Overshadowing the ongoing bowl games, the transfer portal — which doesn’t even officially open until Jan. 2 — has dominated all the buzz around college football in the gap between College Football Playoff rounds.
Countless players have already declared their transfer intentions and fans and analysts have evaluated where each fits best and the impact they can make in 2026 even though technically they can’t even be talking to other schools yet. (Hey, just saying, it’s how it’s supposed to work, at least).
But as we put a bow on 2025 in all ways leading into the New Year’s Day, let’s look back on the most impactful transfers from the last cycle.
For our purposes, here we’re keeping this list to Power Four players because it’s just hard to say a stud running back at Jacksonville State had a bigger impact on college football than one starring for a playoff team this week even with lesser stats, or ditto a breakout edge rusher at Western Michigan leading the country in tackles for loss.
(We’ll circle back with a separate list on the transfers who made the most of their moves to or within the Group of Five level. Fair?)
Here goes …
10 Most Impactful College Football Transfers For 2025
1. Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey (and complete DL)
Texas Tech built a new defensive line in the transfer portal last offseason, with ESPN reporting it spent more than $7 million to reel in EDGE transfers David Bailey (from Stanford), Romello Height (Georgia Tech) and interior defensive linemen Lee Hunter (UCF), A.J. Holmes Jr. (Houston) and Skyler Gill-Howard (Northern Illinois).
The result? Texas Tech has the third-ranked defense in the entire FBS (second among Power Four schools), giving up just 254.4 yards per game, the No. 1-ranked rushing defense (68.46 yards per game allowed), is tied for sixth nationally with 39 sacks, also sixth with 96 tackles for loss and went 12-1 to earn the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff.
If you’re into PFF ratings, it has Bailey (43 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 17.5 TFL) and Height (33-8.5-10) ranked as the top two edge rushers in the country this season with elite grades of 93.2 and 92.9, Holmes (35-4.5-9) as the No. 4-ranked interior defensive linemen and Hunter (35-3-9) at No. 16, with grades of 86.6 and 80.7, respectively.
So those four all deserve a little shine here, but Bailey gets the headline at No. 1. He had 14.5 sacks in three years at Stanford and nearly matched that in one season in Lubbock, leading all FBS players with those 13.5 sacks and tied for second in tackles for loss. Per PFF’s count, he has a whopping 77 pressures overall with 43 quarterback hurries. He also had 3 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a batted pass.
2. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
We could probably just leave it at, “Won the Heisman Trophy.”
Mendoza was a good quarterback at Cal the last couple years — he was elite at Indiana this season, completing 71.5 percent of his passes for 2,980 yards, 33 TDs and 6 INTs (plus 6 rushing TDs) for the only still-unbeaten team in college football.
Indiana was an incredible story last year when it made the CFP. It’s an even wilder story this year as the No. 1 team in the country, with a win over No. 2 Ohio State. Mendoza deserves a ton of credit for his role in that, and he’s received it with the Heisman and the slew of other accolades he’s earned.
3. Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss
Chambliss is the most incredible individual story on this list, coming to Ole Miss from the Division II ranks where he led Ferris State to a D2 national championship last year. He opened the season as the Rebels’ backup, but starter Austin Simmons sustained an ankle injury in the third game and opened the door for Chambliss to steal the job.
The dual-threat dynamo has passed for 3,298 yards, 19 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and rushed for 508 yards and 8 scores, leading Ole Miss into the CFP quarterfinals this week. In the Rebels’ CFP first-round win over Tulane, he completed 23 of 29 passes for 282 yards and a TD and rushed for 2 scores.
4. Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy
Hardy showed in one season at Louisiana-Monroe (1,351 rushing yards, 13 TDs) that he deserved a bigger spotlight, and when he got it in the SEC this year he was even better.
Hardy rushed for 1,649 yards — second nationally to Jacksonville State’s Cam Cook, first among P4 players — on 6.4 yards per carry with 16 TDs, finishing just 67 yards off the Missouri program record. He was a Doak Walker Award finalist and gave Missouri an identity offensively as it was ranked for much of the season.
5. Oregen OL Emmanuel Pregnon/OT Isaiah World
Yes, we’re doubling up again, as Oregon managed to snag two absolute stud offensive linemen out of the portal last cycle, which is a major reason the Ducks ranked top-15 nationally in both fewest sacks allowed (1.08 per game) and rushing offense (217.08 yards per game).
Pregnon is the headliner here, though. He was a total coup for Oregon as it had already been announced that he was putting off the NFL draft to return to USC, when all of a sudden the Ducks came in over the top to pry the star left guard away. Pregnon started every game, logged 758 offensive snaps and hasn’t allowed a sack all season while being a mauling blocker in the run game as well. He was deservedly named an AP First-Team All-America selection and is PFF’s third-ranked offensive guard in college football.
World joined Oregon with 35 career starts at Nevada and immediately settled in as a reliable anchor at left tackle, allowing just 1 sack and 8 pressures this season. He was voted second-team All-Big Ten by media. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has World ranked as his No. 8 OT for the upcoming NFL draft.
6. Ole Miss RB Kewan Lacy
Ironically, Lacy left Missouri after having a limited role as a freshman last year, opening the way for Hardy to transfer in as the star of the backfield there, but Lacy ended up just fine as well.
He rushed for 1,366 yards and 21 touchdowns — leading all P4 players in that category and playing a major role in Ole Miss’ push to the CFP quarterfinals.
Lacy scored a touchdown in all but one game this season and had multiple touchdowns in six games, including 3 scores and a career-high 224 rushing yards vs. Florida.
He was a second-team AP All-America selection.
7. LSU CB Mansoor Delane
LSU didn’t have a good season, but Delane sure did as a lockdown cornerback who transferred in from Virginia Tech.
In 358 pass coverage snaps, he allowed just 13 receptions for 147 yards with 2 interceptions and led the SEC in passes defended (13) and pass breakups (11) while earning unanimous first-team All-American honors and being named a finalist for the Thorpe Award.
He is Kiper’s No. 2-ranked CB and a projected first-round NFL draft pick.
8. Duke QB Darian Mensah
Mensah was one of the most high-profile QB transfers a year ago, leaving Tulane for Duke for what was widely reported to be a $4 million/year NIL deal.
The Blue Devils indeed got the star quarterback they coveted, as Mensah passed for 3,646 yards, 30 TDs and just 5 INTs entering the Sun Bowl vs. Arizona State on Dec. 31. He was fourth nationally in passing yards (including five 300-yard games), tied for fifth in passing TDs and had the fewest INTs of any QB with at least 300 completions plus had eight INT-free performances in the span of nine games at one point.
Duke won the ACC despite going 8-5 and Mensah is reportedly returning next season and delaying the NFL, per ESPN.
9. Texas A&M WRs KC Concepcion/Mario Craver
Texas A&M landed a dynamic wide receiver duo from the portal last cycle with Concepcion coming in from NC State and Craver from Mississippi State with both delivering career seasons and helping the Aggies to a CFP appearance and 11-win season.
Concepcion finished with 61 catches for 919 yards and 9 TDs (plus a rushing TD) while also starring as a punt returner (26 returns for 456 yards and 2 TDs) and was a first-team All-SEC pick and first-team AP All-America selection for all-purpose contributions. Craver had 59 receptions for 917 yards and 4 TDs (plus a rushing TD).
10. Indiana S Louis Moore
Moore started his career at Indiana before transferring to Ole Miss for a season and back to Indiana this year for his senior campaign. He delivered a breakout season with 6 interceptions, which is tied for the lead among all P4 players and second in the FBS, along with 76 tackles.
More to the point, he had INTs in Indiana’s two biggest games — the win at Oregon and the win over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.
Moore was a second-team AP All-America selection.
Honorable Mentions
(Listed alphabetically)
Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar: Aguilar transferred twice last year, from Appalachian State to UCLA and then to Tennessee, but he settled in with the Vols while passing for 3,444 yards, 24 TDs and 10 INT with 3 rushing TDs.
Miami QB Carson Beck: An early Heisman Trophy candidate, Beck had his ups and downs in passing for 3,175 yards, 26 TDs and 10 INTs, but the Georgia transfer helped Miami into its CFP quarterfinals matchup with Ohio State this week and can still add to his season.
Georgia WR Zachariah Branch: The USC transfer and former five-star prospect finally had the kind of breakout season many had been waiting for after two solid but modest seasons with the Trojans. Branch leads the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs with 73 catches for 744 yards and 5 TDs heading into the CFP quarterfinals this week. He was a second-team All-SEC selection.
Indiana DE Stephen Daley: The Kent State transfer ranks second nationally with 19 tackles for loss along with 5.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles for No. 1 team in the country, but a freak non-football injury will keep him out of the CFP.
Utah QB Devon Dampier: The New Mexico transfer passed for 2,180 yards, 22 TDs and 5 INTs and rushed for 687 yards and 7 TDs for a 10-2 Utah team.
Cal WR Jacob de Jesus: After two productive seasons at UNLV, De Jesus nearly doubled his career-highs with 108 catches for 1,030 yards and 6 TDs, leading the country in receptions. He was a first-team All-ACC selection in the all-purpose category.
USC S Bishop Fitzgerald: The NC State transfer delivered a career-best season for the Trojans, with 5 interceptions (including a pick-6 vs. Missouri State) and a 2-INT game in a big win over Michigan, along with 51 tackles and 3 pass breakups. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media (separate votes) and a first-team AP All-America selection.
Michigan RB Justice Haynes: It pained us to not fit him in the top 10, and the only reason he isn’t there is because he missed the final five games following season-ending foot surgery. But in just seven games, the Alabama transfer rushed for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns on 7.1 yards per carry, which is the best average for any P4 running back with that many yards. Haynes rumbled for over 100 yards in six of his seven starts, including a season-high 159 yards and 3 TDs vs. New Mexico, 125 and a TD against Oklahoma’s stout defense, 149 and a TD vs. Nebraska and 152 and 2 scores vs. Michigan State.
Houston TE Tanner Koziol: After three productive seasons at Ball State, Koziol was even better in his first season in the Big 12, totaling 74 catches for 727 yards and 6 TDs. He led the country in catches by a tight end and was named a first-team All-Big 12 selection.
Cal CB Hezekiah Masses: The FIU transfer took his production to another level this season at Cal with 5 interceptions and 13 pass breakups — tying for the national lead with those 18 total passes defended — along with 47 tackles. One of his picks came in Cal’s overtime win over then-ranked Louisville. He was a second-team AP All-America selection.
Minnesota CB John Nestor: Nestor tied for second nationally (tied for first among P4 players) with 6 interceptions after transferring from Iowa. His big game was in a win over Wisconsin in the snow in which he tallied 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 picks and a fumble recovery.
Texas Tech CB Brice Pollock: Coming over from Mississippi State where he had 1 INT in two seasons, Pollock broke out as part of the Red Raiders’ elite defense with 5 picks, 5 pass breakups, 46 tackles and a forced fumble. He was a first-team All-Big 12 selection.
FSU WR Duce Robinson: Another USC transfer and former five-star prospect, like Branch, Robinson reached new heights individually at Florida State despite the Seminoles’ collective struggles. He ranked ninth nationally overall and fifth among P4 players with 1,081 receiving yards on 56 catches with 6 TDs. He was a first-team All-ACC selection.
Oklahoma K Tate Sandell: The UTSA transfer was one of the best kickers in college football this season for Oklahoma, making 24 of 27 field goals — including 8 of 9 from 50 yards or longer with a long of 55 — and all 35 of his extra point attempts.
Oklahoma WR Isaiah Sategna III: The Sooners’ didn’t have an exceptional passing attack overall, ranking 60th nationally, but that didn’t slow down Sategna. The Arkansas transfer had 67 catches for 965 yards and 8 TDs and was a second-team All-SEC selection.
Virginia RB J’Mari Taylor: After four years at North Carolina Central, including a 1,000-yard season last year, Taylor showed his talents transfer over to the P4 level while leading Virginia with 1,062 rushing yards, 253 receiving yards and 15 total TDs. Taylor was a first-team All-ACC selection.
Oregon S Dillon Thieneman: After posting back-to-back 100-tackle seasons at Purdue, Thieneman’s numbers weren’t as gaudy this season but his impact perhaps even greater while helping key the secondary of Oregon’s top-10 defense. He ranks second on the Ducks with 74 total tackles, along with 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He is a second-team AP All-America selection.
Houston WR Amare Thomas: The first-team All-Big 12 selection racked up 66 catches for 972 yards and 12 TDs for a 10-3 Houston team after two seasons at UAB. He had three 100-yard games and scored 8 TDs over Houston’s final five games, including 2 scores in a 38-35 Texas Bowl win over LSU.
Missouri OT Keagen Trost: Trost started his college football career at Morgan State way back in 2019, before moving onto Indiana State, Wake Forest and finally Missouri this season, where he was a third-team AP All-America selection and a first-team All-American pick by PFF. Trost manned right tackle for Missouri, playing 832 offensive snaps, and through the end of the regular season he was PFF’s highest-graded offensive lineman nationally (91.3) and also had the highest run-blocking grade in the country from PFF (90.5) while helping Missouri produce the No. 8-ranked rushing offense (228.3 YPG).
Missouri DE Damon Wilson II: The Georgia transfer had a breakout season with 9 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries and an interception. He had 2 sacks against Alabama and 1 each vs. Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, making his impact felt in the biggest games. Wilson was a first-team All-SEC selection.
