The college football transfer portal is open until Jan. 2. Check back for all the latest news and our analysis.
Max Olson and The Athletic College Football Staff
December 6, 2023 at 6:22 PM EST
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Chip Trayanum in the portal
Trayanum became a mainstay in the Ohio State running back rotation after injuries hit the Buckeyes hard last year. He transferred to Ohio State two years ago as a linebacker but moved to running back last season. With his departure, Ohio State has just Dallan Hayden and TreVeyon Henderson as scholarship backs on the roster. Miyan Williams declared for the NFL Draft and Evan Pryor entered the portal on opening day.
Hawaii QB in the portal
USA Today
Hawaii QB Brayden Schager has entered the transfer portal, The Athletic has learned.
Schager led the Mountain West in passing this season with 3,542 yards scored 28 total TDs with 14 INTs.
Utah WR Mikey Matthews enters portal
Utah WR Mikey Matthews has entered the transfer portal, The Athletic has learned.
Four-star signee who produced 649 all-purpose yards during his freshman season.
Texas A&M’s Fadil Diggs in the portal
Texas A&M junior defensive lineman Fadil Diggs announced Wednesday that he plans to enter the transfer portal. Diggs started all 12 games and compiled 36 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks this season. His role grew each season he was on campus, and his production did, too. He was an effective edge rusher and a key component of A&M’s talented defensive line. He’ll have two years of eligibility left.
Diggs’ announcement makes three Aggies who entered the portal on Wednesday, joining tight end Jake Johnson and offensive tackle Chase Bisontis. Diggs is the third A&M defensive lineman to announce his intention to enter the portal, joining Walter Nolen and LT Overton. Nolen, who announced his intentions on Sunday night, has yet to officially surface in the portal.
Chase Bisontis leaving Texas A&M
Texas A&M freshman tackle Chase Bisontis has entered the transfer portal. Bisontis started all 12 games for the Aggies at right tackle in 2023. Bisontis was one of the highest-rated recruits in the Aggies’ 2023 recruiting class. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Bisontis was a top-100 recruit: he ranked No. 46 in the 2023 247Sports Composite and was the top-ranked interior offensive line recruit in the class.
He started from Day 1 but had his ups and downs, which isn’t unusual for a true freshman starting on an SEC offensive line. But former coach Jimbo Fisher was bullish on Bisontis’ long-term potential and often raved about Bisontis’ ability. Bisontis took 541 snaps at right tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. He is the third A&M offensive linemen to enter the portal, joining reserves Jordan Spasojevic-Moko and Remington Strickland.
Cincinnati lands Brendan Sorsby
The Cincinnati Bearcats landed a commitment from quarterback Brendan Sorsby for 2024. The Indiana transfer appeared in 10 games for the Hoosiers in 2023, starting seven of them. He finished with 1,587 passing yards (57 percent completion) for 15 TDs and 5 INTs, 276 rushing yards and another 4 TDs on the ground. Sorsby has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Indiana RB Jaylin Lucas has entered the transfer portal, The Athletic has learned.
One of the top kick returners in college football, Lucas was a first-team All-American as a returner last season and has three career kick-return touchdowns.
Another starting QB enters portal
(Photo: USA Today)
Marshall starting QB Cam Fancher has entered the transfer portal, The Athletic has learned.
Fancher has put up 4,459 total yards with 26 touchdowns and 17 interceptions over the past two seasons.
Texas A&M TE in portal
Texas A&M tight end Jake Johnson has entered the transfer portal, The Athletic has learned.
Johnson caught four touchdown passes in his sophomore season. Former top-100 recruit. His brother, Max Johnson, is heading to UNC.
Former Georgia QB Brock Vandagriff commits to Kentucky
Brock Vandagriff has officially committed to Kentucky, less than two days after the backup Georgia quarterback entered the transfer portal. This is not a surprise, as Kentucky was considered the likely landing spot even before he transferred. And it’s while Carson Beck is still publicly uncommitted on returning to Georgia, so it shows that Vandagriff was just ready for a fresh start rather than waiting on Beck’s decision.
Wednesday’s portal board
The transfer portal is still booming. Here’s a quick refresher on what happened yesterday. You can stay up to date with the latest portal news here.
Newest entries to watch:
Clemson S Andrew Mukuba: A three-year starter out of Austin, Texas, he was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021.Florida State DE Patrick Payton: Last season’s ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year recorded six sacks this season and was a surprise portal entry.Ohio QB Kurtis Rourke: He saw a slight dip in production after recovering from an ankle injury, but MAC coaches still see him as a mid-level Power 5 starter.Toledo QB Dequan Finn: This season’s MAC Player of the Year is a dynamic playmaker who led his conference in total offense (2,657 yards passing, 563 yards rushing, 29 total touchdowns).UTSA LB Trey Moore: The AAC Defensive Player of the Year recorded 17.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks (third most in FBS) this season.
Movement and commitments:
Notre Dame landed a commitment from FIU transfer WR Kris Mitchell, who recorded 1,118 receiving yards in 2023. Former Duke QB Riley Leonard is expected to visit South Bend later this week.
Former Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel, one of the top available QBs, is expected to visit Oregon this weekend, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Is Oregon the new QB transfer destination?
Tyler Shough commits to Louisville
Former Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough announced on Tuesday that he has committed to Louisville. Shough is a four-year starter (one at Oregon, three at Texas Tech) but had each of his last three seasons disrupted by injuries. But when healthy, he’s effective: the Red Raiders were 9-2 in games he started and finished.
Louisville is getting a talented dual-threat in Shough. He has thrown for 4,625 yards, 36 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in his five-year career, but he is also an effective option in the running game. He rushed for 10 touchdowns in the last four season and the Red Raiders used him often as a runner in short yardage situations.
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire called Shough “a strong leader in our locker room with an unmatched work ethic and knowledge of the game.”
The Cardinals have landed a quality quarterback if he can stay healthy.
Arkansas’ Rocket Sanders readies for portal launch
One of the more significant transfer portal entries of the week: Arkansas RB Rocket Sanders is entering the portal. Sanders ranked No. 2 in the SEC in rushing last season and No. 1 in yards from scrimmage with 1,714 yards and 12 total touchdowns. He only played in six games this season due to a knee injury and his production dropped off considerably, but he’ll still get lots of calls once he’s officially in the portal.
Georgia kicker going portaling
Georgia backup kicker Jared Zirkel is in the transfer portal. Zirkel signed in Dec. 2019, but couldn’t beat out then-walk on Jack Podlesny then freshman Peyton Woodring. Zirkel was the kickoff specialist this year and has a big leg, so the Texas native should latch on somewhere.
Florida State starter to enter portal
Jim Dedmon / USA Today
Patrick Payton, a Florida State defensive end and the 2022 ACC defensive freshman of the year, announced Tuesday evening that he would be entering his name into the transfer portal. Payton had an impressive six sacks on the season, and was part of a standout FSU defensive unit. This one is a little shocking, coming days after the Seminoles were passed over for the College Football Playoff.
GO FURTHER
Florida State’s defense locked up the ACC and left Seminoles confident in Playoff case
Dillon Gabriel to visit Oregon
Former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel is expected to visit Oregon this weekend, according to a source familiar with his recruitment. The Ducks have a lot of talent returning next season and are seeking an experienced leader to succeed Bo Nix and keep them in CFP contention.
Gabriel could go to the NFL, but he has one more season of eligibility if he wants to use it.
The unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection is coming off the best season of his long career with 3,660 passing yards (fifth-most in the FBS), 42 total touchdowns and six interceptions on 9.5 passing yards per attempt. The fifth-year senior powered the nation’s No. 3 scoring offense and a serious turnaround from 6-7 to 10-2 in his second season with the Sooners. The 49-game starter is high on the board for a few contenders who are seeking a more proven commodity for 2024.
GO FURTHER
College football quarterback transfer portal tracker: Best players available and decisions
Miami TE Jaleel Skinner enters transfer portal
Second-year tight end Jaleel Skinner, a former four-star recruit (No. 102) in the 2022 cycle, became the seventh Miami player to enter the transfer portal since the end of the regular season. Skinner, a South Carolina native, fell out of the rotation and played a total of 25 snaps in 2023 after starting two games as a true freshman in 2022. He leaves with 10 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Amaun Williams in the portal
Former Wisconsin walk-on cornerback Amaun Williams has entered the transfer portal and will have two years of eligibility remaining. Williams, a Milwaukee native, played in 12 career games as a reserve defensive back and on special teams but was not on the 2023 roster. He won the Jim Leonhard Award in 2019 as Wisconsin’s top senior defensive back.
2023-12-06 23:18:49
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