Key College Football Transfers for 2023

Key College Football Transfers for 2023

If you are handicapping college football, one of the most important factors is finding out about transfers. Now that transfers don’t have to sit out a season, there are hundreds of impact players who leave one school as a starter and wind up starring for another school. Why do they leave? Lack of playing time, a change of the head or coaching staff, a new player has taken their position or they just want a new school. Here are some of the top 25 transfers who will make a huge impact at the school they transferred to.

1)Sam Hartman, QB. Transferred to Notre Dame. Former school: Wake Forest

Hartman had a sensational career in the ACC, throwing for 110 TD passes to set a conference record. Overcame a blood clot issue to play in 2022 and surgery last August removed the clot. This is a huge pickup for Notre Dame, who struggled at that position last season.

2)Travis Hunter, CB/WR. Transferred to: Colorado. Former school: Jackson State.

Coach Prime brings with him one of the elite talents in college football. He was committed to Florida State in March of 2020 and was considered the nation’s No. 1 prospect. Like Deion Sanders, he can start at corner or play some wide receiver. He did have 14 catches for 141 yards and two TDs

3)Hudson Card, QB. Transferred to: Purdue. Former school: Texas

Card arrives in West Lafayette to play for new coach Ran Walters. He replaces the very productive Aidan O’Connell. Card showed flashes in Austin, tossing for 928 yards with six TDs and one INT last season. But with Arch Manning and Quinn Ewers around, he wasn’t going to play.

4)D.J. Uigalelei, QB. Transferred to Oregon State. Former school: Clemson

The former five-star recruit from Clemson didn’t achieve his stats and then was replaced. Even though it didn’t work out in Clemson, it could in Corvallis, where he becomes an upgrade. At 6-4, 251, DJ still has pro potential and his numbers (2,521 yds, 22 TDs, 7 INTs) were not bad last season. But he struggled late in the season and expectations are high in Death Valley. He makes the Beavers an instant contender in the Pac-12.

5)Tanner Mordecai, QB. Transferred to Wisconsin. Former school: SMU

Mordecai also played at Oklahoma so he’s used to wide open offenses. That doesn’t seem to suit Wisconsin and it’s a bit of a weird signing. But he has been a very productive QB who had 72 TDs in the past two seasons. He can more than just hand the ball or take off, which is what most Wiscy QBs have done in the past.

6)Shedeur Sanders, QB. Transferred to Colorado. Former school: Jackson State.

Some of Prime follows Dad to Boulder. In two years at FBS Jackson State, Sanders threw for 6,963 yards with 70 TDs. Last season, he completed 70.6% of his passes with just six picks. That’s good at no matter what level and you’re on and an upgrade for the Buffs since last season.

7)Dominic Lovett, WR. Transferred to Georgia. Former school: Missouri

Lovett was an All-SEC performer at Mizzou after catching 56 passes for 846 yards. The 5-10 junior averaged 15.1 yards per catch last season and caught just three TD passes. That’s all Georgia needs is more talent on offense.

8)Devin Leary, QB. Transferred to: Kentucky. Former school: NC State

Leary was injured mid-way through last season at NC State. He was coming off a terrific 2021 season, where he threw for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns with just five interceptions. You couldn’t ask for a much better and experienced quarterback to take over for Will Levis.

9)Carson Steele, RB. Transferred to: UCLA. Former school: Ball State.

Steele was a dominant runner in the MAC, rushing for 1,556 yards last season at Ball State. The 6-1, 215-pound back also had 14 TDs rushing and 29 catches for 166 yards. He takes over for Zach Charbonnet, who was off to the NFL.

10)Davison Igbinosun, CB. Transferred to: Ohio State. Former school: Ole Miss

The 6-2 corner was a freshman All-American in 2022, who started 10 of 13 games. He registered 37 tackles and five pass breakups. He should fit well in the OSU back end after having a strong spring.

11)Cade McNamara, QB. Transferred to: Iowa. Former school: Michigan

The former Michigan quarterback could be what the doctor ordered for one of the poorest offenses in the nation. He had an excellent season in 2021, when he completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,576 yards with 15 TDs and six picks. He then lost his job in 2022 to J.J. McCarthy.

12)Spencer Sanders, QB. Transferred to: Ole Miss. Former school: Oklahoma State

Sanders has had quite the career at Oklahoma State. He amassed over 11,000 yards of total offense and threw for 67 yards. His problem has been consistency where last season he completed just 57.6% of his passes. He did run for 391 yards and eight TDs. But he chose a school that already has Jaxson Dart and LSU transfer Walker Howard.

13)Brennan Armstrong, QB. Transferred to: NC State. Former school: Virginia.

Armstrong doesn’t have to travel far as he remains in the ACC. He had a better season in 2021, when he threw for 4,49 yards with 31 TDS and 10 picks. In 2022, he struggled with the Cavaliers, completing just 54.7% of his passes with 7 TDs and 12 INTs. Has rushed for 20 TD over the last three years with over 1,100 yards rushing.

14)Dante Cephas, WR. Transferred to Penn State. Former school: Kent State

Penn State was desperate for an experienced and productive receiver. Cephas, at 6-1, 185, caught 48 passes for 744 yards with three TDs (15.5ypc) last season. In the previous season, he caught 82 passes for 1,240 yards and nine TDs. The Pittsburgh native should fit right in with Happy Valley.

15)Kedon Slovis, QB. Transferred to BYU. Former school: Pittsburgh

Talk about well-travelled. Slovis started his career at USC, but never really duplicated his freshman season, when he threw for 3,502 yards with 30 TDs and nine picks in 2019. In 2022, the transferred to Pitt, where he completed 58.4% of his passes for 2,397 yards with 10 TDs and nine picks. In the second half of last season, the Panthers became a run-first team and that likely won’t happen at BYU.

16)Fentrell Cypress, CB. Transferred to Florida State. Former School: Virginia

Cypress was a second-team All-ACC corner who remains in the league. He finished seventh in the nation with 1.4 passes defended per game. He ranked tied for 16th in the nation in passe breakups. According to PFF, he allowed 18 catches on 40 targets. He also did not allow a TD in more than 300 snaps in coverage. FSU is getting another fine cornerback.

17)Phil Jurkovec, QB. Transferred to Pittsburgh. Former school: Boston College.

There’s still hope that Jurkovec can find the magic formula that made him a very productive QB in 2020, when he completed 61% of his passes for 2,558 yards, 17 TDs and five INTs. It’s been downhill since, partially due to injuries. He gives Pitt an experienced and mobile quarterback at 6-5.

18)Javion Cohen, OL. Transferred to Miami (Fl). Former school: Alabama

The 6-4, 305-pound junior was a second-team All-SEC performer last season. Most likely will play left guard. He’s a great pickup for Mario Cristobal and Miami’s offensive line.

19)Jaheim Bell, TE. Transferred to: Florida State. Former school: South Carolina.

Here’s one of the more versatile players in college football. Bell caught 25 passes last season for 261 yards with three TDs and was mainly the short-yardage back with 261 yards with three TDs (.6ypc).

20)J.T. Daniels, QB. Transferred to Rice: Former School: West Virginia

Due to Covid and a redshirt year, Daniels will be playing with his fourth school and sixth season. He threw for 2,107 yards with 13 TDs and nine picks in Morgantown last season. His first season came in 2018 at USC, when he threw for 2,672 yards with 14 TDs and 10 INTs on 59.5% completion rate.

21)Adonai Mitchell, WR. Transferred to Texas. Former school: Georgia

Mitchell was a productive receiver with Georgia, adding 38 catches with seven TDs in two seasons. Injuries hampered his sophomore season. Moved closer to be home to be able to spend more time with his daughter.

22)Jordan Burch, DT/DE. Transferred to Oregon. Former school: South Carolina

The 6-6, 290-pound Burch is an incredible athlete for his size. Last season, he had recorded 60 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. He teams with senior Brandon Dorlus to give one of the top defensive end tandems in the Pac-12.

23)Keon Coleman, WR. Transferred to Florida State. Former school: Michigan State

Coleman is a 6-4 receiver who caught 58 passes for 798 yards as a sophomore last season. He has the speed and size to be a pro and is another reason why FSU can win the ACC this season.

24)Drake Nugent, OL. Transferred to Michigan. Former school: Stanford.

So, you need a center? Michigan did after losing stud center Olu Oluwatimi to the NFL. Enter Nugent, who has the quickness and intelligence.

25)J. Michael Sturdivant, WR. Transferred to UCLA. Former school: UCLA

After getting burned by Sturdivant in the season finale, the Bruins decided to pick up the 6-3 wide receiver in the transfer portal. Sturdivant caught 65 passes for 755 yards and seven TDs last season. He’s a big and lean receiver who can stretch the field.