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Big 12 Transfer Portal Tracker
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January 2nd
Portal’s No. 1 QB, Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, visiting Texas Tech and LSU
From ESPN … Former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the top player in the NCAA transfer portal, has visits lined up to both Texas Tech and LSU, sources told ESPN.
Per ESPN sources, Sorsby is set to fly to visit Texas Tech on Friday and will go from there to Baton Rouge. He’s ESPN’s No. 1-ranked portal player in Max Olson’s portal rankings and a coveted player by two programs in need of a quarterback.
There are more than 4,000 Division I football players currently in the NCAA transfer portal, which opened Friday.
Sorsby is considered at the top of that crew after throwing for 2,800 yards, running for 580 and accounting for 36 combined touchdowns this year. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
He has thrown for 7,208 yards and 60 TDs in his career, which began at Indiana in 2022. He went to Cincinnati in 2024 and thrived there under coach Scott Satterfield.
Texas Tech is coming off a College Football Playoff season that included a Big 12 title. The fourth-seeded Red Raiders got shut out in the Capital One Orange Bowl by Oregon, finishing with just 215 total yards in the CFP quarterfinal game.
LSU will be in its first season with coach Lane Kiffin, a noted quarterback tutor. The Tigers are also in need of a quarterback, with Garrett Nussmeier leaving. LSU has not reached the playoff since winning the 2019 national championship.
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January 1st
Eight players Big 12 players (including one Buff) ranked in the national Transfer Portal Top 25
From On3Sports … The Transfer Portal already has over 3,000 players listed, even though the Transfer Portal doesn’t officially open until January 2nd (and will run until January 16th) …
Top 25 rated players in the Transfer Portal
- Cam Coleman – Auburn – Wide receiver
- Chaz Coleman – Penn State – Edge
- Drew Mestemaker – North Texas – Quarterback
- John Henry Daley – Utah – Edge
- Isaac Brown – Louisville – Running back
- Sam Leavitt – Arizona State – Quarterback
- Brendan Sorsby – Cincinnati – Quarterback
- Caleb Hawkins – North Texas – Running back
- Byrum Brown – USF – Quarterback
- Rasheem Biles – Pitt – Linebacker
- Mateen Ibirogba – Wake Forest – Defensive lineman
- Jayden Woods – Florida – Edge
- Dylan Raiola – Nebraska – Quarterback
- Jontez Williams – Iowa State – Cornerback
- Josh Hoover – TCU – Quarterback
- DJ Lagway – Florida – Quarterback
- Omarion Miller – Colorado – Wide receiver
- Carius Curne – LSU – Offensive lineman
- Nick Marsh – Michigan State – Wide receiver
- Hollywood Smothers – North Carolina State – Running back
- Wendell Gregory – Oklahoma State – Edge
- Terrell Anderson – North Carolina State – Wide receiver
- Deuce Knight – Auburn – Quarterback
- Rocco Becht – Iowa State – Quarterback
- Devan Thompkins – USC – Defensive lineman
Only other Buffs in the Top 200 nationally …
- Defensive lineman London Merritt (No. 49)
- Defensive back Tawfiq Byard (No. 94)
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December 31st
Utah All-American defensive end John Henry Daley enters the Transfer Portal
From ESPN … Utah star defensive end John Henry Daley plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he announced Tuesday.
Daley earned All-America honors for the Utes and ranks among the top five nationally in sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (17.5) this season. He’ll officially enter the portal when it opens on Friday and will have two more years of eligibility.
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound redshirt sophomore was a first-team All-Big 12 performer and a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award in his first season as a full-time starter.
He started Utah’s first 11 games before suffering a season-ending lower-body injury in late November against Kansas State. Daley said in a statement announcing his decision that he will be “fully healthy” by the spring.
… Continue reading story here …
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December 30th
Big 12 Transfer Portal Entries: Oklahoma State and Iowa State over 40 players each
Big12 portal entries … and counting:
Oklahoma State 45
Iowa State 43 **
West Virginia 29
Colorado 24
UCF 21
Kansas State 20
Kansas 17
Baylor 15
BYU 5
Houston 3
Still have Bowl games to play:
Arizona 7
Arizona State 9
Cincinnati 9
TCU 4
Utah 6
Texas Tech 6
** It has been reported that, with the departure of head coach Matt Campbell to Penn State, that Iowa State’s roster is down to 15 returning players **
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December 20th
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht leaving the Cyclones
From ESPN … Quarterback Rocco Becht is entering the NCAA transfer portal, posting on social media Saturday that he will leave Iowa State to “pursue new opportunities for my senior season.”
Becht’s addition to the portal means the quarterback with the most wins of any projected returning starter in college football will be available. Becht has led Iowa State to 26 wins over the past three years.
Along with the most wins, Becht will be among the most productive quarterbacks in college football to return. His 9,274 passing yards ranks second behind TCU transfer Josh Hoover among returning players. Becht also has 64 touchdown passes and 83 total touchdowns, which are both top five among returning quarterbacks.
… Continue reading story here …
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December 19th
Arizona State (and former CU) wide receiver Jordyn Tyson declares for the NFL Draft
From ESPN … Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson has declared for the NFL draft, where he is projected as a top-10 selection.
Tyson, a third-team Associated Press All-America selection this season, made his announcement in an Instagram video Friday, thanking his family, teammates and coaches. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. lists Tyson at No. 7 on his Big Board for the 2026 draft, and Field Yates has Tyson going No. 7 in his latest mock draft.
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TCU’s starting quarterback to skip Alamo Bowl; enter Transfer Portal
From ESPN … TCU quarterback Josh Hoover intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he announced on social media Thursday.
Hoover will be one of the most productive and coveted players available, as he projects to have the most passing yards (9,629) and touchdown passes (71) of any player returning to college football next season. Hoover says he will not play for TCU in the Alamo Bowl.
Hoover reflected on his decision in a post on Instagram, writing, “I’ve prayed about this and decided that I will be entering the transfer portal,” and thanking his Horned Frogs coaches and teammates, among others.
“I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to represent TCU for an incredible 4 years,” his post continued. “It has been a dream to be able to play and graduate from this university and I will forever be grateful for that.”
Hoover has been TCU’s starting quarterback since midway through the 2023 season, throwing for 439 yards and four touchdowns in his first start against BYU. In 2024, he set a school record with 3,949 passing yards.
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December 17th
Georgia Tech’s projected starter at QB in 2026 enters the Transfer Portal
… CU plays Georgia Tech in the 2026 season opener on September 5th in Atlanta …
From ESPN … Georgia Tech backup quarterback Aaron Philo announced Wednesday he plans to enter the transfer portal.
The move comes a week after Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner left for the offensive coordinator job at Florida. Philo spent the last two seasons as the backup to Haynes King, but was projected as the starter headed into 2026.
Philo made one start this year in place of an injured King, but saw more extensive action in 2024 while King battled a shoulder injury late in the season. In six career games, Philo has thrown for 938 yards and scored three total touchdowns.
At this time last season, Georgia Tech fended off other programs interested in Philo to keep him in the fold. Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key recently got a contract extension, and the Yellow Jackets are coming off their best season since 2014.
Faulkner is in need of a quarterback with his new team after DJ Lagway also announced he planned to enter the transfer portal.
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December 15th
Sacramento State players in the Portal to watch …
— Sacramento State first-team all-Big Sky safety Koa Akui plans to enter the portal, per his rep @ConnorAthElite. Akui posted 65 tackles, 5 INTs and 2.5 TFLs this year along with a 84.9 PFF grade. Former walk-on turned team captain with two remaining seasons.
— Four other three-star prospects from Sacramento State have announced their intentions to enter the Transfer Portal … running back Jamar Curtis, offensive lineman Jose Soto, defensive lineman DeSean Watts, and cornerback Jason Oliver.
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Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby enters the Transfer Portal
… Sorsby’s girlfriend, a volleyball player at Cincinnati, recently announced she was transferring to Texas Tech … so there is that …
From CBS Sports … Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby is set to enter the transfer portal, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer, and his impending departure from the Bearcats figures to capture the attention of college football’s top programs. In fact, the No. 1-ranked team in the country may be interested in Sorsby, which sets up a potential return to Indiana, where he spent the first two years of his career.
The Hoosiers and Texas Tech are among the potential schools of interest for Sorsby, sources tell Zenitz and Hummer. But it is also possible that Sorsby will explore an entrance into the NFL Draft. On the heels of his best season to date, the fourth-year junior could be an early-round pick.
Sorsby’s move from Indiana to Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 season proved beneficial for his career trajectory. Sorsby thrived in the Big 12 and passed for 2,800 yards in both of his seasons with the Bearcats. He took his game to another level this fall and was among the most efficient quarterbacks in the conference with a Big 12-best 13.5 yards per completion.
The dual-threat ability Sorsby displayed over his three years as a starter also make him a potential home-run pickup through the transfer portal. He has become a more prolific runner with each additional year of experience and peaked this season with a career-best 580 yards on 100 carries. He also posted nine rushing touchdowns for the second consecutive campaign.
… Continue reading story here …
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Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola enters the Transfer Portal
… Raiola was the No. 1 rated quarterback in the Recruiting Class of 2024, and his signing with Nebraska (instead of Georgia) was seen as a major recruiting coup for Matt Rhule …
From ESPN … Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola plans to enter the transfer portal, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Monday.
The former five-star recruit will officially enter the portal when it opens on Jan. 2 and has two more seasons of eligibility. Raiola is seeking a program where he can thrive and best harness his potential while developing for the next steps of his career, sources told Thamel.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound sophomore started right away as a true freshman in 2024 and threw for 4,819 yards on 69% passing with 31 touchdowns and 21 turnovers over 22 starts with the Huskers.
Raiola continued the legacy of his father, former NFL offensive lineman Dominic Raiola, an All-American and Nebraska Football Hall of Fame inductee, by flipping his commitment from Georgia to Nebraska in December 2023. The No. 1-ranked pocket passer in the 2024 class gave Nebraska coach Matt Rhule and his staff a star player to build around entering their second year.
Dylan Raiola helped take the Huskers to their first bowl game since 2016 during a 7-5 debut season, leading all FBS true freshmen and breaking the program’s freshman record with 2,819 passing yards in 2024.
His sophomore season was cut short on Nov. 1 when Raiola suffered a broken right fibula in a 21-17 loss to USC that forced him to miss the rest of the season. True freshman backup TJ Lateef replaced Raiola for the team’s final three games.
Nebraska fired offensive line coach Donovan Raiola, the quarterback’s uncle, earlier this month and hired Georgia Tech’s Geep Wade to replace him. Raiola’s younger brother, three-star quarterback Dayton Raiola, also decommitted from Nebraska in late November.
… Continue reading story here …
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10 Replies to “Big 12 Transfer Portal Tracker”
There are two types of players in the transer portal….starters who are looking to get paid, and non starters who are looking to go somewhere else where they can play so they can get paid. It is what it is.
I hear McKinney is in the transfer portal now.
Below is an estimation of NIL money by school, does the list look familiar? Might as well call it the CFP list.
Rank School Money spent on roster*
1 Ohio State $35 million
2 Oregon N/A
3 Texas Tech $28 million**
4 Miami $15 million
5 Ole Miss $10 million (in 2024)
6 Alabama N/A
7 Georgia N/A
8 Indiana N/A
Nice. Where’d you get that? Not that I doubt it, at all. And Indiana allegedly paid $2mill for Mendoza. Way better bargain than some others.
It is going to be amazing to watch the machinations by Sankey, et al. When the solution is really pretty simple. Take a few pages from the pros. Spread the wealth. Grow the pie. Create more parity and more interest. Hell, as leach opined years ago, they should draft high schoolers into college, not recruit them.
Go Buffs
Maybe I missed one but it looks like only one O lineman and 2 D linemen are included in this top portal 25 players
hmmmm
In years past the O linemen are the quickest to get picked up
Don’t look now, but UW is apparently losing their stud running back Mohammed, a good wide receiver, and some other former four star recruits too. Golly. Their program must be in shambles.
Either that, or it’s just the way of the world these days.
The portal giveth, and the portal taketh. We’ll see what we see when all the dust settles.
Go Buffs
With agents in the mix and coaches bringing players to their new school with them, there’s plenty of stealing going ($$$$) on without having a coach directly contact a player; unless the player is following to the new school.
Some of these QBs, are starters at a to 25 program, but moving on for more money to a top 10… Or higher program.
It’s the wild, wild west out there, survival of the fittest… err riches.
No doubt. And who can blame them? Yeah, Deion tries to educate (as I’m sure most if not all try to do as well) that the real money is either in the NFL, if you can get and stay there, or? In life. NIL cash is nice, but for most of them, not life-lasting. If you’re looking at a few hundred thousand, or a couple million at 18-23, and you know the not for long league might give you a year or three? If you’re lucky? Take the cash. And still try to get to the league. I gotta think a lot of this will settle down, at some point, either by new regulations, or just the flow of funds settling down. It strikes me as not unlike when people first start making real money. I mean hell, I thought I was the king selling my first sponsorship deal to Continental Airlines right out of college. I made $2500! Doubt it lasted more than a week. I think at some point, the sponsors/donors will start wanting more concrete returns on their investment. I could be wrong though. There’s plenty of dumb money out there, I guess.
Go Buffs
Agree.
It would be different if those 18 year olds knew the value of saving and investing those 7 figure paydays, but they don’t and we didn’t either. A few with good guidance will, but the rest that don’t continue to earn big will be broke by the time they’re 25.
It’s their money, but how many agents/lawyers are the ones getting rich off of the backs of these players?
The only way this gets “slowed down” is with a CBA?….and then what is the difference between CFB and the NFL? Football is so popular that both can coexist IMO, but the lines between the two will be almost non existant. We now have basketball players drafted into the NBA, played pro overseas, and now playing CBB. One thing is for sure if they don’t get a CBA, only the richest athletic departments will be competitive in the CFB championships.