Top 13 College Football Transfer Players to Watch in Spring Games

College football – or at least some version of it – is less than a month away with spring practice set to gear up around the nation sooner than you think.

We've already discussed the incoming true freshmen we can't wait to see suit up for our favorite teams, but this day and age of college football brings with it new, experienced faces every year via the transfer portal.

In some cases, those guys are unproven players who step into a larger role after a change of scenery. Other times, it's stars getting bigger platforms to showcase their abilities.

The 2026 spring college football season gives us a glimpse into what our future roster looks like. Though you can't always take much stock in 7-on-7s and walk-throughs, "thudding" without pads and trying to get a feel for your roster without getting anybody hurt, future stars always emerge in spring.

Here are some of the players suiting up in different-colored uniforms we're excited to watch when spring drills kick off.

Raleek Brown, Texas Longhorns Running Back

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Arch Manning didn't live up to the massive expectations placed on him last year until late in the season. But, simply stated, the playmakers surrounding Manning didn't help him much.

Coach Steve Sarkisian fixed that through the transfer portal, getting the top offensive star available in Auburn transfer receiver Cam Coleman. But the running back room saw a significant enhancement, as well.

North Carolina State every-down back Hollywood Smothers is a guy who can "tote the tater" with the best of them, but we're most excited about Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown.

The home-run hitter who began his career at USC ran for 1,141 yards and four scores for a middling Sun Devils team last year. He also caught 34 passes for 239 yards.

That skill set is tantalizing to think of in a Manning-and-Sarkisian-led offense. Brown could have the type of season that could put him on several All-American lists for his all-purpose abilities if used the right way.

Brown is probably the best addition to an SEC offense you don't know a lot about.

Chaz Coleman, Tennessee Volunteers Edge

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Tennessee's defense was simply atrocious in 2025, leading to defensive coordinator Tim Banks getting fired.

There's no question Vols coach Josh Heupel upgraded by hiring veteran Jim Knowles, who was previously at Penn State. An overhaul of the entire defense followed via the transfer portal, led by former Nittany Lions at all levels.

From Xavier Gilliam at defensive tackle to Chaz Coleman at edge, Amare Campbell at linebacker, and Dejuan Lane at safety, plenty of guys are familiar with Knowles' scheme. There's no higher-ceiling guy than Coleman, who has superstar potential.

Though he didn't start for PSU a season ago, Coleman was uber-productive when he played, and he's got three seasons of eligibility remaining. The 6'4", 240-pound sophomore Ohio native was coveted by marquee teams from everywhere but chose Rocky Top.

When Coleman was on the field last year, he got after quarterbacks as well as any youngster.

He will be counted on as an every-down pass-rusher, and if Tennessee is going to transform the perception of that side of the ball, Coleman needs to be a star. That starts this spring.

Mylan Graham, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Wide Receiver

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Notre Dame was the beneficiary of a pair of talented transfer receivers coming from Ohio State this offseason in Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham.

The 6'4" Porter has limitless potential, but he's still recovering from some knee clean-up and could be limited this spring. But Graham will be on the field, and after losing Malachi Fields, Will Pauling, KK Smith, and Eli Raridon (1,616 receiving yards, 13 combined touchdowns), the Fighting Irish are in need of some new players stepping up and standing out.

Graham is a good candidate, along with 2024 star Jaden Greathouse, who was hampered by injuries last year. The 6'1", 195-pound Fort Wayne, Indiana, native is closer to home and will have an opportunity to seize playing time.

He has the versatility to play inside and out, and the Irish likely will move him around to see where the best place is for him to slot into the offense and be a weapon for sophomore signal-caller CJ Carr.

There aren't a lot of people talking about Graham, but we're intrigued to see this spring if he still has the ability that made him a top-tier recruit and was just too far buried in a ridiculously deep Buckeyes receiver room.

Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech Hokies Quarterback

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Once Drew Allar went down with a season-ending injury for Penn State last year, the downward spiral began, culminating in the ousting of coach James Franklin for his inability to win big games.

It didn't take long for Franklin to resurface at Virginia Tech, where he'll be a massive upgrade from anything the Hokies have put on the sideline since the Frank Beamer era. 

Joining him will be Ethan Grunkemeyer, the kid who the Nittany Lions inserted in the wake of Allar's injury. There wasn't anything flashy about the first-year player, but the 6'2", 212-pound first-year signal-caller did show some flashes of brilliance.

After struggling through a gauntlet of Iowa, Ohio State, and Indiana, Grunkemeyer thrived to close the year, completing 74 percent of his passes for 777 yards and six of his eight total touchdowns in the season's final four games. He improved his passing yardage in each of those games, closing the year with a big bowl win over Clemson.

Now, Grunkemeyer will get the opportunity to play for the man who recruited him to Penn State, transferring to Blacksburg, where they have high hopes for a quick turnaround. The sophomore's development is the most crucial piece of that puzzle.

Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State Cowboys Running Back

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Caleb Hawkins won't sneak up on anybody. After a freshman season that saw him rush for 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns, he was perhaps the nation's top G5 player.

But now he's moving on to the Big 12, where he'll join former North Texas head coach Eric Morris and star quarterback teammate Drew Mestemaker in trying to make Oklahoma State relevant again.

Nobody has any idea how this season is going to go for the Cowboys, but there are almost zero expectations. That's dangerous for the rest of the league, considering just how high-powered Morris's offenses normally are.

Hawkins is 6'2", 200 pounds, and it's going to be very interesting to see if his skill set translates in the Power Four. Catching 34 passes for 370 yards and four touchdowns proves he's an all-around difference-maker, and now, he will get to showcase all that against some of the nation's best players.

Watch the Cowboys closely this spring to get an idea of just how big a leap they can make in '26 with Morris. Hawkins' ability to do it all right away on this level will go a long way in determining how high they can soar.

Colton Joseph, Wisconsin Badgers Quarterback

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Last year, Colton Joseph flourished in Ricky Rahne's offense at Old Dominion, turning the Monarchs into a dynamic offense with his dual-threat abilities.

It was just a matter of time before a major-college program gave him the opportunity to be a star on a bigger stage.

That wound up being the Wisconsin Badgers, and now, coach Luke Fickell's future in Camp Randall is tied to how good Joseph can be in making that leap. 

Last year, as a sophomore, Joseph was terrific. The 6'2", 200-pound Newport Beach, California, native completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,624 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. While the turnovers were too high, Joseph was also a force on the ground with 1,007 rushing yards and 13 more scores.

Now, Jeff Grimes will get to mold him into a playmaker in the Big Ten. The Badgers' offense has been nonexistent under Fickell, and Joseph has the potential to blossom into a problem.

Whether or not he does will dictate Fickell's future.

Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville Cardinals Quarterback

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There may not be a more intriguing player to watch this spring than new Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz.

In three years at Ohio State, the former South Dakota high school three-sport phenom barely played. He threw 38 passes, ran 17 times, and accounted for three touchdowns.

Now, the 6'2", 214-pound signal-caller with three seasons of eligibility remaining joins coach Jeff Brohm at Louisville, where he is set to become the Cardinals' quarterback after transfers Jack Plummer, Tyler Shough, and Miller Moss held that role the past three years.

Kienholz has elite running ability for a quarterback, and he is a terrific athlete. This isn't Brohm's typical quarterback style, but he's a known developer of the position, and there's a lot to love about the upside of this move.

"I definitely feel like Lincoln brings us a dimension we have not had here before," Brohm told SI.com's Matthew McGavic. "He's a very good athlete. He shows that every day, even now to this point. He can throw the football as well. He knows his time is now, and we're going to work very hard every day to help him play his best football as we get going into the season."

With so many weapons around Kienholz, this could be a sneaky sleeper to watch.

DJ Lagway, Baylor Bears Quarterback

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There were many candidates for college football's most disappointing quarterback from 2025, with guys like Cade Klubnik, Garrett Nussmeier, LaNorris Sellers, and Drew Allar failing to live up to expectations.

Add Florida's DJ Lagway to that list, too, after his 14 interceptions and failure to take care of the ball led to a losing Gators record and the team removing Billy Napier as head coach.

Still, with two seasons of eligibility remaining, don't punt on the Willis, Texas, native's collegiate career just yet. He's resurfaced a little more than two hours from his home at Baylor, where he'll attempt to keep Dave Aranda employed with the Bears.

At 6'3", 247 pounds, Lagway is a prototype dual-threat quarterback who has nowhere near reached his potential. If he can step into the spot vacated by Sawyer Robertson and be given a green light to fling it around in an open offense, who knows what it could produce?

Lagway needed a fresh start, and he's got one in friendly environs. This could be the recipe for success. It's a last chance for him – and possibly Aranda, too.

Nick Marsh, Indiana Hoosiers Wide Receiver

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Curt Cignetti's talent-development reputation is justified, and his resume now includes a national championship, so you'd be unwise to doubt the title-winning Indiana Hoosiers.

But 2026's rendition isn't going to look anywhere near the roster from '25.

Fernando Mendoza is set to be the NFL's top draft pick, and TCU's Josh Hoover replaces him. We may know what to expect from the talented veteran, but losing Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. won't be easy to replace, either.

Breakout star Charlie Becker is back, but Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh has the potential to be a megastar talent next year for Hoover. The 6'3", 203-pound junior had 59 catches for 662 yards and six scores for a bad Spartans team last year.

Now, he'll join the champions with a shot to be one of the top playmakers in the Big Ten with Hoover throwing him the ball. This just feels like a match made in football heaven, but the rhythm needs to be developed this spring.

Everything needs to mesh quickly for this to flourish.

Alberto Mendoza, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Quarterback

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We just talked about a huge star that Indiana picked up, and Georgia Tech hopes we're now moving on to a star who left Bloomington.

The thing about adding a can't-miss upperclassman from the transfer portal these days is that the young guys most likely won't wait. They'll move on to a place where they can run the show, and that's exactly what happened with Alberto Mendoza.

Following in his superstar, Heisman Trophy-winning brother's footsteps with the Hoosiers would have been difficult, anyway, but now the younger Mendoza is heading to Atlanta, where he has a clear path to replace Haynes King.

The Yellow Jackets enjoyed a resurgent year in the ACC in '25, going 9-4 under Brent Key. Aaron Philo (more on him, later) left for Florida, leaving a 'Vacancy' sign over that position. It's now filled with Alberto Mendoza, who has plenty of talent but very little experience.

Last year in mop-up duty, he had 286 passing yards, five touchdowns, and ran for 190 yards and another score. What do those numbers look like when he's running the show?

He'll be put in the fray.

Koi Perich, Oregon Ducks Defensive Back

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Adding Koi Perich to Oregon's star-loaded roster was like putting a Ferrari engine in a Maserati.

Last year, the Ducks added Dillon Thieneman at the safety position, and he wound up being a leader and a playmaker on a loaded defense. Coach Dan Lanning's defense should be even better this year, and getting Perich in the mix is almost unfair.

At Minnesota, the Golden Gophers' star found multiple ways to impact games over his two years. After registering 46 tackles and intercepting five passes as a freshman in '24, he was more of a tackling presence this past year, making 82 stops, picking off one ball, and scoring once.

He also played some offense and started on special teams, too.

Now, he'll play in Eugene for a team that should be the favorite to win a national championship. The All-Big Ten performer is one of the best back-end defenders in the entire nation, and he wasn't getting a ton of publicity playing for PJ Fleck.

Now, he's going to be right in the mix of the national championship mix, and Perich needs to be a leader on a unit full of guys who could make up an all-star group. This has elite potential, and Perich has the versatility to play safety, nickel, or corner -- wherever he's needed.

Aaron Philo, Florida Gators Quarterback

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It's been a long, frustrating run of Florida football coaches dating back to the Urban Meyer era, and the once-proud program wants so desperately to return to prominence.

The latest attempt at that is Jon Sumrall, who comes to Gainesville after a playoff run at Tulane, and nobody is expecting an overnight fix (though the patience level is thin in the Swamp). He'll be given time to build his program after so much turnover, but there are some exciting, young playmakers on campus.

Perhaps nobody is more buzzworthy than quarterback Aaron Philo, who will replace turnover-prone DJ Lagway under center. Philo followed offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Georgia Tech, where he was groomed to be next-in-line after Haynes King.

Now, he'll hold the Gators' fate in his hands.

Philo is a 6'2", 220-pound Bogart, Georgia, native who broke Trevor Lawrence's Peach State passing records in high school and completed 59 of 102 passes for 938 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions while rushing for 95 yards and another touchdown in five games.

He's much more about potential than production, but with three years of eligibility remaining and a lot of talent, he's worth watching.

Omar Thornton, Miami Hurricanes Safety

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A big part of Miami's College Football Playoff run was its enforcer-driven defense, and the hard-hitting safety play of Jakobe Thomas was a massive part of it.

With Thomas gone, the Hurricanes needed a back-end aggressor, and coach Mario Cristobal went out and found one in former Boston College safety Omar Thornton.

There may not be a harder hitter in the portal than Thornton, unless it's LSU transfer and former Boise State safety Ty Benefield. The 5'11", 201-pound Florida native is coming home to finish his collegiate career, and he has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Last year for the Eagles, Thornton had 82 tackles, two sacks, four forced fumbles, and an interception. He's exactly what the 'Canes need to keep that swagger going.

"Omar Thornton is a head-hunter," former Boston College defensive end and team captain Quintayvious Hutchins told Inside the U's Christopher Stock. "He's forever going to be a head-hunter. He's smart. He's disciplined. He's always willing to learn. He's always confident in himself when it comes to being around the team, and he's pulling everybody with him. As a young guy, he can be a leader at U Miami respectfully." 

Get ready for a huge season for Thornton at Miami, and he'll get adjusted to that system this spring.