2024 Impact CFB Transfer Targets Who Can Still Move This Offseason
As the raid on former Alabama football players intensified this week following Nick Saban's retirement, with Caleb Downs resurfacing at Ohio State, Kadyn Proctor at Iowa and Amari Niblack at Texas, the transfer portal began to clear out a little.
But there are still several major impact guys remaining.
Many of them are former Crimson Tide, Washington Huskies and Arizona Wildcats players who flocked to the exits in droves following the round-robin coaching fallout that occurred when Kalen DeBoer went to Alabama, Jedd Fisch left Arizona for Washington and the Wildcats replaced him with San Jose State coach Brent Brennan.
Several guys who would have been on this list originally came off the board the past few days like Downs (Ohio State), Proctor (Iowa), Zalance Heard (Tennessee), Demond Williams Jr. (Washington), Parker Brailsford (Alabama) and Jonah Coleman (Washington).
There's still plenty of portal action to come over the next few days as players from teams that lose coaches get a fresh 30-day window to make decisions on their futures, so this cycle could drag on for another few weeks.
With the spring transfer portal cycle expected to be another free-for-all, let's take a look at the guys whose services are still up for grabs right now.
Rashad Amos, Running Back
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A lot of the focus on the talent the Mid-American Conference has lost in the transfer portal centers around former Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn transferring to Baylor and Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke leaving for Indiana.
However, they aren't the only promising playmakers looking for greener pastures and some NIL money.
Miami (Ohio) Red Hawks running back Rashad Amos is heading to a new home after a season that saw him rush for 1,075 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 6'2", 234-pound bruiser back has the type of body that can hold up in any conference, and he is one of the top runners available.
North Carolina is one of the schools that has made an offer to Amos, and while 247Sports has no predictions for him, On3 has him heading to the Tar Heels, where he'd join Omarion Hampton for a dynamic 1-2 punch in Chapel Hill.
Amos isn't getting the headlines of some guys, and that's just fine. He's a very good player with at least a couple seasons of eligibility remaining. He will make a Power 5 team very happy with his ability and production.
Noah Carter, Edge
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As Kalen DeBoer was trying to restock his shelves with quality playmakers when he was with the Washington Huskies, he struggled to recruit top-tier recruits. One guy who did have special ability and signed with the team, though, was edge-rusher Noah Carter.
The 6'3½", 218-pound edge-rusher/outside linebacker was a fast, explosive athlete off the edge, and he was going to be a nice addition to the Huskies. Though he was among the nation's top 300 players, 247Sports ranked him inside the top 100.
Now with DeBoer off to Alabama, Carter may follow him. The Peoria, Arizona native also could stick with the Huskies. New coach Jedd Fisch recruited him to Tucson when he was with the Wildcats.
However, after a visit to Tuscaloosa this past weekend, the former 4-star defender seems to be leaning toward the Crimson Tide. Arizona State, California, Michigan and Syracuse all have contacted him, but 247Sports' Blair Angulo says the Tide are the "overwhelming favorite."
"Coach DeBoer's message was really just saying how I'm a priority and wants me there," Carter told him. "There are not really many schools that can top a program like Alabama."
The cupboard is far from bare with edge-rushers at Alabama, as the Tide signed a trio last year in Keon Keeley, Yhonzae Pierre and Qua Russaw, and none of them were part of the exodus of portal players. Carter would add to that embarrassment of riches.
Kevon Darton, Edge
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The Syracuse Orange made a sneaky-successful recruiting hire when they nabbed Georgia assistant Fran Brown to be their head coach, and he went and got Texas A&M defensive line coach Elijah Robinson to be his defensive coordinator.
Suddenly, the duo became a splashy name for transfer portal players and did a great job there, notably landing guys such as Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, A&M edge Fadil Diggs, Alabama edge Isaiah Hastings among others.
So, it was a bit of a surprise when the Orange's sack leader Kevon Darton entered the portal just last week. At 5'11", 270 pounds, he is an unassuming difference-maker size-wise, but that hasn't affected his numbers.
Last year, he registered 43 tackles, five sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and he will play his graduate season somewhere other than Syracuse.
Even with Diggs and Hastings coming in, you still have to believe the Orange would have loved the depth and production Darton provides. The former walk-on's entry is new, so there aren't really a lot of known options right now.
You can believe he will have suitors, though.
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Nate Kalepo, Guard
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The Washington offensive line, which won the Joe Moore Award for the nation's top unit, has been gutted with the departures of Kalen DeBoer and position coach Scott Huff for Alabama.
Center Parker Brailsford committed to the Crimson Tide this past weekend, and starting guard Nate Kalepo appears he isn't returning to Seattle, either.
The 6'6", 327-pounder started all 15 games for the national runner-up Huskies this past year and would be a powerful, veteran addition to many offensive lines in the nation. Some of the names that appear to be in the mix for him are Ohio State, Miami and Ole Miss, among others.
Obviously, Jedd Fisch would love for him to return to the Huskies, too.
Kalepo visited Miami this past weekend, and the Buckeyes are a major threat to the Hurricanes. According to the report he visited Miami from 247Sports' Gaby Urrutia, he was a force this year along the offensive front, allowing just one sack and 17 pressures in 923 snaps.
Yes, part of that is due to DeBoer's timing- and tempo-based offense that allowed Michael Penix Jr. to get the ball out quickly, but Kalepo was a stellar force who a lot of top-tier teams would love to have for his final season of eligibility.
Quantavious Leslie, Guard
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This past year, little-known Western Kentucky offensive guard Quantavious Leslie was named to the Outland Trophy watch list, which goes to the nation's top offensive lineman.
He was perhaps one of the top Group of Five offensive linemen in the nation.
Now, he's on the move, entering the transfer portal to try to find a place to showcase his talents for his remaining eligibility. The 6'3", 318-pound native of Rome, Georgia, will have plenty of suitors.
While his 247Sports profile doesn't list any teams as a favorite to land him, his On3 RPM right now has Mississippi State and new coach Jeff Lebby leading the race to land him, with Florida State, UCF and Rutgers also in the mix.
With a couple of seasons of eligibility remaining, Leslie could be a nice pickup for a team to help fortify its offensive line.
Since he entered the portal, there hasn't been a lot of news on Leslie, but he still has plenty of teams that want to pick him up, and he's slipped a little under the rankings radar. He would be a guy you could slot right into a starting spot for several teams.
Any time you can get a guy who was once listed as the top offensive lineman in Conference USA, you have to take your chance.
Jordan McCloud, Quarterback
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Jordan McCloud has experienced quite the college football journey, going from South Florida to James Madison, where he became one of the top Group of Five players in the country last season after leading the Dukes to an impressive campaign.
He threw for 3,657 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and he also ran for 276 yards and eight more touchdowns. The 6'0", 199-pound Tampa, Florida, native isn't the biggest or most physically imposing quarterback, but he just gets the job done.
Now, with one remaining season, it appears he's going to end up at a major Power 5 program to showcase his skill set for a potential NFL shot.
One possible destination is with coach Hugh Freeze's Auburn Tigers, which landed Payton Thorne from the portal last year but hasn't gotten a marquee QB yet in Freeze's two years.
With Taulia Tagovailoa's waiver for another college season denied by the NCAA, McCloud also could be an option for the national champion Michigan Wolverines.
Right now, it looks like they are the two main suitors, and either would likely provide him an opportunity to lead the team in 2024. For the Wolverines, it would be about keeping them on a championship level; for Auburn, McCloud could help bridge the gap to the next era.
Jabbar Muhammad, Cornerback
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Jabbar Muhammad is a shutdown corner who was, arguably, Washington's top defensive playmaker in 2023 on its journey to the national championship.
While he isn't quite a shutdown corner, he's an aggressive, terrific player with an NFL future. He is outstanding in man-to-man coverage and doesn't mind being on an island with an entire side of the field to himself.
He's got the top of upside that can make him a first-round pick eventually, and that's why this is a "big boy" battle between Alabama and Texas. Oregon is trying to get a visit with the cornerback, too, so the Ducks could be a factor.
New Tide coach Kalen DeBoer would love nothing more than for Muhammad to follow him, and the defensive back visited Tuscaloosa this past weekend to see a program that has been gutted by defections in the secondary since Nick Saban's retirement.
Muhammad has said nothing but positive things about the Longhorns and Crimson Tide post-visit, and he could head to Eugene before making a decision.
The 5'10", 183-pound Texas native finished the 2023 season with 46 tackles, three interceptions, a pair of sacks and 16 passes defended. He started his career at Oklahoma State, and it appears he will finish it at another program.
Everybody knows where it will be; he's the top defender remaining in the portal.
Ephesians Prysock, Cornerback
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Arizona saw a handful of guys enter the transfer portal once Jedd Fisch left for Washington, but for the most part, the Wildcats have been able to keep a bevy of talent for Brent Brennan.
While most of the guys they couldn't afford to lose are on offense, there were a few on the other side of the ball, too. It's extremely tough to part with an impact cornerback like Ephesians Prysock.
Not only does he have an awesome name, but he's also a terrific playmaker who started 16 games over his first two seasons in Tucson and registered 80 tackles, seven passes defended and a pair of interceptions.
At 6'4", 185 pounds, he's blessed with great size, and he's only going to get better. Currently, he's on an NFL trajectory.
Fisch and the Huskies would be thrilled to have him, and it wouldn't be a shocker to see some teams that need DB help like Colorado, USC or Ohio State to go after him, either. He hasn't been in the portal long, so the options are still materializing.
Following Fisch would be an option for a guy as talented as Prysock, but he could go a lot of places. This is an impact defensive back who has the size and versatility to do a lot of things, and he will be a hot commodity.
Will Rogers, Quarterback
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For several weeks, Will Rogers was all set to be the heir to Michael Penix Jr. in Washington, locked in to leave Mississippi State for Kalen DeBoer's program.
Then, all the drama unfolded, and with Jalen Milroe entrenched in Tuscaloosa, it isn't likely Rogers will follow DeBoer back to the SEC. So, where's he going to go?
With not a ton of teams looking for a quarterback right now, Rogers has an interesting decision to make. Jedd Fisch probably wouldn't mind having a veteran signal-caller in place with the Huskies and may love for him to hang around Seattle. That wouldn't be a bad option.
Electric 2024 prospect Demond Williams Jr. was heading to Arizona with Fisch in place, but now he's going to Washington. But will he be ready to be the man to lead that program right away? Rogers would be a perfect bridge guy to the Williams era.
Possibly, a team like Michigan may look to add a veteran quarterback, and there are other programs who may like to, too. USC was in the mix for Will Howard before he committed to Ohio State, but with Miller Moss returning, Rogers would be in a battle to start.
This past season in Starkville was a forgettable one stats-wise and rife with injuries for Rogers. But while he doesn't have the biggest arm, he put up phenomenal numbers when Mike Leach was the coach of the Bulldogs.
In his career, Rogers has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 12,315 yards, 94 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. A lot of teams would be lucky to add that production.
Asa Turner, Safety
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As Asa Turner battled injuries to his hand and wrist this past season, the veteran safety who had started 25 games across his career wasn't as big a part of the Washington defense as he would have liked.
Still, when he was in the starting lineup, he made plenty of impact. The 6'3", 205-pound defender has amassed 146 tackles across his career in Seattle, including seven for a loss, and also added six interceptions.
With just one season of eligibility remaining, he's going to be a plug-and-play option for some team and be a steady leader on the back end.
This past weekend, he was in Gainesville to visit the Florida Gators, who had a big weekend with the commitment of Jameer Grimsley, a former 2024 Alabama signee who can play either wide receiver or cornerback.
Grimsley is a pledge for the future, but after coach Billy Napier lost so many players in the transfer portal, Turner is a need for now. He has a previous relationship with Gators defensive backs coach Will Harris, so it could be a fit for both parties, he told Swamp247's Graham Hall.
Turner also could take a trip to Tuscaloosa where he's familiar with the coaching staff, but his decision time is compressed with spring semesters starting everywhere soon.
Benjamin Yurosek, Tight End
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One of the best players still in the transfer portal that nobody really is talking about is former Stanford pass-catcher Benjamin Yurosek.
He was the Cardinal's biggest offensive playmaker during the David Shaw era, and when Troy Taylor took over in '23, he wasn't quite as explosive, but the 6'4", 242-pound tight end still has tons of ability.
Already, some of the top teams in the nation are going after him like Texas trying to replace Ja'Tavion Sanders and Georgia trying to fill the void left behind by Brock Bowers. Considering that's two of the best teams in the country and two teams that know how to use tight ends, that should tell you some about Yurosek's ability.
During his career in Palo Alto, he had 108 catches for 1,342 yards, but he only got in the end zone five times. Still, he's a chain-moving force, and with former Alabama tight end Amari Niblack heading to Austin, UGA would make a bunch of sense for him.
The Bulldogs hold a heavy On3 RPM prediction to land Yurosek to help bolster a young but terrific tight end room.
Just last week, it was reported that Yurosek was in Athens visiting the Bulldogs, and he had another visit scheduled to see Texas. Right now, those are the only schools with any buzz for him, but it's just a matter of time before somebody snatches him up.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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