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The transfer portal has become the Wild West in the college football world. Schools can turn their programs around in a year if they work the portal correctly.
Outside of graduate transfers, immediate-impact players were tough to come by in the past. With the new college football rules and the portal flush with hundreds of top-end talent, most programs look at the portal for immediate fixes to the previous year's problems. Below we will look at the ten teams that did the most work in the portal this season. The star ranking used comes from On3.
#10. Notre Dame snags best transfer quarterback
Adds: QB Sam Hartman (four-star), S Antonio Carter (three-star), WR Kaleb Smith (three-star), Edge Javonte Jean-Baptiste (three-star), CB Thomas Harper (three-star)
Despite adding just one big-time recruit this offseason, Notre Dame finds itself firmly in the top 10 college football teams adding transfer talent. Sam Hartman, the former starting quarterback at Wake Forest, tossed 110 touchdowns against 41 interceptions in five years with the Demon Deacons. He was arguably the best quarterback in the portal this season and is now getting ready to lead Notre Dame in 2023.
#9. UCLA gets help everywhere
Adds: LB Jake Heimlicher (four-star), OL Spencer Holstege (four-star), RB Carson Steele (four-star), WR J. Michael Sturdivant (four-star), S Jordan Anderson (four-star), QB Collin Schlee (three-star)
The Bruins will welcome a diverse group of players via the transfer portal. Of all the four-star transfers joining UCLA next season, all play different positions. They also snagged former Kent State quarterback Collin Schlee with longtime starter Dorian Thompson-Robinosn now in the NFL.
#8. Colorado revamps their program
Adds: CB Travis Hunter (five-star), QB Shedeur Sanders (four-star), TE Seydou Traore, WR Jimmy Horn Jr. (four-star), WR Xavier Weaver (four-star), Savion Washington (four-star), QB Shedeur Sanders (four-star)
The Colorado Buffaloes were downright awful last season, evident by their 1-11 record. In comes former Jackson State bench boss Deion Sanders and top-end talent follows. Nearly every player will be a new face for Colorado next season, including Deion's son Shedeur at quarterback.
#7. Miami gets line helps
Adds: OL Javion Cohen (four-star), OL Matt Lee (four-star), LB Francisco Mauigoa (four-star), DL Branson Deen (four-star), DL Thomas Gore (four-star)
After throwing for 2,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2021, Tyler Van Dyke regressed to 1,835 yards and ten touchdowns last season. However, the six-foot-four gunslinger will return for another season with the Hurricanes next year, and the coaching staff made sure to shore up the offensive line in the process. They added two big-time offensive linemen to the mix to keep Van Dyke upright in 2023.
#6. Florida State gears up for new heights in 2023
Adds: CB Fentrell Cypress (four-star), TE Jaheim Bell (four-star), OL Jeremiah Byers (four-star), OL Casey Roddick (four-star), DL Braden Fiske (four-star), WR Keon Coleman (four-star)
The Florida State Seminoles have added 11 transfers this offseason. With Jordan Travis at the helm, the Seminoles have a real chance at making some noise in the ACC, and adding some top-end transfers will help their prospects heading into the 2023 campaign. Keon Coleman (Michigan State) and Jageim Bell (South Carolina) will make some excellent weapons for Travis this upcoming season.
#5. Ole Miss shores up defense via the transfer portal
Adds: TE Caden Prieskorn (four-star), CB Zamari Walton (four-star), WR Tre Harris (four-star), LB Monty Montgomery (four-star), Edge Isaac Ukwu (four-star), S John Saunders (four-star), CB DeShawn Gaddie Jr (four-star)
After a 10-3 season in 2021, Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels took a step back last season, going 8-5. Many of the issues stemmed from their defense, which surrendered 25.5 points per game (57th in the country). It's not awful, but they coughed up 30+ points in three of their four final games, all losses. As a result, Kiffin and company went big on the transfer portal, adding a pair of corners, a safety, and a linebacker, among others.
#4. USC gets 10 top-end transfers
Adds: DL Bear Alexander (four-star), CB Christian Roland-Wallace (four-star), DL Anthony Lucas (four-star), RB MarShawn Lloyd (four-star), OT Michael Tarquin (four-star), LB Mason Cobb (four-star), WR Dorian Singer (four-star), DL Jack Sullivan (four-star), OL Jarrett Kingston (four-star), OL Emmanuel Pregnon (four-star)
The deepest group of transfers has to be the USC Trojans. Ten players ranked as a four-star, and most on the defensive side of the ball. USC has title aspirations, and with last year's Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback, a solid defense could make the Trojans nearly impossible to beat.
#3. LSU secures another weapon for their quarterback
Adds: WR Aaron Anderson (four-star), CB Denver Harris (four-star), LB Omar Speights (four-star), CB Darian Chestnut (four-star), RB Logan Diggs (three-star)
The LSU Tigers poached former four-star recruit Aaron Anderson from rival Alabama. He missed most of last season with a knee injury, but he looked to be one of the best wide receivers in the class of 2022. Anderson will now join Heisman hopeful Jayden Daniels on the Tigers' offense.
#2. Oklahoma focuses on edge rushers
Adds: Edge Trace Ford (four-star), OTWalter Rouse (four-star), Edge Dasan McCullough (four-star), Edge Dasan McCullough (four-star), WR Andrel Anthony (three-star), WR Brenen Thompson (four-star)
The 2022 Oklahoma Sooners went 6-7. It was Oklahoma's first losing record since 1998. The Sooners' defense got walloped under first-year head coach and former defensive coordinator Brent Venables. As a result, the bench boss went out and added three edge rushers via the transfer portal.
#1. Wisconsin finally gets a quarterback
Adds: QB Tanner Mordecai (four-star), WR C.J. Williams (four-star), Joe Huber (four-star)
It seems like ages ago that the Wisconsin Badgers had a competent quarterback. Graham Mertz spent the past three seasons putting up pedestrian numbers at Wisconsin; before that, it was Jack Coan. Now, the Badgers will have Tanner Mordecai under center. The gunslinger has thrown for 7,791 yards and 76 touchdowns in his college career.
