Defensive Transfers Who Could Have the Biggest Impact in 2023
The transfer portal is, quite simply, a game-changer for many programs.
You can go from pretender to contender, good team to title-seeker—or tumble in the opposite direction—depending on what players do when it comes to the one-time, no-penalty transfer rule.
This year has been even more wild and woolly than last year when it comes to transfers. Portal players around the nation are finding new homes, leading to excitement abound in fanbases across America. Suddenly, January and February are more about portal recruiting than high schools.
While quarterbacks and offensive skill-position talent get most of the headlines, there are countless defensive stars who could make a major impact during the 2023 season. Digging deep into the rankings is essential, though.
Portal rankings like 247Sports' seemingly weighs multiple years of eligibility with as much weight as impact ability. But that doesn't mean the highest-ranked players will post the best stats.
Let's take a look at some of the best guesses at guys, many of them veterans, who'll become known names in new jerseys next season on the defensive side of the ball.
Jordan Burch, Oregon Edge
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Coach Shane Beamer's South Carolina Gamecocks made a splash last week with the national signing day coup of 5-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor and the 17th-ranked recruiting class, but the portal wasn't kind to them.
Big-time players on both sides of the ball departed Columbia, and one of those is former 5-star edge-rusher Jordan Burch. He took a while to get his career going in the SEC, but Burch finally broke out in 2022.
Now, he's heading west to play for coach Dan Lanning's Oregon Ducks just in time to play his best football and be groomed for the NFL.
The 6'6", 275-pound South Carolina native wowed a season ago with 60 total tackles, including 7.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass deflections and one fumble recovery. He was all over the field for an 8-5 Gamecocks team that improved as the season progressed.
Pro Football Focus credited Burch with 29 quarterback pressures, which was good enough for second in the SEC (h/t The Athletic). With a good season in Eugene, he should surge up the draft rankings.
Pairing him with top prospect Matayo Uiagalelei should really bolster the Ducks' pass rush in '23. Look for him to have a monster season.
Andre Carter, Indiana Defensive Lineman
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You won't hear a whole lot about Andre Carter because he was mired in the MAC for the entirety of his college career. But he will become one of two former Western Michigan Bronco defenders to play a key role in Power Five defenses this fall.
While lineman Braden Fiske was a big-name pull for Florida State out of Kalamazoo, Carter put up massive numbers a season ago. Now, the 6'5", 263-pound sixth-year senior is off to Indiana, where he will help the Hoosiers deal with the loss of another defender who also shows up on this list.
With one year of eligibility remaining, it's not out of the question Carter could be head coach Tom Allen's best defender. A season ago, he totaled 70 tackles, including 13.5 for a loss, seven sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles.
"He is not just physically a big man; he is mature, and he has just done so many great things for them there," Allen told the Daily Hoosier's Mike Schumann. "And the job that those coaches did at that program, especially on defense, is impressive. Their defensive line was impressive."
The Detroit native played in 39 games in the MAC and was uber-productive. It will be a major step up in competition going to the Big Ten, but the prediction is he will translate just fine and will head to the NFL after showcasing his talent.
Mason Cobb, USC Linebacker
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The most high-ceiling, long-term potential pull from the transfer portal who should have USC fans excited for a better defense is former Texas A&M lineman Anthony Lucas.
While he is too talented to keep off the field and should provide an impact right away, the biggest quick-turn win for the Trojans will be former Oklahoma State linebacker Mason Cobb.
The 6'0", 230-pound second-level defender enters Los Angeles to fill a major hole. The Trojans need much better players at linebacker, and Cobb fits the bill.
A season ago, he had 96 tackles, including 13 tackles for a loss, two sacks and an interception. Even after former coordinator Jim Knowles left for Ohio State, Cobb blossomed into one of the top defenders in the Big 12.
Cobb is a workhorse who, according to USCFootball.com's R.J. Abeytia, logged 240 more snaps in 2022 than any Trojan linebacker. He is an interior pass-rushing force who could play two more seasons and help fortify defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's woeful unit.
Maybe most importantly, he can be the perfect mentor for incoming 4-star freshman Tackett Curtis, who could be the next great linebacker at USC. It's a win-win for everybody.
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Fentrell Cypress II, Florida State Cornerback
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No other team has won the transfer portal more than coach Mike Norvell's Florida State Seminoles, and the work they've put in luring players from other programs the past couple of years is why the roster turnaround has been noticeable.
Defensive reinforcements abound in Tallahassee, where defensive linemen like Braden Fiske (Western Michigan) and Gilber Edmond (South Carolina) will be impact guys right away.
The biggest win in the portal on the defensive side of the ball, though, was convincing former Virginia star cornerback Fentrell Cypress II to finish his career with the Seminoles.
The 6'0", 180-pound cornerback had 39 tackles a season ago, and he rarely got picked on. Though his statistics aren't through the roof, his ability is.
The South Carolina native is physical, and teams simply don't throw his way. Cypress doesn't give up many touchdown passes, and he's one of the top shutdown corners in all of college football. Don't be surprised if he rides his one season at FSU into the NFL, where he could be an early-round pick.
Cypress won't be in the shadows anymore playing for a budding program that is a College Football Playoff dark horse.
Justin Flowe, Arizona Linebacker
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There is a gargantuan asterisk on this slide by Justin Flowe's name, and literally everybody who has seen him play would agree.
If (and it's that massive "if" that is the asterisk) the former Oregon linebacker can stay healthy, he's going to be the best defensive player on Arizona's team in 2023 and one of the most athletic linebackers in the Pac-12.
He just simply hasn't ever been able to remain on the field. Whether nagging small injuries or season-enders, Flowe's career has seen its share of detours. Just look at his Sports Reference stat page; he has been classified as a freshman in each of his three seasons.
He'll have at least two and possibly three remaining seasons of eligibility in Tucson, and at 6'2", 225 pounds, the former 5-star recruit can be a do-it-all tackling machine with the speed to track down runners on the edge and receivers in the open field, too.
Last year, he had his most extensive playing time in Eugene, accumulating 35 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss. It's a bit of a gamble to put him on here because, even though 2023 will be his fourth season in college ball, he's still an unproven commodity.
The prediction is it's time for him to break out after a change of scenery. Flowe is going to be fun to watch on an exciting, up-and-coming team for head coach Jedd Fisch.
Ernest Hausmann, Michigan Linebacker
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Ernest Hausmann was far from a household name during the recruiting process, but it didn't take him long to get on the field and carve out a starting role for Nebraska as a true freshman.
Michigan got a front-row seat to Hausmann's development in last year's game when the linebacker had a then career-high 10 tackles and garnered his first career sack. The next week against Wisconsin, Hausmann topped that performance with a 12-tackle showing.
For the season, the Columbus, Nebraska, native finished with 54 tackles, including two tackles for loss, a sack and one fumble recovery.
Now, he's playing his remaining three years of eligibility in Ann Arbor, where he should slot in alongside Junior Colson and Mike Barrett as one of the Wolverines' starters at the position next year.
The best part about Michigan getting Hausmann is he adds to a talented, loaded roster next year and one that should contend for the playoffs again. More than that, he will be a stalwart in that defense for the foreseeable future.
There's a reason why Hausmann is the No. 2-ranked overall player in the '23 transfer portal, according to 247Sports. He's a talent.
Travis Hunter, Colorado Cornerback
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Travis Hunter is used to being lauded as the best player in a list of rankings.
All that's left for him is to live up to those massive expectations.
No pressure, kid.
A season ago coming out of Georgia, Hunter was an electrifying two-way athlete who seemed all set to go to Florida State as the consensus No. 1 overall player in the 247Sports composite rankings. But then Deion Sanders swooped in last-minute and convinced Hunter to play for him at Jackson State.
After Coach Prime left the HBC program for the Pac-12 and a big opportunity for him at Colorado, Hunter is following him to Boulder. Suffice it to say, he's the No. 1 overall player in the '23 transfer portal rankings, too.
Now, Sanders gets to pair him with the top-rated cornerback in the 2023 class, Cormani McClain, who signed with the Buffs over a previous commitment to Miami.
Even after battling injuries last year at Jackson State, Hunter flashed on both offense and defense. While his NFL calling card is in the secondary, don't be surprised to see him get his hands on the ball in '24 for a rebuilding team.
Hunter has more sheer ability than anybody else in the portal.
Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State Cornerback
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A season ago, Davison Igbinosun was a 4-star recruit from New Jersey with a nice offer sheet, but it didn't include many of the nation's elite programs.
After a freshman year that saw him blossom into a starter for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss, Igbinosun decided to test the transfer portal and NIL waters. This time around, he had major interest from Tennessee, Michigan, UCLA and others.
But an 11th-hour trip to Ohio State sealed the deal, and he's signed with the Buckeyes, giving them perhaps the best prospect on their roster who can help return them to churning out NFL DBs as they did under Urban Meyer.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles brought the Buckeyes a long way in 2022, but the secondary still wasn't good enough. Reinforcements are on the way with Igbinosun and Syracuse safety Ja'Had Carter. Both of these guys should start right away.
But it's the lanky, aggressive and physical Igbinosun who has the potential to lock down an entire side of the field and why he was coveted by so many teams. It's going to be fun watching Knowles develop him over the course of the next couple of seasons.
Francisco Mauigoa, Miami Linebacker
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When the Miami Hurricanes won the Francis Mauigoa sweepstakes during this 2023 recruiting cycle, they were not only the beneficiary of getting a 5-star prospect and one of the best offensive linemen in the nation.
They also wound up with quite the package deal.
Francis' brother Francisco, a linebacker with the Washington State Cougars, is coming all the way from Pullman to Coral Gables to join his little brother.
It appears coach Mario Cristobal is going to get a starting middle linebacker in the deal, too, which is a massive deal at a position of need. The 6'3", 219-pound sophomore totaled 60 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and one interception at Washington State in 2022.
He's going to have at least two more years to play, and it's expected he'll use them both. The elder Mauigoa immediately improves the position and makes it a strength.
With his younger brother (and Samson Okunlola) expected to battle for starting spots on the offensive front, both Mauigoas appear to be major pieces of the puzzle when it comes to the Hurricanes' rebuild.
Turns out this two-for-one deal may be one of the best in college football.
Dasan McCullough, Oklahoma Edge
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A recruiting season ago, it was a bit of a shocker to see Dasan McCullough wind up committing and signing with the Indiana Hoosiers. After all, he was one of the top prospects in the nation with interest from teams like Ohio State and Notre Dame.
It predictably didn't take him long to get on the field in Bloomington, accumulating 49 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss and four sacks.
He chose to go to Indiana, originally, because his father was an assistant there, and he backed off a commitment to Ohio State to do it. There were times when he was a true freshman, the 6'5", 230-pound outside linebacker looked like the best athlete on the field.
Now, he's ended his time with the Hoosiers and is off to Oklahoma to team with his younger brother, 4-star safety and OU signee Daeh.
While it likely will take the younger McCullough time to get on the field, Dasan is an almost certain starter at the "Cheetah" outside linebacker position that specializes in rushing the passer.
Simply put, Dasan McCullough is an athletic, rangy outside linebacker/defensive end who runs like a safety and shouldn't be able to move for a man the size of him. He's one of the most brilliant athletes in all of college football.
With coach Brent Venables' pedigree of developing star prospects, don't be surprised if he doesn't turn into the same type of versatile talent Isaiah Simmons was during Venables' days in Clemson.
Justin Rogers, Auburn Defensive Lineman
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If you're looking for statistics, Justin Rogers likely doesn't belong on this list.
When it comes to impact, though, the 6'3", 332-pound new Auburn Tiger has the ability to be one of the most pivotal transfers in the entire SEC. He teams with Maryland transfer Mosiah Nasili-Kite to give new Tigers coach Hugh Freeze a terrific pair of defensive linemen.
Add in guys like Purdue transfer Lawrence Johnson, as well as star high school incoming prospects like Keldric Faulk, Darron Reed and Wilky Denaud, and you see why Freeze looks like he's building this thing on the Plains the right way, and quickly.
Rogers is a formidable anchor on the front, a brick-hose pylon of a defensive lineman who was a former top prospect that played in 26 games for Kentucky the past three years. This past year, he finally busted out, registering 35 tackles and space-eating against the run game.
With new Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts loving three down-lineman sets, Rogers is going to be pivotal in helping the Tigers chew up running backs.
Meanwhile, Nasili-Kite, who may be the most underrated pickup in the SEC, can be moved around and do big things, too. This is a terrific combo that can help the Tigers get back to respectability.
Rogers is a massive pull that isn't getting talked about nearly enough. He'll reach the untapped potential he never approached in Lexington.
Omar Speights, LSU Linebacker
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LSU's transfer portal class is elite.
With guys like CB Denver Harris (Texas A&M), edge Ovie Oghoufo (Texas), CB JK Johnson (Ohio State), DL Jordan Jefferson (West Virginia), CB Duce Chestnut (Syracuse), DL Jalen Lee (Florida), DL Paris Shand (Arizona) and CB Zy Alexander (Southeast Louisiana), Brian Kelly reloaded the Bayou Bengals' defense.
But perhaps none of those players will have as much of an powder-keg effect on the defense as Oregon State transfer linebacker Omar Speights.
This past season with the Beavers, the super senior with one year left in Baton Rouge finished with 83 tackles, including eight for a loss. In four seasons in Corvallis, he has 304 career tackles, including 25 for a loss, five sacks and three interceptions.
Last year, he was an All Pac-12 selection and will step in and be an instant-impact starter at perhaps LSU's biggest position of need in the center of its defense.
The Tigers have just five scholarship linebackers on their roster this fall, and after losing Micah Baskerville and Mike Jones Jr. to the NFL and DeMario Tolan and Kolbe Fields to the transfer portal, they desperately needed an interior linebacker.
Kelly answered the call by getting perhaps the best one available as a plug-and-play option, and the 6'1", 237-pound linebacker is going to be a cornerstone of a team trying to get back to Atlanta and the SEC championship game.
All stats courtesy of cfbstats and Sports Reference. Player rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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