Top 14 Unheralded CFB Transfers Destined for Stardom in 2026
Whether you completely agree with the unfiltered parameters of the transfer portal and kids picking up and moving every year without penalty, one thing's for certain:
It's a heck of a lot of fun, isn't it?
Everybody knows of the big-name portal players like Sam Leavitt, Brendan Sorsby, Cam Coleman, Jordan Seaton, Princewill Umanmielen, Drew Mestemaker, but instant-impact difference-makers abound throughout the rankings.
Some unknowns or underrated players are even destined to be stellar stars in '26.
So, which guys may not have earned the rankings but will be stars at their new homes? To make this list, a player had to be considered a 3-star player in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings.
Here are a handful of unheralded transfers who'll be household names in CFB next season.
Cutter Boley, Arizona State Sun Devils Quarterback
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Cutter Boley is a bit of an untapped resource, and Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham is just the guy to squeeze out the potential from the former Kentucky prospect.
As a redshirt freshman for the Kentucky Wildcats in '25, Boley torched Tennessee, but he didn't really have any big games otherwise, finishing the year with 2,160 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, slotting into the starting job during Week 3 and taking over.
He wasn't really ready to be thrown into the fray, but he outfitted himself fairly well. Now, the 6'5", 220-pound signal-caller is off to Tempe, where he'll be the Sun Devils' new quarterback following Sam Leavitt bolting for LSU.
Boley has a big arm and sneaky athleticism, and he won't be running through the SEC gauntlet anymore. There are a lot of moldable skills that Dillingham can carve into stardom so that Boley can take a big leap in the Big 12.
Tawfiq Byard, Texas A&M Aggies Safety
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The 2025 season was miserable in Colorado, and the Buffaloes didn't have a lot of excitement, but Tawfiq Byard was arguably the team's best player.
Now, he's heading to College Station to play for an aggressive, attacking defensive head coach in Mike Elko and a secondary that could be dynamic with Rickey Gibson III and other additions.
Byard is a hard-hitting force who could be one of the top newcomers in the SEC with the Aggies, a team that is expected to be in contention for the College Football Playoff again.
As a sophomore in Boulder in '25, the 6'1", 195-pound Maryland native finished the year with 79 tackles, two forced fumbles, half a sack, an interception, and four passes defended.
He's slated to start at strong safety for the Aggies in '26, where he'll try to continue a legacy at the position built by his older brother, Kevin, who is a two-time first-team All-Pro safety in the NFL.
Amare Campbell, Tennessee Volunteers Linebacker
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It's not easy for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to install his complex scheme at a new school, but it may be a little easier at Tennessee, thanks to him bringing so many transfers from his previous stop at Penn State.
None of those may be more important than 6'0", 231-pound inside linebacker Amare Campbell, who will play his final season on Rocky Top. Now a Vol, he will team with fellow senior stalwart Arion Carter, who returned to Knoxville for his final season.
That's a formidable tandem for a Tennessee team that struggled all over the place in '26 but really faltered on the second level to fill gaps and stop big plays. Campbell being in the mix with Carter could cure a ton of ills.
In '25, Campbell led the Nittany Lions with 103 stops, and he also registered three sacks. The Virginia native was wildly productive, and now, he goes to a place that is in dire need of his veteran leadership.
He'll be a big defensive weapon right away.
Cam Cook, West Virginia Mountaineers Running Back
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Cam Cook and Rich Rodriguez didn't overlap at Jacksonville State, but they'll hook up now at West Virginia.
It could be a match made in football heaven.
Rodriguez rebuilt the Gamecocks into a mid-major power, then he got the opportunity to return to Morgantown, West Virginia, and coach the Mountaineers for the second time. During the '25 season – JSU's first without Rodriguez – Cook became a megastar.
All he did was lead the nation in rushing yards with 1,659 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns after leaving TCU before his junior year. Clint Trickett's Jax State offense is a spread-option attack that is largely zone-dominant, similar to what Rodriguez runs.
Cook is the perfect fit for that scheme, and after a struggle in his first year back in Morgantown, Rodriguez made some huge waves in the transfer portal. Cook could be a terrific veteran addition in the Big 12.
Jaden Craig, TCU Horned Frogs Quarterback
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Quarterbacks in Sonny Dykes' offenses are always going to produce nice numbers, but Jaden Craig isn't just simply a replacement for Josh Hoover, who's finishing his career at Indiana.
Would the Horned Frogs love to have Hoover back once again? Of course, but Hoover is now a Hoosier, where he'll compete for a national title.
TCU probably won't elevate that far, but the 6'2", 215-pound Craig is a plug-and-play option from Harvard who will finish his collegiate career in Fort Worth, trying to prove that he has an NFL skill set. It shouldn't be that difficult for him.
Craig has a pro arm and underrated athletic ability, and a season ago, he led the Crimson with 2,869 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
In Dykes' offense, Craig will get the opportunity to sling the ball around a lot, and with Jordan Dwyer returning and South Alabama transfer Jeremy Scott joining in, Craig will have plenty of capable options.
This could be a big, final year for Craig who could surge up draft boards.
Colton Joseph, Wisconsin Badgers Quarterback
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Jeff Grimes has experienced a bunch of success with athletic quarterbacks before, and he's been looking for the right fit during his tenure at Wisconsin.
Now, he has it with Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph.
His job and the coach's may depend on getting Joseph up to speed in the Big Ten quickly.
Last year, as a sophomore for the Monarchs, the 6'2", 200-pound California native was a revelation, leading the team with 2,624 passing yards and 21 touchdowns through the air. Though he didn't complete 60 percent of his passes and threw 10 interceptions – numbers that must improve – his running ability made up for the mistakes.
Joseph also ran for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns, and how those numbers translate for the Badgers is going to be very interesting to see.
It was obvious that Wisconsin made a renewed commitment to the portal in hopes of salvaging a Luke Fickell era that has largely crashed and burned. The proud fan base is starving for wins again, and Joseph could be the dual-threat athlete to bring them to Camp Randall.
Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville Cardinals Quarterback
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There may not be a bigger measure of uncertainty for any player on this list than Lincoln Keinholz, and it's going to be a fascinating marriage between him and Jeff Brohm's offense in Louisville.
The Cardinals have stuck with the formula of getting a senior with one year of eligibility to run their offenses during the Brohm era, from Jack Plummer to Tyler Shough to Miller Moss. But plucking dual-threat transfer Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State is a break from that.
Kienholz's playing time was blocked by Julian Sayin, and after three years of sitting and waiting, the redshirt sophomore needed a change of scenery. He'll have two seasons to play in Louisville, and he's going to have every opportunity to shine.
With weapons around him like Isaac and Keyjuan Brown, Kienholz's running ability could be a catalyst to give Brohm another dimension. But he's going to have to work on his passing consistency to live up to the expectations he once had as a top prospect coming out of South Dakota.
I love this pivot by Brohm and think Kienholz is going to thrive in his new stomping grounds.
Luke Dehnicke, Northwestern Wildcats Tight End
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If you want a deep sleeper who could have a massive year that nobody's talking about, how about a redshirt sophomore Division II transfer?
The Northwestern Wildcats grabbed 6'5", 240-pound Luke Dehnicke out of the portal after he blew up onto the scene for Minnesota Duluth last year as a freshman, leading the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in yards per game with 97.6 yards per game and 14 touchdowns.
For the season, Dehnicke finished a terrific first year on the field with 1,119 receiving yards and was a first-team Division II All-American.
Now, he's heading to the Big Ten, where he'll play for a program that utilizes the tight end as well as anybody. With former Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles coming in to play for David Braun, Northwestern could put a scare into a lot of teams next year.
Dehnicke is going to be a mass producer right away, and the best thing is, he's got three years of eligibility remaining. It's going to be a major step up in competition, but Dehnicke's ability plays on any level.
Keyshawn Johnson, Syracuse Orange Edge-Rusher
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It's not uncommon to see famous names out there everywhere, but former UT-Martin edge-rusher Keyshawn Johnson is trying to make one for himself.
Yes, he shares the name of a USC legend and NFL Hall of Famer, but the defender who is going to play this season at Syracuse has enjoyed a strong career on the gridiron in his own right.
Last year, for coach Jason Simpson (father of former Alabama signal-caller Ty), Johnson was a Football Championship Subdivision All-American, finishing the season with 13.5 sacks and an astounding 20 tackles for a loss playing for the Skyhawks.
Teams like Clemson and Illinois wanted the 6'3", 230-pound pass-rusher to wreak havoc on quarterbacks, but the Florida native who originally signed with Grambling out of high school decided to head north, where he'll provide a major boost to an Orange defense needing some difference-makers off the edge.
Johnson will get to showcase his talents and prove that he belongs on this level, using it as a springboard for an NFL future.
Devin McCuin, Ohio State Buckeyes Wide Receiver
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It's going to be difficult to stand out when you're sitting in the same wide receiver room as generational talent Jeremiah Smith, but Devin McCuin has the ability to benefit from Smith's greatness.
Opposing defenses simply won't be able to show McCuin the attention necessary with a superstar like Smith over there. But they're not the only weapons for a Ryan Day offense that will also boast Brandon Innis and star freshman Chris Henry.
McCuin, however, should be a starter. He's a speed burner who was a quality, consistent receiver for the UTSA Roadrunners a season ago, grabbing 65 balls for 726 yards and seven touchdowns.
Now, he gets to play Robin to Smith's Batman, much the way Carnell Tate did a season ago, and all he did was leave for the NFL early, where he's a near-lock to be a first-round pick.
With Julian Sayin throwing McCuin the ball, he could use a big final season as a pro kickstarter. More folks should be talking about the Buckeyes' addition of the 6'0", 195-pound burner.
Kendrick Raphael, SMU Mustangs Running Back
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There's no question that Kendrick Raphael has explosive potential and has way more upside as a transfer than his 3-star ranking belies.
The former California Bears running back decided to get out of Berkeley but remain in the ACC, where he'll boost a SMU Mustangs offense that is good enough to contend with Miami for a conference title in '26.
A season ago with the Bears, Raphael took a back seat to Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele's passing attack but still had a nice season with 943 rushing yards (fifth in the ACC) and 13 touchdowns.
According to 247Sports' Grant Hughes, "He did it behind an offensive line that ranked No. 132 out of 136 FBS teams nationally in yards allowed before contact. Raphael generated 706 of his 943 yards (74.9 percent) after contact and ranked No. 13 in the Power Five with 13 missed tackles forced."
Now, suddenly, Raphael gets to run behind a terrific offensive line with a dynamic quarterback in Kevin Jennings leading the way. This could be a huge deal.
Turbo Richard, Indiana Hoosiers Running Back
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If Indiana coach Curt Cignetti wants you out of the portal, that's probably a pretty good indication that you're going to have a big year.
The Hoosiers won a national championship this past season, eschewing potential for production and veteran leadership, prioritizing guys who fit the blueprint of what Coach Cig wants in Bloomington.
With Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby off to the NFL, the Hoosiers are rebuilding that offensive side behind new signal-caller Josh Hoover, and Turbo Richard is going to be a vital part of IU not missing a beat.
A season ago, Richard (whose given name is Hanovii) starred for a bad Boston College team, rushing 145 times for 749 yards and scoring nine times. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry as a sophomore and also caught 30 passes for 213 yards and scored two more times.
At 5'8", 207 pounds, Richard is a wrecking ball who can pummel defenders between the tackles and get up and go at the second level. He's going to be fun to watch in the Big Ten and will be a centerpiece for a program trying to repeat with a large cast of new characters.
Danny Scudero, Colorado Buffaloes Wide Receiver
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Much like running back Cam Cook, who was discussed earlier, Danny Scudero isn't going to garner a lot of clout from recruiting analysts because he's not an explosive athlete. But all the dude does is produce.
The nation's leading receiver during the 2025 season, while playing for San Jose State, is going to Colorado to play for coach Deion Sanders. He'll try to see if he can consistently produce against better defenders.
The guess here is that he will.
A season ago, the 5'9", 175-pound pass-catcher caught 88 passes for 1,291 yards and 10 touchdowns playing for the Spartans. He was a consistent, steadying force despite his diminutive stature.
Now, he'll try to be a veteran presence with two seasons of eligibility remaining, who is a stable weapon for young quarterback JuJu Lewis. A season ago, Scudero had five games with at least 130 receiving yards.
The Buffs certainly could use a player who produces like that.
Sahir West, UCLA Bruins Edge-Rusher
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One of the sneaky-best hires any team made during the offseason was the UCLA Bruins going across country and plucking Bob Chesney away from the James Madison Dukes.
Maybe Chesney doesn't get enough credit for taking over a program that Curt Cignetti built, but all he did was take it a step further into the College Football Playoff. He also did a very good job in his own right of identifying talent to bring to Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Now, he'll bring some of those guys with him to Westwood to try to rebuild the Bruins. One of the most exciting transfers coming with him is 6'4", 270-pound rising sophomore defensive lineman Sahir West, who looks like a future star.
As a freshman in '25, the Baltimore native finished the season with 45 tackles, seven sacks, a forced fumble, and four passes deflected.
Though West was lightly recruited out of high school, powerhouses like Ohio State and Texas A&M wanted him this go-around, but he decided to follow Chesney and help him build a contender in Los Angeles.
The former Sun Belt freshman of the year and freshman All-American is a potential star right away for UCLA.
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