play1:08Palmer: College football transfer portal needs unilateral reformJesse Palmer rips the current state of college football and offers solutions for paying players and tweaking the transfer portal.
Why Finebaum says Lane Kiffin won the college football offseason (1:45)Paul Finebaum and Louis Riddick break down why Lane Kiffin and LSU won the offseason in college football. (1:45)
Palmer: College football transfer portal needs unilateral reformJesse Palmer rips the current state of college football and offers solutions for paying players and tweaking the transfer portal.
Jesse Palmer rips the current state of college football and offers solutions for paying players and tweaking the transfer portal.
Craig Haubert and Billy TuckerMultiple AuthorsMar 4, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
Indiana showed the football world that high school recruiting isn’t the only path to becoming a national champion.
The transfer portal has changed how programs build rosters. Some schools go all-in every offseason to overhaul their rosters through the portal, while others, such as national runner-up Miami, use the portal to add depth to a position or target major transfers who could take a team from great to top-ranked.
And now that signing day and the transfer portal period are over for the 2026 class, we can look at the best groups of newcomers. When it comes to modern roster development, it’s important to consider the combination of recruiting class and success in the portal.
This ranking is the top 25 groups of newcomers — recruits and transfers combined — based on who could see the most impactful immediate returns for 2026.
Transfers: OT Jordan Seaton, Edge Princewill Umanmielen, QB Sam Leavitt, S Ty Benefield, WR Eugene Wilson III
Top recruits: WR Chris Henry Jr., CB Jay Timmons, S Blaine Bradford, WR Jerquaden Guilford, CB Jordan Thomas, LB Cincere Johnson, DL Khary Wilder, ATH Legend Bey
Top recruits: Edge LaDamion Guyton, CB S’Vioarean Martin, WR Chase Campbell, RB Ashton Rowden, OG Jerald Mays
Transfers: WR Cam Coleman, DT Ian Geffrard, RB Hollywood Smothers, RB Raleek Brown, ILB Rasheem Biles
Top recruits: DT Gabe Hill, DE Kevontay Hugan, CB Kasmir Hicks, TE‑H Parker Elmore, OG Benjamin Novak, LB Ja’Dyn Williams
Transfers: OT Carius Curne, S Edwin Joseph, CB Jay Crawford, QB‑DT Deuce Knight, DT Michai Boireau, DE Blake Purchase
Top recruits: RB Ezavier Crowell, WR Cederian Morgan, Edge Xavier Griffin, S Jireh Edwards, CB Jorden Edmonds
Transfers: DL Devan Thompkins, DL Terrance Green, OT Ty Haywood, WR Noah Rogers, OG Nick Brooks, OL Jayvin James
Top recruits: RB KJ Edwards, WR Aaron Gregory, WR Madden Williams, Edge Bryce Perry‑Wright, CB Brandon Arrington
Transfers: WR Isaiah Horton, CB Rickey Gibson III, Edge Anto Saka, OT Wilkin Formby, OG Trovon Baugh, S Tawfiq Byard, OL Coen Echols, OL Tyree Adams
Top recruits: OT Immanuel Iheanacho, TE‑Y Kendre’ Harrison, RB Tradarian Ball, WR Jalen Lott, S Jett Washington
Transfers: QB Darian Mensah, DE Damon Wilson II, S Omar Thornton, WR Cooper Barkate, WR Vandrevius Jacobs
Top recruits: RB Savion Hiter, WR Salesi Moa, WR Travis Johnson, DE Titan Davis, DE Carter Meadows, CB Jamarion Vincent
Transfers: CB Jontez Williams, WR Terrell Anderson, OLB Zuriah Fisher, DT Alex VanSumeren, TE Tucker Ashcraft, LB Deven Bryant
Top recruits: WR Tristen Keys, WR Tyreek King, QB‑DT Faizon Brandon, DE Jordan Carter, DB Joel Wyatt, OL Gabriel Osenda
Transfers: Edge Chaz Coleman, CB Kayin Lee, S T.J. Metcalf, LB Amare Campbell, DT Xavier Gilliam, S Dejuan Lane
Top recruits: DE Jake Kreul, RB Jonathan Hatton, WR Daniel Odom, WR Jayden Petit, DE/OLB Dane Bathurst
Transfers: WR Trell Harris, WR Parker Livingstone, OT E’Marion Harris, TE Hayden Hansen, TE Jack Van Dorselaer
Palmer: College football transfer portal needs unilateral reform
Top recruits: ATH Davion Brown, RB Messiah Mickens, QB Troy Huhn, OT Thomas Wilder, CB Amauri Polydor
Transfers: QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, TE Luke Reynolds, WR Que’Sean Brown, DE Javion Hilson, OLB Daniel Jennings, OL Logan Howland
Transfers: QB Austin Simmons, LB Robert Woodyard Jr., OL Josh Atkins, WR Horatio Fields, WR Cayden Lee, OG Zack Owens, DL Donta Simpson, OL Luke Work, K Bruno Reus, WR Caleb Goodie
Top recruits: S Matt Sieg, CB Vincent Smith, OT Kevin Brown, RB Amari Latimer, WR Landon Drumm, WR Kedrick Triplett (JUCO), Keon Hutchins (JUCO)
Transfers: RB Cam Cook, QB Michael Hawkins Jr., OL Carsten Casady, DB Jacob Bradford, DE Tobi Haastrup, WR TaRon Francis, DE Ezekiel Durham-Campbell, LB Tyler Stolsky
Transfers: QB Rocco Becht, S Marcus Neal Jr., TE Benjamin Brahmer, LB Caleb Bacon, S Jeremiah Cooper, OL Brock Riker, RB Carson Hansen, RB James Peoples, WR Chase Sowell
Top recruits: CB Chauncey Kennon, LB Izayia Williams, WR Devin Carter, WR Brandon Bennett, WR Jasen Lopez, TE Xavier Tiller
Transfers: OT Xavier Chaplin, RB Tre Wisner, LB Chris Jones, QB Ashton Daniels, TE Desirrio Riles, DE Rylan Kennedy, LB Mikai Gbayor, S Ma’Khi Jones
Transfers: OT Lance Heard, QB Kenny Minchey, C Coleton Price, OT Tegra Tshabola, LB Elijah Barnes, RB C.J. Baxter, WR Nic Anderson
Top recruits: OT Darius Gray, OT Zyon Guiles, DE Julian Walker, DE Keenan Britt, DB/LB J’Zavien Currence, WR Sequel Patterson
Transfers: OT Jacarrius Peak, DL Tomiwa Durojaiye, S/NB Quay’sheed Scott OL Emmanuel Poku, DL Kelby Collins
While Lane Kiffin leaned heavily on the portal, LSU still signed high school prospects who can keep the roster young at premium spots while also infusing the roster with immediate contributors. Brown, the No. 1 overall player in the SC Next 300 could eventually make an impact on either side of the ball. An agile big man that is powerful and runs well, Brown looks poised to start out on defense and play a role somewhere in the trenches, even in Year 1. Also on defense, Geralds is a quick, penetrating interior player, while Anderson is a stout, 300‑plus pounder with good initial burst who can both anchor and disrupt with penetration. On the perimeter, Mack is a polished in‑state wideout and strong route-runner who projects as an outside target capable of working all three levels, while Barber brings more of a slot/space profile with run‑after‑catch value. Martinez is a long, 6‑foot-6 tackle who will likely be groomed as the successor at left tackle but is talented enough to work his way into the mix as the Tigers look to fill their right tackle position. In the secondary, Hall is a long, physical safety who can run, fill alleys and eventually grow into a back‑end centerpiece.
Kiffin landed several plug-and-play players with instant-impact potential. Seaton, a former five‑star, allowed just five sacks in 22 career starts at Colorado. He should lock down the left tackle job and stabilize the pass protection. Wilson is a wide receiver with SEC experience with 107 career receptions for 1,043 yards and 10 touchdowns. He brings the separation and run‑after‑catch ability Kiffin’s offense is built around. Leavitt was Kiffin’s first big portal win and arrives from Arizona State with 24 games played, 4,652 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. On defense, Umanmielen is a proven SEC pass rusher. In the secondary. Benefield from Boise State (41 games played, 233 tackles, 11 pass breakups, five INTs), should immediately inject a steady presence.
Even on a loaded roster, several freshmen appear poised to play a role for in 2026. Henry seems like a dangerous initial pairing with Jeremiah Smith as a red zone and jump‑ball asset. He can be a vertical/rotational player in multireceiver sets early on and assume Smith’s role once he departs for the NFL. Timmons can provide support behind Jermaine Mathews Jr. and in a nickel role. He has the length and instincts to be the next boundary corner in the pipeline. Bradford can work his way into the mix in the secondary as well with the range and physicality to contribute quickly on special teams and in subpackages. There is no clear path to the field for Johnson at linebacker, but it will be tough to keep a prospect with his size, versatility and maturity off the field. Bey’s versatility will likely get him into the mix to get touches and he can become a player in the mold of former Buckeye Curtis Samuel.
The Buckeyes used the portal to harden the middle and upgrade coverage. Smith is poised to be a starter at defensive tackle after arriving from Alabama with 48 tackles, 10 tackles for loss (TFLs) and 3.5 sacks, giving OSU an immediate interior force against the run and pass. Russaw can work in the rotation with Zion Grady who is another SEC‑tested edge rusher to third‑down packages. In the secondary, Little could grab ahold of the starting nickel job. He arrives with 24 games of experience between Alabama and Florida State with 93 tackles and two pass breakups. Moore also bolsters the secondary after transferring from Duke with 116 tackles, four interceptions and seven pass breakups, filling a big void left by Caleb Downs. Kelly transferred from Georgia and can solidify the corner rotation behind Devin Sanchez. This group upgrades Ohio State at tackle, edge, nickel, safety and corner — exactly where playoff defenses are built.
Tech’s 2026 freshmen class mixes immediate‑use athletes and upside. Guyton projects into the outside linebacker rotation with the range and burst to thrive ultimately in a similar fashion to David Bailey. Don’t expect that in Year 1, but he can have success in a situational role as a violent and intense pass rusher. Martin gives the secondary a rangy, physical, movement‑first corner who can hold up in space. Campbell brings perimeter speed and body control to compete for slot/outside reps and Rowden projects as a complementary back with burst and receiving feel on early downs and specialty packages. Along the offensive line, Felix Ojo was a big-time addition but should be viewed as more of a developmental, long-term impact addition. Mays has interior flexibility to play center or guard with size and great feet in pass protection and could be the one to contribute quicker.