transfer portal breakdown: Projecting the 10 most impactful transfers in the Big 12

Let’s dive back into the transfer portal pool on a league-by-league basis. With preseason camps opening in earnest this week, here’s a projection of the 10 most impactful transfers in the Big 12 this season. (We already have looked at the most impactful ACC, SEC and Pac-12 transfers.)

Every team in the Big 12 should benefit from a transfer this season; a few must have their transfer quarterbacks come through to have a successful season. Chances are, those quarterbacks will come through.

With these 10 transfers, this is not a measure just of sheer talent. Instead, the most important aspect is expected production. And it’s fair to say that if these guys do not produce, their teams as a whole will suffer.

10. G/T Cole Spencer, Texas Tech

The particulars: Transfer from Western Kentucky
The skinny: Cole Spencer arrived from Western Kentucky, where he was a 2021 first-team All-Conference USA selection, along with new offensive coordinator Zach Kittley. Spencer started 46 career games for the Hilltoppers and was a full-time starter at left tackle for the past three seasons. But he also can play guard and that seems to be his likely position with the Red Raiders, who return only two starting linemen. Spencer is a high-level pass protector, a positive trait when playing in Kittley’s offense; Texas Tech figures to be in the top three nationally in pass attempts. Spencer’s experience, talent and versatility will be important for Kittley as he re-shapes the Red Raiders’ offense.

9. CB Ryan Watts, Texas

The particulars: Transfer from Ohio State
The skinny: Texas nabbed two players from Ohio State in the transfer portal who are Dallas-area natives. QB Quinn Ewers is the one who has gotten all the attention; Ryan Watts, a big corner at 6 feet 3 and 210 pounds, is the other one. Watts had a strong spring and figures to be at one of the corner spots when Texas is in its nickel package. Watts played in 19 games in two seasons, with one start, at Ohio State.

8. DT Jaxon Player, Baylor

The particulars: Transfer from Tulsa
The skinny: Baylor is loaded up front and should have one of the best defensive lines in the nation. All three starters return, as well as the top three backups. And now the Bears have added Jaxon Player, a Waco, Texas, native who transferred home for his final college season. He was a three-year starter and two-time All-AAC honoree for Tulsa. Player was a first-team All-AAC pick in 2020 and a second-team selection in 2021, when he was second in the league with 15 tackles for loss; he had 32 TFL in his Tulsa career. Player is expected to, at the least, play a key rotation role. He has the ability to be a disruptive force like fellow DT Siaki Ika.

7. DT Jeffery Johnson, Oklahoma

The particulars: Transfer from Tulane
The skinny: The Sooners return just one starter along the defensive line, but the potential is there for a good unit for new coach Brent Venables. There is an interesting group of pass rushers, and the transfer portal addition of Jeffery Johnson will be important in the middle. He was a four-year starter at nose tackle for Tulane, including as a true freshman in 2018. Johnson had 44 tackles last season, along with five tackles for loss, and had 33 tackles and six TFL in 2020. He gives Venables and new DC Ted Roof an experienced plug-and-play guy. Johnson had a good spring for the Sooners and seems likely to start next to holdover Jalen Redmond.

6. G McKade Mettauer, Oklahoma

The particulars: Transfer from California
The skinny: Oklahoma’s offensive line was a mixed bag last season; the Sooners ran effectively for the most part, but the pass protection was lacking (33 sacks allowed). McKade Mettauer’s addition means the interior has a chance to be better than it was last season. He was a three-year starter for Cal before he entered the transfer portal. Mettauer, who is from the Houston area, played in 27 games at Cal and started the final 26 of them. Mettauer was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection in 2021 and had a strong spring in OU’s revamped offense. Oklahoma had some issues running inside last season, and Mettauer should help in that regard.

5. S Mark Perry, TCU

The particulars: Transfer from Colorado
The skinny: TCU’s defense was woeful last season, and the Horned Frogs’ new staff went looking in the transfer portal for an immediate contributor at safety. They found one in Mark Perry; he was second on Colorado with 66 tackles last season, and added three picks and three pass breakups. Perry played a lot as a reserve in each of his first two seasons before becoming a starter in 2021. He proved a good fit in new coordinator Joe Gillespie’s 3-3-5 set and should be one of the defense’s best players this fall.

4. WR Isaiah Neyor, Texas

The particulars: Transfer from Wyoming
The skinny: Texas’ receiving corps might be the best in the Big 12, and Isaiah Neyor is a big reason. He originally said he was transferring to Tennessee, then reversed field and ended up at Texas. He was a second-team All-Mountain West selection in 2021 after catching 44 passes for 878 yards (19.95 yards per reception) and 12 TDs. The TD total was tied for seventh nationally, and the per-catch average was third among the 177 players nationally with at least 40 receptions. The yardage total is notable not just for the big-play aspect but that it was 42 percent of Wyoming’s team total. He and holdover Jordan Whittington figure to be important complementary pieces to Xavier Worthy for new QB Quinn Ewers. All three have big-play capabilities, too.

3. QB Adrian Martinez, Kansas State

The particulars: Transfer from Nebraska
The skinny: Adrian Martinez seemingly had been at Nebraska since the Bill Callahan regime, and it was time for a new start. He is a legit dual-threat quarterback with big-play capabilities. Still, while Martinez was a four-year starter for the Huskers, he never truly played like a veteran quarterback even though he set the school career record for total offense. He was mistake-prone as a freshman in 2018 and he was mistake-prone as a fourth-year starter in 2021, finishing his Huskers career with 30 interceptions and 18 lost fumbles. One positive for Martinez is that RB Deuce Vaughn will be the offensive focal point; Martinez will be more of a complementary talent. Perhaps with less pressure, Martinez will make fewer mistakes. Nebraska didn’t win more than five games in a season during Martinez’s time as the starter; K-State could win eight or nine this season if Martinez comes through.

2. QB Quinn Ewers, Texas

The particulars: Transfer from Ohio State
The skinny: Quinn Ewers, who hasn’t taken an important snap in almost two years, faces massive expectations. The last time he saw appreciable time in a real game was the finale in his junior year of high school in 2020. He skipped his senior year of high school in the Dallas suburbs to enroll a year early at Ohio State; the extent of his playing time last season was two handoffs in a rout of Michigan State. Ewers was the nation’s top overall prospect in the 2021 class in the On3 Consensus and has a big-time arm. He also gets to work with big-time weapons in RB Bijan Robinson and WRs Xavier Worthy and Isaiah Neyor (a transfer from Wyoming). Coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense is quarterback-friendly; the thought here is Ewers takes full advantage, even if Game 2 is against Alabama.

1. QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

The particulars: Transfer from UCF
The skinny: Dillon Gabriel will be a great fit in OU’s new offense; he was not necessarily a good fit for Gus Malzahn’s offense at UCF. Malzahn’s offense is at its best when he has a top-flight runner at quarterback; Gabriel is at his best when he lets it fly. Expect the Sooners to continue to put up big offensive numbers as they look to win the Big 12 for the seventh time in eight seasons. OU’s new OC is Jeff Lebby, who held the same role at UCF in 2019, when Gabriel threw for 3,653 yards, 29 TDs and seven picks as a true freshman. In 2020, Gabriel led the nation in passing at 357.0 yards per game; he threw 32 TD passes and just four interceptions. Gabriel throws a nice deep ball and has good mobility, and he and WR Marvin Mims should form an especially formidable duo.