Transfer Portal Player Rankings: Florida State's Keon Coleman takes No. 1 spot in Top 10 after Week 4

Each Thursday, we’ll update the 2023 Transfer Portal Power Rankings, looking at the Top 10 transfers — based on their impact on the field and not their preseason ranking. 

We have some major movement in the Top 10 this week, as we debut a new No. 1 with FSU’s Keon Coleman, and have three other additions to the list. 

The shakeup doesn’t include two transfers who had the biggest showings last Saturday though, but I still wanted to give some shine to Texas State tailback Ismail Mahdi and USF wideout Naiem Simmons. 

Both delivered monster outlier performances in Week 4, as Mahi entered his game against Nevada with just 15 combined carries all season (three games) before ripping off a 21-carry, 216-yard, two-touchdown performance in a win over the Wolfpack. 

Similarly, Simmons had seven combined catches the first three weeks of the season only to post a preposterous eight catches for 272 yards (34.0 yards per reception!!!) and a touchdown. 

If one or both continue to stuff the stat sheet moving forward, they’ll find their way onto the rankings. 

The Top 10 Transfer Portal Player Power Rankings after Week 4:

1. WR Keon Coleman, Florida State

After failing to record at least one catch in a game for the first time since his freshman season in FSU’s too-close-for-comfort win over Boston College, the Michigan State transfer made his presence felt in the win at Clemson on Saturday. 

Keon Coleman hauled in five catches for 86 yards and two scores — including the game-winner in overtime where he completely Moss’d a Tigers DB. He has six touchdowns on the season, tied for the most nationally.

2. QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Sanders took a beating in the Buffs’ blowout loss to Oregon, throwing for just 159 yards and getting sacked seven more times — now 23 on the year, the most among all Power 5 QBs. 

As teams are loading up to stop Colorado’s passing attack, Sanders’ yards per attempt have steadily dropped each week — with a season-worst 4.8 per pass (down from 10.9 vs. TCU) against the Ducks.  Sanders did throw a late touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving him at least one passing score in every game so far this season. His 1,410 yards still ranks No. 2 nationally.

3. QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

For the first time all season, the Irish couldn’t do anything outside the numbers as Hartman and Notre Dame’s receivers were bottled up by Ohio State’s secondary in a 17-14 loss.

Hartman led a potential go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, but he finished with season-lows in yards (175), yards per attempt (7.0) and touchdowns (1). He was also stoned twice on failed 4th-and-short runs.  Still, the Wake Forest transfer has been as advertised on the aggregate — completing 70% of his passes at 10.7 per attempt with 14 touchdowns and zero picks. 

4. WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville

Thrash has been one of the most productive transfers in the country in 2023, averaging 100 receiving yards a game (No. 2 in the ACC) and leading the conference with 21.0 yards per catch.

He has five touchdowns, another another to his ledger in the blowout win over Boston College (five catches for 71 yards and a score). 

5. QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech

The former Texas A&M starter is finally living up to his recruiting billing — just at a new home in Atlanta. King went on the road to Wake Forest and led the Yellow Jackets to an emphatic 30-16 upset win with 275 total yards and two touchdowns. 

He ranks No. 2 in the ACC this year in passing behind only Drake Maye, and is tied with Tyler Van Dyke for the league-lead in touchdowns (11). 

6. DB Khyree Jackson, Oregon

The Alabama transfer won all his 1-on-1 battles against Xavier Weaver on Saturday, allowing zero completions on three targets — with a pair of pass breakups. 

Jackson finished Oregon’s blowout win with four tackles, three PBUs and just one catch allowed, grading out as one of PFF’s best cornerbacks in all the country in Week 4. 

On the season, he’s spearheaded a resurgent Oregon pass defense that tops the Pac-12, with Jackson leading the way with two picks and five PBUs.

7. EDGE Andre Carter,Indiana

The Hoosiers barely survived beating Akron in four overtimes on Saturday, with their standout pass rusher having a real feast or famine performance. 

For the second straight week, Carter had seven hurries while adding a sack. He made three “stops,” per PFF. But he also missed three tackles and was hit with a pair of penalties — including a roughing the passer on 3rd-and-11 that extended an eventual touchdown drive for the Zips. 

Still, Carter leads the Big Ten in hurries.

8. RB Marshawn Lloyd, USC

Lloyd is gouging teams on the ground through four games at USC, averaging a Pac-12-best 8.95 yards per carry. The South Carolina transfer ran wild against Arizona State, going for 154 on just 14 touches (11.0 per rush). 

Lloyd ranks No. 2 in the conference in yards (349) despite having just the 10th-most carries. He’s likely in store for another big showing in Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff against a Colorado run defense that’s awful (last in the Pac-12 in rushing, yards per carry and touchdowns).

9. WR/DB Travis Hunter, Colorado

Hunter missed the blowout loss at Oregon with a lacerated liver he suffered on a cheap shot by Colorado State safety Henry Blackburn two weeks ago. He’s begged Deion Sanders to play Saturday against USC, but he’s not expected to return to action for a few more weeks. 

“Travis is always gonna be missed,” Sanders said. “He’s the best darn player in college football. How is he not missed? That’s just like you saying you’re writing an article and your pen is missing. That’s how much he means.”

10. QB Jack Plummer, Louisville

The ex-Purdue and Cal transfer has finally found a home being reunited with Jeff Brohm, as the Cardinals lead the ACC in passing in 2023 — with 14 plays over 30 yards, trailing only Washington nationally.  

Headed for a career year, Plummer had six total touchdowns in the 56-28 rout over Boston College, completing 18 of 21 throws for 388 yards. On the season, he has 10 touchdown passes and is averaging over 11.5 yards per attempt. 

Best of the Rest: DL Bear Alexander, RB Blake Watson, Memphis; LB Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri; WR Xavier Weaver, Colorado; WR Xavier Henderson, Cincy; WR Nate McCollum, North Carolina; WR Andrel Anthony, Oklahoma.