Big Ten transfer portal: Detailing the biggest incoming, outgoing players

Last Wednesday, as college football programs around the country neared the final stages of their spring seasons, the transfer portal reopened to introduce another round of moving and shaking before things finally — maybe? — quiet down over the summer.

Beginning April 16, players were given a 10-day window to enter their names in the portal and ensure eligibility for the 2025 season. Decisions about new destinations don’t need to be made any time soon, and some will certainly linger into the offseason, but anyone interested in changing schools must declare their intent to do so by Friday, April 25.

Massive names like Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, whose NIL-driven saga captivated the sport earlier this month, and Oklahoma defensive lineman David Stone, a five-star prospect who has since withdrawn his name, soared to the top of the list. But hundreds more starting-caliber players, reserves and walk-ons seeking better opportunities are also in the mix.

To catch up on all the shuffling that has taken place thus far, which includes the December 2024 portal window that set things in motion, FOX Sports put together a team-by-team look at how rosters are being reshaped in the Big Ten. Teams are listed in alphabetical order, starting with the first half of the league and the second half coming later this week.

Here’s where things stand as of Monday morning in a very fluid landscape:

Illinois

National transfer class rank: 42Big Ten rank: 13

Incoming transfers – 12

OT Tyler McMillan (Southeast Missouri State)
RB Murphy Clement (West Virginia)
WR Hudson Clement (West Virginia)
OT Ayden Knapik (Idaho)
P Keelan Crimmins (Purdue)
DL Tomiwa Durojaiye (Florida State)
TE Davin Stoffel (South Dakota State)
DL James Thompson Jr. (Wisconsin)
QB Ethan Hampton (Northern Illinois)
DL Curt Neal (Wisconsin)
WR Justin Bowick (Miami of Ohio)
Edge Leon Lowery Jr. (Wisconsin)

Biggest arrival: The player to watch here is defensive lineman James Thompson Jr., a four-star transfer who was rated the No. 12 defensive lineman and No. 84 overall player in the portal by 247Sports. Thompson missed most of the 2024 campaign after undergoing surgery for an upper-body injury that limited him to a single appearance in Week 13, but he logged 816 snaps over the previous two seasons combined and proved himself a reasonably disruptive threat with 31 pressures and 13 tackles for loss, including five sacks. Now, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Thompson joins an Illinois program that helped develop interior lineman Jer’Zhan Newton into a consensus All-American and second-round pick in last year’s NFL Draft. Thompson should be a key piece for defensive coordinator Aaron Henry.

Outgoing transfers – 19

RB Josh McCray (Georgia)
OT Zach Aamland (Uncommitted)
CB Tyler Strain (Uncommitted)
K Ethan Moczulski (Uncommitted)
K Fabrizio Pinton (Uncommitted)
QB Kirkland Michaux (Uncommitted)
IOL Zylon Crisler (Colorado)
P Hugh Robertson (Uncommitted)
TE Henry Boyer (Kentucky)
S Demetrius Hill (FIU)
QB Donovan Leary (Tulane)
WR Kenari Wilcher (Florida A&M)
P Declan Duley (Central Michigan)
TE Nate Guinn (Utah Tech)
IOL Hunter Whitenack (Western Michigan)
IOL Kevin Wigenton II (Virginia)
QB Cal Swanson (Holy Cross)
DL Enyce Sledge (FAU)
CB Chase Canada (North Texas)

Biggest loss: One of the reasons why so many people were high on Illinois entering the 2025 season was because of how much production head coach Bret Bielema was set to return at the tailback position in his physical, run-heavy offense. The spring roster featured all three of the team’s leading rushers from last season in Josh McCray (117 carries, 609 yards, 10 TDs), Aidan Laughery (97 carries, 589 yards, 4 TDs) and Kaden Feagin (67 carries, 306 yards, 3 TDs) until McCray entered the portal last week. McCray, who is now committed to Georgia, enjoyed a breakout freshman season with 112 carries for 549 yards and two scores in 2021 before battling injuries during the middle two years of his career. He bounced back impressively last fall to finish as the top runner for an Illinois team that won 10 games for the first time since 2001.

Indiana

National transfer class rank: 19Big Ten rank: 5

Incoming transfers – 21

Edge Stephen Daley (Kent State)
IOL Pat Coogan (Notre Dame)
S Devan Boykin (NC State)
IOL Kahlil Benson (Colorado)
CB Rylan Gandy (Pittsburgh)
TE Holden Staes (Tennessee)
S Louis Moore (Ole Miss)
OT Zen Michalski (Ohio State)
RB Roman Hemby (Maryland)
QB Fernando Mendoza (California)
K Brendan Franke (Texas State)
DL Dominique Ratcliff (Texas State)
P Mitch McCarthy (UCF)
TE Riley Nowakowski (Wisconsin)
WR Tyler Morris (Michigan)
WR Makai Jackson (Appalachian State)
DL Hosea Wheeler (Western Kentucky)
CB Amariyun Knighten (Northern Illinois)
RB Lee Beebe Jr. (UAB)
LS Sam Lindsey (Georgia State)
QB Grant Wilson (ODU)

Biggest arrival: It’s difficult to look beyond former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza when sizing up Indiana’s class, especially considering how brilliantly the Hoosiers’ staff worked with former Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke last season. Mendoza was the No. 22 overall transfer in the portal and the No. 4 signal-caller behind ex-Washington State QB John Mateer, ex-Georgia QB Carson Beck and ex-Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns last season while completing 68.7% of his passes, but the caliber of offensive transfers around him is also worth noting. Former Notre Dame center Pat Coogan is the No. 9 interior lineman, former Maryland tailback Roman Hemby is the No. 12 running back and former Michigan wideout Tyler Morris caught 23 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns with a rotating cast of quarterbacks last season.

Outgoing transfers – 23

DL Marcus Burris Jr. (Uncommitted)
DL Robby Harrison (Western Kentucky)
CB Josh Philostin (Uncommitted)
TE Sam West (Uncommitted)
OT Austin Barrett (Iowa State)
IOL Vince Ficable (Uncommitted)
CB Jamier Johnson (UCLA)
TE Brody Foley (Tulsa)
CB JoJo Johnson (Bowling Green)
Edge Venson Sneed Jr. (Western Kentucky)
TE Brody Kosin (Miami of Ohio)
QB Roman Purcell (Florida A&M)
CB Jaz Boykin (Hampton)
WR Brady Simmons (Miami of Ohio)
Edge Caleb King (Uncommitted)
QB Tayven Jackson (UCF)
RB Elijah Green (Sam Houston State)
LB Joshua Rudolph (UTEP)
IOL Noah Bolticoff (North Alabama)
S DJ Warnell Jr. (North Texas)
WR Donaven McCulley (Michigan)
LB Nahji Logan (Nevada)
S Tyrik McDaniel (Citadel)

Biggest loss: Wideout Donaven McCulley, who caught 48 passes for 644 yards and six scores two seasons ago, might be the most talented departure from Indiana’s roster, but it would be unfair to label him a costly loss after how much his involvement diminished under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti in 2024. In truth, none of the players exiting the program held significant roles last season — a sign that Cignetti and his staff did an excellent job retaining the pieces they wanted from a team that made the College Football Playoff. The closest is probably defensive lineman Marcus Burris Jr., a rotation player who made 14 tackles and one sack while logging 296 snaps. Burris began his career at Texas A&M and spent the past two seasons with the Hoosiers.

Iowa

National transfer class rank: 75Big Ten rank: 18

Incoming transfers – 6

OT Bryce George (Ferris State)
DL Bryce Hawthorne (South Dakota State)
QB Mark Gronowski (South Dakota State)
QB Hank Brown (Auburn)
WR Sam Phillips (Chattanooga)
DL Jonah Pace (Central Michigan)

Biggest arrival: The gamble made by head coach Kirk Ferentz on former Michigan QB Cade McNamara, who once guided the Wolverines to the CFP, never paid off amid a frustrating combination of injuries and subpar on-field performance the past two seasons. Enter Mark Gronowski, a highly accomplished senior from South Dakota State who edged Brendan Sullivan for the starting job during spring practice. Gronowski is a two-time FCS national champion and won the 2023 Walter Peyton Award, which is given to the nation’s most outstanding offensive player. He has thrown for at least 2,700 yards and 23 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons, while also chipping in 1,767 rushing yards and 37 scores on the ground during his four-year career. For offensive coordinator Tim Lester, who is entering his second season with the Hawkeyes, the breadth of Gronowski’s skill set should prove exciting.

Outgoing transfers – 23

S Kahlil Tate (Uncommitted)
CB John Nestor (Minnesota)
QB Brendan Sullivan (Uncommitted)
DL Joey VanWetzinga (Uncommitted)
TE Gavin Hoffman (Missouri)
RB Max White (Uncommitted)
TE Jalyn Thompson (South Dakota State)
LB Graham Eben (South Dakota State)
K Tripp Woody (Syracuse)
DL Chase Brackney (Sacramento State)
WR Graham Friedrichsen (Northern Iowa)
Edge Caden Crawford (Uncommitted)
WR Judah Mallette (Uncommitted)
QB Marco Lainez III (Elon)
TE Johnny Pascuzzi (West Virginia)
QB James Resar (Uncommitted)
TE Grant Leeper (Miami of Ohio)
OT Kyson Van Vugt (Fresno State)
TE Rusty VanWetzinga IV (Central Michigan)
QB Cade McNamara (East Tennessee State)
DL Jeff Bowie (South Dakota)
RB Leshon Williams (Kansas)
WR Kaleb Brown (UAB)

Biggest loss: Given the incredible 2024 season put forth by Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who carried the ball 240 times for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, it’s easy to forget how effective tailback Leshon Williams had been the year prior for one of the sport's worst offenses in recent memory. Williams finished as the team’s leading rusher in 2023 with 170 carries for 821 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and one touchdown before his role eroded last fall due to injuries and Johnson’s rapid emergence. He entered the portal in early October 2024 and wound up committing to Memphis by Thanksgiving, though that pledge only lasted a week. His new team, Kansas, bid farewell to leading rusher Devin Neal following three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons that included 44 total touchdowns.

Maryland

National transfer class rank: 38Big Ten rank: 11

Incoming transfers – 10

DL DD Holmes (Florida State)
CB Jamare Glasker (Wake Forest)
TE Dorian Fleming (Georgia State)
WR Jalil Farooq (Oklahoma)
DL Eyan Thomas (Saint Francis)
CB Dontay Joyner (Arkansas State)
OT Rahtrel Perry (Central Connecticut)
WR Kaleb Webb (Tennessee)
QB Justyn Martin (UCLA)
OT Jayvin James (Akron)

Biggest arrival: At first glance, offensive tackle Rahtrel Perry might be easy to overlook among a group of transfers that includes a former 600-yard receiver at Oklahoma in Jalil Farooq and a former four-star QB in UCLA transfer Justyn Martin. But the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Perry, who played FCS-level football at Central Connecticut State and was sought after by numerous Power 4 programs, is quietly the Terrapins’ highest-rated addition at No. 92 overall and the No. 11 offensive tackle. His presence will be critical for a unit that lost its starting quarterback and running back to the transfer portal and its two leading receivers — Tai Felton and Kaden Prather — to the 2025 NFL Draft. The Terrapins need Perry, who did not allow a sack in two games against FBS opponents last season, to handle the jump in competition with aplomb.

Outgoing transfers – 31

QB Jayden Sauray (Uncommitted)
OT Andre Roye Jr. (Uncommitted)
LB Caleb Wheatland (Auburn)
OT Jayvin James (Uncommitted)
DL Lavon Johnson (Texas)
LB Kellan Wyatt (Uncommitted)
Edge Dylan Gooden (Uncommitted)
IOL Tamarus Walker (Uncommitted)
OT Terez Davis (Ole Miss)
WR Braeden Wisloski (Uncommitted)
QB MJ Morris (Coastal Carolina)
TE Dylan Wade (UCF)
OT Marcus Dumervil (Arkansas)
OT Kevin Kalonji (Uncommitted)
IOL Deandre Duffus (Georgia State)
RB Roman Hemby (Indiana)
WR Josh Richards (Uncommitted)
TE Preston Howard (Auburn)
CB Tayvon Nelson (Marshall)
QB Billy Edwards Jr. (Wisconsin)
CB Kevis Thomas (Kentucky)
CB Jonathan Akins (East Carolina)
CB Chantz Harley (James Madison)
IOL Kyle Long (East Carolina)
CB Lionell Whitaker (Coastal Carolina)
S Brandon Jacob (UCF)
CB Perry Fisher (UAB)
WR Ezekiel Avit (Uncommitted)
P Brenden Segovia (Uncommitted)
TE Leron Husbands (Tulane)
QB Cameron Edge (Eastern Michigan)

Biggest loss: Entering their second season without star QB Taulia Tagovailoa, whose collegiate career ended following the 2023 campaign, the Terrapins are still searching for stability at the game’s most important position. A dispiriting 4-8 overall record last fall featured plenty of uneven play from signal-callers Billy Edwards Jr. (2,881 yards, 15 TDs, 9 INTs) and MJ Morris (350 yards, 5 TDs, 5 INTs), as Maryland lost seven of its last eight games before both players ultimately entered the transfer portal. Even though tailback Roman Hemby rushed for a career-low 607 yards on 134 carries last season, watching him depart was just as difficult. Hemby had led the team in rushing for three consecutive years and would have been among the more accomplished tailbacks in the country this fall. Maryland’s offense will look entirely different at the skill positions in 2025.

Michigan State

National transfer class rank: 23Big Ten rank: 7

Incoming transfers – 16

OT Conner Moore (Montana State)
WR Evan Boyd (Central Michigan)
Edge Anelu Lafaele (Wisconsin)
IOL Matt Gulbin (Wake Forest)
LB Aisea Moa (BYU)
WR Rodney Bullard Jr. (Valdosta State)
CB Malcolm Bell (UConn)
DL Grady Kelly (Florida State)
CB NiJhay Burt (Eastern Illinois)
IOL Luka Vincic (Oregon State)
RB Elijah Tau-Tolliver (Sacramento State)
CB Joshua Eaton (Texas State)
Edge David Santiago (Air Force)
WR Omari Kelly (Middle Tennessee)
WR Chrishon McCray (Kent State)
IOL Caleb Carter (Western Carolina)

Biggest arrival: Even though Michigan State ranked among the top 50 nationally in passing defense at 206.9 yards per game last season, the Spartans' first under head coach Jonathan Smith, that was still only good enough for eighth in the Big Ten behind Ohio State, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oregon, Penn State and Iowa. That’s why the addition of former Texas State cornerback Joshua Eaton, who is already reportedly working with the Spartans’ first-string defense, could be pivotal this fall. Eaton arrived at Michigan State as the No. 75 overall prospect in the portal and the No. 5 cornerback following two standout seasons with the Bobcats in which he allowed just a single touchdown reception. He also spent three previous years in a reserve role at Oklahoma after leaving high school as a four-star prospect and the No. 26-ranked cornerback in the nation for the 2020 recruiting cycle.

Outgoing transfers – 17

IOL Kyler Brunan (Uncommitted)
Edge Anthony Jones (Uncommitted)
CB Caleb Coley (Uncommitted)
RB Joseph Martinez (Uncommitted)
CB Charles Brantley (Miami)
LB Aaron Alexander (Arkansas State)
ATH Brandon Lewis (Saginaw Valley State)
CB Philipp Davis (Marshall)
TE Ademola Faleye (Washington State)
Edge Avery Dunn (Toledo)
IOL Dallas Fincher (San Diego State)
WR Jaron Glover (Mississippi State)
WR Antonio Gates Jr. (Delaware State)
Edge Ken Talley (Arkansas)
WR Jaelen Smith (UTSA)
S Jaylen Thompson (Memphis)
WR Aziah Johnson (North Carolina)

Biggest loss: One of the reasons why Eaton appears poised to assume a significant role this fall is because Michigan State lost standout cornerback Charles Brantley to the portal in early December 2024. Brantley, who has since landed at Miami (Fla.), finished the 2024 season as the Spartans’ highest-graded defensive back by Pro Football Focus and posted a coverage grade of 75.9 that was five points higher than anyone else on the roster. He allowed just 14 receptions on 37 targets for 149 yards and no touchdowns, while also notching a team-high three interceptions despite only appearing in nine games. This marks the third time Brantley has entered the transfer portal since April 2023, though he withdrew his name on both previous occasions to remain at Michigan State. He was viewed as the No. 90 overall transfer and No. 11 cornerback in the portal.

Michigan

National transfer class rank: 29Big Ten rank: 9

Incoming transfers – 14

RB CJ Hester (UMass)
P Luke Bauer (Missouri)
CB Caleb Anderson (Louisiana)
DL Tre Williams (Clemson)
IOL Lawrence Hattar (Ferris State)
DL Damon Payne (Alabama)
RB Justice Haynes (Alabama)
LB Troy Bowles (Georgia)
S Tevis Metcalf (Arkansas)
S TJ Metcalf (Arkansas)
QB Mikey Keene (Fresno State)
IOL Brady Norton (Cal Poly)
WR Donaven McCulley (Indiana)

Biggest arrival: Despite some rumblings that the offense employed by first-year coordinator Chip Lindsey might look a bit different from what Michigan fans had grown accustomed to in recent years, the importance of running the football will always be paramount to head coach Sherrone Moore, which is why tailback Justice Haynes is the team’s most important addition. Haynes was the No. 44 overall prospect and No. 1 tailback in the transfer portal after two seasons at Alabama, where he carried 79 times for 448 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. He was also a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the No. 3 tailback in the country for the 2023 recruiting cycle, trailing Rueben Owens (Texas A&M) and CJ Baxter (Texas). With last year's primary tailbacks Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards both entering the 2025 NFL Draft, there should be plenty of opportunities for Haynes to entrench himself as the Wolverines’ top runner this fall.

Outgoing transfers – 29

CB Ja’Den McBurrows (Uncommitted)
LS Evan Boutorwick (Uncommitted)
RB Benjamin Hall (Uncommitted)
Edge Aymeric Koumba (UCF)
LB Jason Hewlett (Uncommitted)
WR Amorion Walker (Uncommitted)
OT Alessandro Lorenzetti (Uncommitted)
WR Kyle Grady (Uncommitted)
OT Jeff Persi (Pittsburgh)
Edge Owen Wafle (Penn State)
S Kody Jones (Memphis)
Edge Jack MacKinnon (Nevada)
S Micah Davis (Western Michigan)
Edge Breeon Ishmail (Purdue)
QB Anthony Arnou (Delaware State)
K Adam Samaha (North Carolina)
QB Alex Orji (UNLV)
CB Myles Pollard (Memphis)
WR Tyler Morris (Indiana)
IOL Dominick Giudice (Missouri)
OT Tristan Bounds (Arizona)
QB Jayden Denegal (San Diego State)
LB Micah Pollard (Liberty)
OT Andrew Gentry (BYU)
RB Cole Cabana (Western Michigan)
P Tommy Doman (Florida)
IOL Raheem Anderson II (Western Michigan)
RB Tavierre Dunlap (Eastern Michigan)
LB Christian Boivin (Uncommitted)

Biggest loss: To understand how ineffective Michigan’s passing attack was last season — which ultimately prompted Moore to fire offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell — consider the only teams that finished below the Wolverines in passing yards per game: Navy, Air Force and Army. So it was fairly easy to understand why wideout Tyler Morris, a former four-star recruit and top-150 overall prospect, wanted to enter the transfer portal in search of more aerial pastures. But Morris was still the team’s most productive player at the receiver position with 23 grabs for 248 yards and two scores, though all of those numbers were less than what tight end Colston Loveland produced as the overall No. 1 target. With Loveland off to the NFL and Morris off to Indiana, the Wolverines don’t return a single player who exceeded 27 catches and 140 receiving yards last season. The arrival of five-star freshman QB Bryce Underwood should certainly help.

Minnesota

National transfer class rank: 25Big Ten rank: 9

Incoming transfers – 15

CB John Nestor (Iowa)
LB Jeff Roberson (Oklahoma State)
IOL Dylan Ray (Kentucky)
OT Kahlee Tafai (Washington)
Edge Steven Curtis (Illinois State)
WR Javon Tracy (Miami of Ohio)
K Brady Denaburg (Syracuse)
RB Cam Davis (Washington)
RB A.J. Turner (Marshall)
TE Drew Biber (Purdue)
DL Rushawn Lawrence (Stony Brook)
WR Logan Loya (UCLA)
IOL Marcellus Marshall (UCF)
QB Zach Pyron (Georgia Tech)
CB Jaylen Bowden (North Carolina Central)
WR Malachi Coleman (Nebraska)

Biggest arrival: After a quiet first two seasons at Marshall in which he only carried the ball 23 times for 120 yards and no touchdowns, tailback A.J. Turner enjoyed a breakout campaign last fall. The former three-star recruit broke loose for 864 yards and six scores on just 104 attempts to produce a whopping average of 8.3 yards per carry. That was good enough to make Turner the No. 7 tailback in the portal behind Haynes (Alabama), Rahsul Faison (Utah State), Jaydn Ott (Cal), Wayshawn Parker (Washington State), Fluff Bothwell (South Alabama) and Ahmad Hardy (Louisiana-Monroe). He joins a Minnesota backfield anchored by standout tailback Darius Taylor, who rushed for 986 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Taylor and Turner should form a potent one-two punch if the Gophers can improve along the offensive line. Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern and UCLA were the only Big Ten teams that averaged fewer yards per carry than Minnesota (3.7) last season.

Outgoing transfers – 16

QB Zach Pyron (South Alabama)
LB David Amaliri (Uncommitted)
TE Nathan Jones (Abilene Christian)
IOL Martes Lewis (Northwestern)
S Coleman Bryson (North Carolina)
DL Martin Owusu (Fresno State)
WR Terrance McWilliams (Louisville)
WR Kristen Hoskins (North Dakota)
OT Phillip Daniels (Ohio State)
ATH Zander Rockow (St. Thomas)
LB Tyler Stolsky (FAU)
RB Jordan Nubin (Kent State)
RB Sieh Bangura (Ohio)
Edge Hayden Schwartz (Uncommitted)
DL Luther McCoy (Hawaii)
S Craig McDonald (Utah State)

Biggest loss: As a redshirt freshman last fall, Minnesota offensive tackle Phillip Daniels only logged 38 snaps through the first nine weeks before eventually climbing the depth chart down the stretch. He developed into the Gophers’ starting right tackle for the final month of the season and averaged 65.5 snaps per game from Week 10 through the end of the year, surrendering only a single sack during that span. The potential he flashed was enough to intrigue numerous blue bloods in the transfer portal, with Daniels checking in as the No. 46 overall prospect and No. 5 offensive tackle, ultimately landing at Ohio State. Now, Daniels is expected to compete for the Buckeyes’ starting right tackle spot and leaves a 6-foot-5, 315-pound hole along the line of scrimmage at Minnesota. Daniels, who grew up in Cincinnati, was a three-star prospect out of high school but never received a scholarship offer from Ohio State.

Nebraska

National transfer class rank: 12Big Ten rank: 2

Incoming transfers – 14

IOL Rocco Spindler (Notre Dame)
OT Elijah Pritchett (Alabama)
CB Jamir Conn (Southern Illinois)
LB Marques Watson-Trent (Georgia Southern)
CB Andrew Marshall (Idaho)
S Justyn Rhett (Georgia)
LB Dasan McCullough (Oklahoma)
WR Nyziah Hunter (California)
DL Williams Nwaneri (Missouri)
LS Kevin Gallic (New Hampshire)
DL Gabe Moore (Mississippi State)
DL Jaylen George (East Tennessee State)
QB Marcos Davila (Purdue)
WR Dane Key (Kentucky)

Biggest arrival: Choosing the most impactful arrival from this star-studded group assembled by head coach Matt Rhule is difficult considering just how many top portal targets the Cornhuskers landed. There's former Kentucky wide receiver Dane Key (No. 33 transfer, No. 9 WR), former Missouri defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri (No. 35 transfer, No. 3 DL), former Alabama offensive tackle Elijah Pritchett (No. 47 transfer, No. 6 OT), former Oklahoma linebacker Dasan McCullough (No. 115 transfer, No. 4 LB), former Notre Dame right guard Rocco Spindler (No. 129 transfer, No. 10 IOL) and former Cal wideout Nyziah Hunter (No. 184 transfer, No. 32 WR). All five of those players should become immediate, high-level starters for a Nebraska team that's looking to make it to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since the 2015-16 season under former coach Mike Riley. The only Big Ten team with a better transfer portal haul than the Cornhuskers is Oregon, and that’s not bad company to keep.

Outgoing transfers – 29

WR Alex Bullock (Uncommitted)
WR Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda (South Dakota State)
Edge Ismael Smith Flores (Texas-Rio Grande Valley)
WR Jaylen Lloyd (Oklahoma State)
OT Xander Ruggeroli (Arizona State)
RB Dante Dowdell (Kentucky)
S Koby Bretz (South Dakota State)
OT Jacob Hood (Uncommitted)
TE Nate Boerkircher (Texas A&M)
WR Isaiah McMorris (Missouri State)
TE AJ Rollins (Uncommitted)
S Cooper Wilson (Nevada)
TE Arik Gilbert (Uncommitted)
Dwight Bootle II (Charlotte)
Edge Kai Wallin (Oregon State)
RB Ryker Evans (Nebraska-Kearney)
WR Dae’vonn Hall (Nebraska-Kearney)
LB Noah Bustard (Uncommitted)
DL Brodie Tagaloa (Sacramento State)
Edge James Williams (Florida State)
Edge Princewill Umanmielen (Ole Miss)
QB Daniel Kaelin (Virginia)
LB Stefon Thompson (Florida State)
DL Vincent Carroll-Jackson (UConn)
Edge Jimari Butler (LSU)
RB Gabe Ervin Jr. (Kansas State)
LB Mikai Gbayor (Missouri)
WR Malachi Coleman (Minnesota)
CB Syncere Safeeullah (Tennessee State)

Biggest loss: Teams can never have enough edge defenders, especially in an era where seasons are longer than ever, which is why the departures of highly touted pass rushers James Williams and Princewill Umanmielen might prove costly for Nebraska. Williams, who's now at Florida State, finished second on the team in both quarterback pressures (31) and sacks (7.0) despite logging just 188 snaps as a sophomore last fall. The former walk-on is viewed as the No. 6 edge rusher in the portal and followed defensive coordinator Tony White to FSU. Umanmielen, meanwhile, was a blue-chip prospect in Nebraska’s 2023 recruiting class, ranking among the top 270 players in the country regardless of position. He played 453 snaps over his first two collegiate seasons combined but was only credited with 1.5 sacks. The fact that he's still ranked as the fourth-best edge rusher in the transfer portal speaks more to his potential than on-field production. Umanmielen joined his brother, defensive end Princely Umanmielen, at Ole Miss.

Northwestern

National transfer class rank: 66Big Ten rank: 16

Incoming transfers – 11

IOL Martes Lewis (Minnesota)
DL Miguel Jackson (Utah State)
IOL Evan Beerntsen (South Dakota State)
WR Griffin Wilde (South Dakota State)
CB Fred Davis II (Jacksonville State)
S An’Darius Coffey (Memphis)
QB Preston Stone (SMU)
WR Chase Farrell (Stanford)
TE Alex Lines (New Mexico State)
LB Yanni Karlaftis (Purdue)
OT Xavior Gray (Liberty)

Biggest arrival: For an offense that hasn’t produced a 1,000-yard receiver since Austin Carr caught 90 balls for 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2016, an interesting name to watch this fall is former South Dakota State wideout Griffin Wilde. A zero-star recruit coming out of high school, Wilde opted to remain in his home state and play for the Jackrabbits, a well-respected FCS program that won national championships in 2022 and 2023. He caught 20 passes for 399 yards and six touchdowns as a true freshman before exploding into one of the best receivers in the country last fall with 71 receptions for 1,154 yards and 12 scores. Wilde’s role could be significant given that the Wildcats need to replace leading receivers A.J. Henning (59 catches, 603 yards) and Bryce Kirtz (39 catches, 598 yards) from the 2024 season. Calvin Johnson, Northwestern's only other wideout who topped 100 receiving yards last season, entered the transfer portal last week.

Outgoing transfers – 10

QB Mike Wright (Uncommitted)
WR Calvin Johnson II (Uncommitted)
LB Kenny Soares Jr. (NC State)
P Hunter Renner (Uncommitted)
IOL Jordan Knox (Uncommitted)
CB Theran Johnson (Oregon)
IOL Josh Thompson (LSU)
S Devin Turner (Baylor)
WR Reggie Fleurima (Slippery Rock)
LS Will Halkyard (TCU)

Biggest loss: For the second consecutive offseason, Northwestern lost one of its marquee offensive lineman to a blue blood when starting right guard Josh Thompson entered the transfer portal and signed with LSU. A two-year starter, Thompson ranked third on the team in snaps with 646 across 10 games last season and finished as the team’s second-best lineman, according to PFF. He was not charged with a single sack and only surrendered eight pressures — a massive improvement from the 2023 campaign in which he was dinged for two sacks and 27 pressures. Thompson, who's viewed as the No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the portal, followed in the footsteps of former Northwestern guard Josh Priebe, a four-year player with the Wildcats from 2020-23. Priebe transferred to Michigan last season to assume a higher-profile starting role.

Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_Cohen13.

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