College football’s offseason transfer window is already wild, and programs everywhere are hustling to patch up their rosters for 2026. With just two weeks to land commitments, coaches are working late into the night, chasing talent in the transfer portal.
This portal season? It’s buzzing. Some teams have made big moves, pulling in names that could change the whole landscape. Let’s dig into some of the strongest starts so far, spotlighting key commitments and the strategies fueling these early wins.
Indiana Hoosiers: Building on Success
It’s the dawn of Curt Cignetti’s time at Indiana, and the Hoosiers want to ride their momentum. Last year, they turned transfer QB Fernando Mendoza into a Heisman winner and went undefeated, thanks in part to 15 transfer additions.
This time around, Indiana’s already reeled in:
- QB Josh Hoover (TCU)
- RB Turbo Richard (Boston College)
- WR Nick Marsh (Michigan State)
- TE Brock Schott (Miami)
- DL Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State)
- DL Joshua Burnham (Notre Dame)
- DL Joe Hjelle (Tulsa)
- DL Chiddi Obiazor (Kansas State)
- DB Preston Zachman (Wisconsin)
- DB Jiquan Sanks (Cincinnati)
- P Billy Gowers (Hawaii)
- LS Drew Clausen (Iowa State)
Key Additions
Hoover started 31 games at TCU and looks like the next man up after Mendoza. Marsh, ranked No. 3 among transfer receivers by ESPN, picked Indiana for its pass-happy offense.
Osunsanmi, a top-50 portal prospect, seems ready for a breakout after last year’s injury. It’s a loaded group, and honestly, the Hoosiers look set for another Big Ten run.
Texas Tech Red Raiders: Proving They Belong
Texas Tech just won the Big 12 in 2025, but they’re out to prove it wasn’t just luck. Joey McGuire and GM James Blanchard zeroed in on two things: landing QB Brendan Sorsby and building a nasty defensive line.
So far, they’ve pulled in:
- QB Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati)
- WR Donte Lee Jr. (Liberty)
- WR Kenny Johnson (Pitt)
- WR Jalen Jones (Alabama State)
- TE Jett Carpenter (Nevada)
- DL Mateen Ibirogba (Wake Forest)
- DL Trey White (San Diego State)
- DL Adam Trick (Miami (Ohio))
- DL Julien Laventure (Akron)
- DL Bryce Butler (Washington)
- DL Jojo Johnson (Oregon State)
- DL Amarie Fleming (Allen)
- LB Austin Romaine (Kansas State)
- DB Davin Martin (UTSA)
Defensive Focus
Ibirogba, ESPN’s top-ranked transfer DT, headlines a stacked defensive line haul. White and Trick bring edge rush, and Laventure has that All-MAC pedigree.
With Sorsby at QB and a beefed-up defense, Texas Tech is gunning for the country’s best portal class again. Can’t blame them for aiming high.
Penn State Nittany Lions: A New Era
Matt Campbell just took over at Penn State, and the rebuild is real. With only two high school recruits signed and a bunch of players needing to be re-recruited, Campbell’s looking to the portal for answers.
He’s brought in a wave of former Iowa State guys, including:
- QB Rocco Becht (Iowa State)
- QB Alex Manske (Iowa State)
- RB Carson Hansen (Iowa State)
- RB James Peoples (Ohio State)
- WR Brett Eskildsen (Iowa State)
- WR Chase Sowell (Iowa State)
- WR Karon Brookins (Iowa State)
- WR Zay Robinson (Iowa State)
- TE Benjamin Brahmer (Iowa State)
- TE Gabe Burkle (Iowa State)
- TE Cooper Alexander (Iowa State)
- OL Trevor Buhr (Iowa State)
- OL Will Tompkins (Iowa State)
- OL Kuol Kuol II (Iowa State)
- OL Vaea Ikakoula (Iowa State)
- DL Alijah Carnell (Iowa State)
- DL Alexander McPherson (Colorado)
- DL Armstrong Nnodim (Oklahoma State)
- DL Keanu Williams (UCLA)
- DL Dallas Vakalahi (Utah)
- DL Siale Taupaki (UCLA)
- LB Caleb Bacon (Iowa State)
- LB Cael Brezina (Iowa State)
- LB Kooper Ebel (Iowa State)
- DB Marcus Neal Jr. (Iowa State)
- DB Jamison Patton (Iowa State)
- DB Hunter Sowell (Iowa State)
- DB Omarion Davis (Boston College)
- DB Ibn McDaniels (Syracuse)
Trust and Culture
Campbell’s betting on familiar faces to set the tone in Happy Valley. With 13 Iowa State starters and a bunch of All-Big 12 guys, Penn State’s hoping for a quick bounce-back.
It’s a gutsy approach, and honestly, who knows how it’ll play out? But it’s definitely worth watching.
Ole Miss Rebels: Defensive Reinforcements
Pete Golding wasted no time after taking over at Ole Miss. The Rebels needed help on defense, and Golding went shopping in the portal.
So far, they’ve landed:
- OL Carius Curne (LSU)
- DL Jonathan Maldonado (Nevada)
- DL Michai Boireau (Florida)
- DL Jehiem Oatis (Colorado)
- LB Keaton Thomas (Baylor)
- LB Chris Jones (Southern Miss)
- DB Jay Crawford (Auburn)
- DB Sharif Denson (Florida)
Key Defensive Additions
Crawford, who started two years at Auburn, and Thomas, a standout Big 12 linebacker, are big gets. Maldonado’s pass-rushing skills could surprise a lot of people.
Curne’s move from LSU also stands out. Ole Miss is working to keep their 2025 stars too, especially All-America running back Kewan Lacy.
Texas A&M Aggies: Committed to Competing
Mike Elko and his staff aren’t messing around in the portal. They’re going after experienced linemen and it shows.
Here’s the haul so far:
- TE Richie Anderson (Fresno State)
- TE Houston Thomas (UTSA)
- OL Tyree Adams (LSU)
- OL Trovon Baugh (South Carolina)
- OL Coen Echols (LSU)
- OL Wilkin Formby (Alabama)
- DL Anto Saka (Northwestern)
- DL Ryan Henderson (San Diego State)
- DL Brandon Davis-Swain (Colorado)
- LB Ray Coney (Tulsa)
- DB Rickey Gibson III (Tennessee)
- DB Tawfiq Byard (Colorado)
- K David Olano (Illinois)
- LS Shea Freibaum (Oklahoma State)
Reinforcing the Trenches
The Aggies brought in four SEC starting offensive linemen. Saka, one of the portal’s top pass rushers, joins a defensive front that’s suddenly much deeper.
Gibson and Byard help out the secondary, and Olano—who nailed two game-winners this season—should steady the kicking game. Not a bad couple weeks in College Station.
Arizona State Sun Devils: Offensive Firepower
Kenny Dillingham wants to keep Arizona State’s offense humming. He’s loaded up with some intriguing portal additions:
- QB Cutter Boley (Kentucky)
- QB Mikey Keene (Michigan)
- RB David Avit (Villanova)
- RB Marquis Gillis (Delaware State)
- WR Omarion Miller (Colorado)
- WR Reed Harris (Boston College)
- WR Raiden Vines-Bright (Washington)
- TE Anthony Miller (Tulane)
- TE Kristian Ingram (Portland State)
- OL Tana Alo-Tupuola (Georgia Tech)
- LB Owen Long (Colorado State)
- LB Ramere Davis (Northern Arizona)
- LB Emar’rion Winston (Baylor)
- DB Ashton Stamps (LSU)
- DB Lyrik Rawls (Kansas)
- DB Caleb Chester (Texas)
- K Carson Smith (Austin Peay)
- P Nick McLarty (Ohio State)
- LS Grayson Curtis (New Mexico State)
Offensive Additions
Boley brings SEC starting experience, which isn’t nothing. Miller and Harris are both highly rated at receiver, and Vines-Bright is a nice local pickup.
Stamps and Rawls come in with solid reps in the secondary. Feels like this offense could stay dangerous in 2026—unless something unexpected happens, which, let’s be honest, is always possible in college football.
Oklahoma State Cowboys: A Historic Roster Flip
Oklahoma State faces a wild roster overhaul right now. Sixty-three scholarship players from their 2025 squad have hit the transfer portal.
Head coach Eric Morris isn’t sitting still. He’s pulled in a bunch of North Texas transfers:
- QB Drew Mestemaker (North Texas)
- RB Caleb Hawkins (North Texas)
- RB Ayo Adeyi (James Madison)
- WR Wyatt Young (North Texas)
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