Caleb Downs, Cam Ward headline 2024 Most Valuable Transfers from every power conference, Group of 5

On Tuesday, we dropped my 2024 Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team — a 25-man roster (plus specialists) of maybe some of the most impactful transfers in this year’s cycle. 

But who stands to be the most valuable transfers come the fall?

Here’s a preseason swing who that might be from each power conference plus the Group of 5, with an honorable mention pick for every league, too. 

The most valuable transfers in 2024:

ACC

QB Cam Ward, Miami 

Ward just missed the cut as QB1 on the Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team, but there’s little argument that the Hurricanes added one of the most impactful quarterbacks on the market this offseason. 

The former Wazzu standout could trigger a breakthrough season for Mario Cristobal and the ‘Canes, possibly becoming the program’s first 3,000-yard passer in seven seasons. Ward has 44 career starts to his name, and now he’ll be surrounded by the best offensive line and the most weapons he’s ever worked with. 

After seriously flirting with the NFL Draft, Ward opted to withdraw his name from consideration in hopes of improving his stock for next season. If he leads Miami to its first ACC Championship in school history, multiple goals will be accomplished.

Honorable Mention: QB Kyle McCord, Syracuse

McCord struggled in the spotlight at Ohio State, but while he was maligned for his slow starts and shaky downfield passing, his raw numbers in 2023 were markedly better (3,100 yards, 24 touchdowns and 9.1 yards per attempt) than any Syracuse quarterback since Ryan Nassib in 2012. 

The Orange have a real chance to win 8-9 games in the fall if McCord delivers a similar season facing a far more manageable schedule in the ACC.

Big Ten

S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Downs was the top-ranked player in the portal for a reason — the former 5-star recruit was an All-American as a freshman and has no weaknesses to his game. He led Alabama with 107 tackles and was a savvy in the box run-supporter and an elite cover safety (two picks, 16 coverage stops, second-most among all P5 safeties, per PFF). Again, as a freshman he graded out as the No. 1 safety in the SEC in 2023. 

While Downs joins an already stacked Ohio State defense, he could be the ultimate trump card for the Buckeyes against the likes of Georgia, Oregon and Texas for the national title this season. 

He’s a phenom and superstar in every sense of both words — and his value and impact merit such 

Honorable Mention: QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Gabriel was my pick for QB1 on the Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team, and the southpaw from Hawaii should be hand-glove fit in Will Stein’s RPO-heavy offense. Gabriel led the Big 12 in passing, touchdowns and completion percentage in 2023, and now he gets to throw to the likes of Evan Stewart, Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden.

He was the best quarterback in the AAC four years ago, and was the top QB in the Big 12 last season. Now, he gets to make his case as the best passer in the Big Ten for a title contender in 2024. 

Big 12

DL Dayon Hayes, Colorado

You could make a similar case for Hayes’ former Pitt teammate and fellow Buffs’ transfer Samuel Okunlola here, but I’m going with the veteran (and more productive) defensive end over the raw upside of the sophomore edge. While Okunlola was a situational pass rusher for the Panthers in 2023, Hayes was an every-down starter who led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss and 29 hurries. 

The 6-3, 270-pound end graded out as a plus pass rusher and run-defender, per PFF, and he should help uplift a Colorado defense that badly needs help in both areas (11th in the Pac-12 in run defense, 10th in pass defense). 

Honorable Mention: QB KJ Jefferson, UCF

Jefferson was a three-year starter in the SEC, recording nearly 10,00 total yards and 88 touchdowns as dual-threat talent for the Razorbacks. While his junior season was full of frustrations (poor OL play, non-existent running game, too many picks), Jefferson should flourish in Gus Malzahn’s QB-run heavy scheme. 

He’ll be surrounded by an elite unit of tailbacks, and could draw some Cam Newton comps as a bulldozing QB running Malzahn’s system.

SEC

DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

The Rebels won a school-record 11 games in 2023, but Pete Goulding’s defense was shredded (especially on the ground where they ranked 9th in the SEC in run defense) against any offense with a pulse (LSU, Alabama, Georgia and even Texas A&M).

Enter Walter Nolen, one of the most disruptive interior lineman in the country.

The former consensus Top-5 recruit helped spearhead Texas A&M’s worst-to-first run defense turnaround in 2023, and he’ll look to have a similar impact for the Rebels this fall. Nolen is also an electric interior rusher, recording seven sacks with another eight hurries, per PFF.  

Ole Miss shelled out a pretty penny to beat out Oregon for Nolen’s likely final season in college — and he could be the X-factor in the Rebels making a run to the College Football Playoff. 

Honorable Mention: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

The Aggies will sorely miss Walter Nolan, but first-year head coach Mike Elko did land one of the premier pass rushers in the portal this offseason. Scourton led the Big Ten with 10.0 sacks in just 11 games in 2023, adding another 42 pressures. He was a havoc monster, even against top-flight competition like Michigan and Ohio State (three sacks total).

Now Scourton gets to team up with former 5-star edge Shemar Turner, who had six sacks in 2023, forming what could be the best edge duo in the SEC this season.

Group of 5

QB Jordan McCloud, Texas State

While many thought McCloud might follow his head coach Curt Cignetti and a slew of his teammates to Indiana, the P5 call never came for the Dukes’ star quarterback. McCloud led JMU to a 11-2 season in 2023, throwing for more than 3,600 yards with 43 total touchdowns. 

With TJ Finley off to Western Kentucky and Jayden de Laura leaving the program, second-year head coach G.J. Kinne needed a quarterback and potential upgrade on both options fell into lap in McCloud. 

Honorable Mention: LB Elijah Herring, Memphis

As a sophomore, Herring led the Vols in tackles (80) last season, and while he opted to transfer after not being promised a starting spot with the return of injured linebacker Kennan Pili, he figures to be a super valuable addition for the Tigers in 2024. 

Memphis won the AAC in 2023 despite fielding a defense that ranked 11th in the conference in yards per play allowed (6.3). They were a middling run defense, too, so ideally Herring helps shore up one of the biggest holes on their team.