High-profile quarterbacks like Brendan Sorsby and Josh Hoover have already found new teams.
Several programs are seeing multiple players follow their former coaches to new schools.
Key defensive players, including Jontez Williams and Ian Geffrard, are also making impactful moves.
About 4,000 players have already entered the transfer portal since the portal opened on Jan. 2, with a growing slice of that number finding a spot with a new program.
Here’s one way to frame this year’s portal bonanza. There are approximately 14,300 players in the Bowl Subdivision, with 136 teams and about 105 players per team. Even when subtracting lower-division transfers, the number of names in the portal represents about a quarter of all players in the FBS.
Already, some of the biggest names and biggest teams in the country have made a transfer splash. That starts with two high-profile quarterback transfers in Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby and Indiana’s Josh Hoover.
Starting with that pair, let’s dig into the early portal happenings by evaluating the best finds and fits among the first round of commitments:
QB Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech (Cincinnati)
Sorsby didn’t take long to table hop from the Bearcats to Texas Tech, where he’ll replace Behren Morton and potentially represent a missing piece that carries the Red Raiders deeper into the College Football Playoff. He has previous Big 12 experience and will bring a different dimension to Tech’s offense as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks (2,800 passing yards and 580 rushing yards this season) in the Power Four.
QB Josh Hoover, Indiana (TCU)
Once a verbal commitment to the Hoosiers under previous coach Tom Allen, Hoover finally arrives in Bloomington after two-plus years as the starter for Sonny Dykes at TCU. In that time, he’s developed into one of the most productive passers in the Power Four, though turnovers have been a concern. Like Fernando Mendoza before him, Hoover should keep the Hoosiers’ offense humming and contend for the Heisman Trophy.
DB Jontez Williams, Southern California (Iowa State)
This has been the biggest defensive addition to date. While he’ll need to show he’s recovered from the knee injury that cost him the second half of this season, Williams was one of the Power Four’s top cornerbacks when healthy and was on the way to earning All-America accolades. He could be the stopper the Trojans need to take the next step in the Big Ten.
QB Drew Mestemaker, RB Caleb Hawkins and WR Wyatt Young, Oklahoma State (North Texas)
These underclassmen are set to follow Eric Morris to Oklahoma State, giving the Cowboys three major pieces as building blocks on offense that starred with the Mean Green. Mestemaker was terrific as a walk-on freshman, going for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns to help North Texas reached the American title game. Hawkins had only lower-level scholarship offers but ran for 1,434 yards as a true freshman. Young is a rising junior who pulled down a team-leading 70 grabs for 1,264 yards in 2025.
DT Ian Geffrard, Texas (Arkansas)
Geffrard is a 387-pound rising junior who matches new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp’s need for a block-eating, space-filling interior lineman. He started every game in 2025 for the Razorbacks, making 25 tackles (4 for loss), and should step right into the lineup with the Longhorns set to lose Travis Shaw and Cole Brevard.
WR Nick Marsh, Indiana (Michigan State)
This is a huge in-conference addition that will help Indiana replace seniors Elijah Sarratt and E.J. Williams Jr. while preparing for the possibility that junior Omar Cooper Jr. opts into the NFL draft. Marsh was the Spartans’ offensive bright spot the past two years, posting a combined 100 receptions for 1,311 yards.
OT Kolt Dieterich, Washington (Sam Houston State)
The leap from the Group of Five to the Power Four can be difficult for offensive linemen, and Dietrich may struggle in the transition despite ranking among the top tackles in Conference USA in 2025. But the junior is a very solid addition because of his ability to play both tackle spots, making him at minimum a valuable depth piece for the Huskies and potentially the starter on the left side.
QB Byrum Brown, Auburn (South Florida)
Bringing Brown along from USF will help speed up new coach Alex Golesh’s rebuilding project. He was a revelation as a first-year starter in 2025 as one of just two FBS quarterbacks to throw for at least 2,000 yards and run for another 1,000. While those numbers won’t carry over to the SEC, Brown’s grasp of the system will help the offense hit the ground running after a dismal three years under former coach Hugh Freeze.
DB Marcus Neal Jr., Penn State (Iowa State)
Neal is one of many ISU players who have since followed Matt Campbell to Happy Valley, along with quarterback Rocco Becht, standout tight end Ben Brahmer and young offensive lineman Will Tompkins, among others. While Becht is the big name in this transfer haul, Neal should have a major impact on the defensive side after earning all-conference honors with 77 tackles (11 for loss) as a first-year starter in 2025.
DB Jay Crawford, Ole Miss (Auburn)
Ole Miss has stayed busy while preparing for the national semifinals against Miami. In addition to retaining star running back Kewan Lacey, Pete Golding and the Rebels will add an SEC-tested cornerback in Crawford, who had an outstanding freshman year in 2024 and made 10 starts for Auburn this season.
RB Makhi Hughes, Houston (Oregon)
After a lost season in Eugene, Hughes looks to reignite his promising career by reuniting with former Tulane coach Willie Fritz. Hughes ran for 1,378 yards in Fritz’s scheme in 2023 and then another 1,401 yards and 17 total touchdowns the following year before failing to crack the rotation for the Ducks in 2025. He’ll provide a big spark for a running game that went for at least 200 yards in each of the final four games of this season.