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While most significant transfer news happens in the winter months, the spring has spun out a few impactful moves in college football.
Most notably, Oregon State star running back Damien Martinez left the Pacific Northwest for a cross-country shift to Miami. He’s the headliner of the immediate-impact group that changed teams in April or May.
Given that timeline, this updated list does not include the offensive or defensive players we highlighted early in the offseason.
The choices are subjective but consider a transfer’s previous production and expected role at his new program.
Within the uncommitted group, the focus immediately lands on a few defensive players.
Jacoby Mathews posted 41 tackles last season at Texas A&M, starting nine games in 2023 after opening three as a freshman. He should be a contender for a first-string job at safety wherever he lands.
After transferring from Tennessee to Louisville earlier this offseason, Tyler Baron is back in the portal. The edge-rusher tallied 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks last year. Linebacker Elijah Herring paced Tennessee with 80 tackles in 2023 and is still available, too.
Terrance Brooks, who intercepted three passes at Texas last season, could be a starting cornerback right away.
On the offensive side, a key name to know is Texas A&M center Bryce Foster. He’s dealt with some injuries lately but can command an offensive line at his next stop.
Peny Boone is one of several players taking advantage of a recent NCAA rule change permitting unlimited transfers.
After spending two years at Maryland, he headed to Toledo in 2022. He shared carries that season and put together a breakout campaign in 2023, rushing for 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns. He earned MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Boone decided to transfer in December and soon landed at Louisville, but he jumped back into the portal in April. He’s since committed to UCF, which is readying for its second year in the Big 12.
And now, the Knights’ backfield is terrifying.
Along with mobile quarterback KJ Jefferson—who started at Arkansas—UCF returns 1,400-yard rusher RJ Harvey. Expect some creativity from Gus Malzahn to use Harvey and Boone as much as possible.
Miami has been incredibly busy in the portal this spring, and the prized addition is running back Damien Martinez.
In both seasons at Oregon State, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry. He scampered for 1,185 yards and nine scores with the Beavers in 2023, landing first-team All-Pac-12 recognition.
He’s a major addition to a Miami backfield that, while statistically efficient last season, lacked a true featured runner.
Adding a player of Martinez’s caliber was a no-brainer, but the ‘Canes needed a jolt at the position anyway. Donald Chaney Jr. left in the winter, and leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. entered the portal in April.
Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. will lead Miami’s rushing attack next to new quarterback Cam Ward.
Hugh Freeze’s debut season at Auburn with tight end Rivaldo Fairweather leading the team in all three key categories. The problem is that his final line—38 receptions for 394 yards and six touchdowns—is maybe the third-best target on a good team.
Auburn desperately needed receivers this offseason.
The Tigers added Georgia State standout Robert Lewis in the winter. He immediately upgraded the unit, but they further improved the unit in April and landed KeAndre Lambert-Smith.
A three-year contributor at Penn State, he paced the Nittany Lions with 53 receptions and 673 yards last season.
Auburn, at least on paper, has a far more dangerous group of pass-catchers for quarterback Payton Thorne in a new-look SEC.
Kadyn Proctor hit us with the Uno reverse card.
Again.
As a high schooler, he was a longtime commit to home-state program Iowa. He flipped to Alabama at the last minute and played left tackle for the Crimson Tide as a freshman. He entered the portal after Nick Saban’s retirement and unsurprisingly wound up at Iowa.
Proctor, though, didn’t make it through the spring in Iowa City and decided to rejoin Bama.
In all likelihood, he’ll quickly reclaim a starting job and serve as the blindside protector for Jalen Milroe in 2024.
Derrick Harmon has transferred from Michigan State to Oregon. So, he’s staying in the Big Ten, although it’s reasonable if that doesn’t yet register all that quickly.
Nevertheless, the defensive tackle is a quality run-stuffer who brings 15 career starts and plenty of production to Eugene.
He registered 40 stops from his interior spot in 2023, finishing with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also collected 30 takedowns with three TFLs and two sacks in 2022.
Oregon will likely count on Harmon to help fill the snaps vacated by Brandon Dorlus, a fourth-round NFL draft pick.
Damonic Williams is leaving TCU and the Big 12 for Oklahoma and its debut season in the SEC.
He’s a big pickup—both literally and metaphorically.
Checking in at 6’2″ and 320 pounds, he is an ideal space-eating defensive tackle. He started for TCU’s national runner-up team as a true freshman in 2022 and gathered 60 tackles with 7.5 for loss during his two seasons with the Horned Frogs.
Oklahoma needed a greater impact from its interior defenders this year, and Williams was easily the best option available.
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