The 2024 college football season may have slowed down, as most teams across the country have shifted into bowl and playoff mode. But one thing that is heating up every day is the college football transfer portal.
The official transfer portal window opened on Monday, Dec. 9, and will close on Dec. 28.
The transfer portal has become a vital tool in college football recruiting, especially in 2024.
Coaches across the county use both the portal and recruiting classes to build their rosters every season.
Let’s run through the top list of college football transfer portal players and see which guys can make immediate impacts at their schools.
Top College Football Transfer Portal Players for 2025
As the transfer portal continues to shape the landscape of college football, several standout players are making headlines. Here’s a look at some of the most impactful athletes who are on the move.
Luke Kromenhoek, QB, Florida State
Florida State switched between quarterbacks DJ Uiagalelei, Brock Glenn, and true freshman Luke Kromenhoek this year.
In six games during Florida State’s 2-10 season, Kromenhoek threw for 502 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, rushing for 113 yards.
A 4-star recruit, Kromenhoek was the No. 5 ranked signal-caller from the class of 2024, per 247Sports.
Possible landing spot: Georgia Bulldogs, given that he is from Savannah and was a top-10 prospect in the state.
Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Georgia Tech
Singleton had an outstanding first two seasons at Georgia Tech. He started playing as a true freshman and combined for 1,468 yards receiving with nine touchdowns over his past two seasons.
Possible landing spot: He is scheduled to visit Ole Miss, Georgia, and Auburn this week. Any one of these teams could use a talented wideout like Singleton.
Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE, Nebraska
Princewill is the younger brother of former Florida and Ole Miss defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen.
He spent the past two seasons at Nebraska, where he racked up 35 total tackles with eight for loss, including 1.5 sacks.
Possible landing spot: 247’s Crystal Ball projections have him following his older brother and ending up at Ole Miss.
Dane Key, WR, Kentucky
Key was a bright spot during a tough year for the Wildcats, who finished 4-8 on the season. Key put up the best numbers of his career, getting 47 receptions for 715 yards and two touchdowns.
Possible landing spot: A Kentucky native, Key has the talent to transfer to a bigger SEC program. He has been rumored to potentially be taking a visit to Louisville, as well.
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Nic Anderson, WR, Oklahoma
Anderson had an unfortunate start to 2024, playing in just one game before suffering a season-ending quad injury.
He had a breakout season for the Sooners in 2023 as a redshirt freshman, making 38 catches for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns, which was second on the team.
Possible landing spot: Although Anderson doesn’t have visits lined up just yet, he took official visits to USC, Oregon, and Penn State in high school.
He is originally from Kathy, Texas, so the Longhorns could certainly be in play.
Hunter Zambrano, IOL, Illinois State
Zambrano spent the past four seasons at Illinois State, making 23 starts from 2021-23. He suffered a season-ending hip injury early in the 2024 season.
Possible landing spot: Zambrano is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He’ll have his pick of schools as an experienced offensive lineman, despite his injury.
KC Concepcion, WR, NC State
Concepcion had a breakout season as a true freshman at NC State, accounting for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns. His numbers dipped a bit this year, getting just 53 receptions for 460 yards and six scores.
Possible landing spot: Concepcion has reportedly been targeted by Alabama and is visiting Texas A&M on Tuesday.
Maalik Murphy, QB, Duke
Murphy started his career at Texas from 2022-23, making two starts for the Longhorns in 2023. He threw for 477 yards three touchdowns and an interception.
Following his transfer to Duke last offseason, he threw for 2,933 yards with 26 touchdowns —a Duke school record— and 12 interceptions.
Possible landing spot: Murphy is from Inglewood, Calif., so the likes of USC and UCLA could certainly be in the mix. He has the experience to have his pick of where to play, though.
Patrick Kutas, IOL, Arkansas
Kutas started in 13 games over two seasons for the Razorbacks, where he signed in 2022.
Possible landing spot: 247’s Crystal Ball projects Kutas to end up at Ole Miss.
Jaheim Oatis, DL, Alabama
Over his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa from 2022-23, Oatis accounted for 55 total tackles, including 16 for loss.
Early this season, Oatis dealt with numerous injuries and didn’t see much playing time, prompting him to opt out of the season and enter the portal in early October.
Possible landing spot: 247’s Crystal Ball also predicts Oatis to sign with Ole Miss.
Other Notable Transfer Portal Entries
In addition to the top players, there are several other notable athletes who have entered the transfer portal and could make significant impacts at their new schools.
Micah Hudson, WR, Texas Tech
Despite being a former 5-star recruiting prospect and the nation’s No. 4 overall wideout for 2024, Hudson didn’t see the field much this year in Lubbock. He finished with just eight receptions for 123 yards.
Possible landing spot: Hudson is reportedly set to visit Texas A&M in the coming weeks. The Aggies also recruited him while he was in high school.
Williams Nwaneri, EDGE, Missouri
Williams was a highly-touted recruit from the class of 2024. A former 5-star prospect, he was the No. 1 overall defensive lineman prospect in his class.
He played in just two games for Missouri this season, getting two total tackles and a sack.
Possible landing spot: He’ll have his pick of schools as a talented prospect, but he looks to be an early LSU target.
Barion Brown, WR, Kentucky
Over the past three seasons for the Wildcats, Brown had accounted for 1,528 yards with 11 touchdowns, averaging 12.5 yards per catch.
Possible landing spot: He reportedly is being recruited by a number of SEC schools, as well as Florida State.
Bear Alexander, DL, USC
Alexander is on the move again, starting his career at Georgia in 2022 and winning a national title with the Dawgs that season.
He transferred to USC before the 2023 season and had 48 total tackles with 1.5 sacks last year.
After playing in three games for USC this season, he decided to take a redshirt and enter the transfer portal.
Possible landing spot: Alexander has been linked to Oregon, Penn State, and SMU early on.
James Williams, EDGE, Nebraska
Williams spent the past two seasons at Nebraska, accounting for 18 total tackles including seven sacks in Lincoln.
Possible landing spot: Williams already has a visit lined up with Florida State in the coming weeks.
Conner Weigman, QB, Texas A&M
Weigman is one of the more talented signal-callers in this year’s transfer portal class.
He was a five-star QB prospect from the class of 2022, signing with Jimbo Fisher’s No. 1 overall recruiting class.
Although he has dealt with some injuries during his career, he’s thrown for 2,694 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions over the past three seasons.
Possible landing spot: Weigman can have his pick of where to go. One possible fit might be Notre Dame, which has used transfers like Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard in back-to-back seasons.
Conclusion
The transfer portal continues to be a game-changer in college football, offering players new opportunities and coaches a chance to bolster their rosters.
As we move closer to the 2025 season, keep an eye on these players and their potential impacts at their new schools.
For more detailed information on the transfer portal rankings and player updates, visit Sporting News.
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