Transfer Portal Player Rankings: Keon Coleman holds top spot, while Ray Davis & AD Mitchell crack Top 5

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

While the No. 1 spot remains unchanged for the second-straight week, there’s lots of other movement inside the Top 10 this week. 

Nice to see you again, Adonai Mitchell, Ray Davis and Tre Harris! Hello Blake Watson!

In this space just last week, I teased that I might need to keep an eye on Texas State tailback Ismail Mahdi and USF wideout Naiem Simmons, both of whom had outlandish outlier performances last weekend. 

Well, Simmons fell back to earth again, but Mahdi had an even better showing in Week 5 and cracked the Top 10 this week. 

(NOTE: I’m not an OL guru and it’s hard to judge those players. That being said, it’s clear that Drake Nugent at Michigan and Javion Cohen and Matt Lee at Miami have been among the most impactful transfers thus far this season.)

It’s becoming harder and harder to delineate the best of the best, but here’s how I landed on the Top 10 Transfer Portal Player Power Rankings after Week 5:

1. WR Keon Coleman, Florida State

Coleman enjoyed a respite weekend after torching Clemson for five catches, 86 yards and two scores — including the game-winner in overtime. 

He remains the most impactful transfer in the 2023 season, scoring six touchdowns thus far and helping lead the Seminoles to key wins over a pair of Tigers teams. 

2. QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

After struggling in a loss to Oregon, Sanders bounced back with another stat-stuffing performance in a close loss to USC. The Buffs’ quarterback spearheaded a furious second-half comeback, finishing with 421 total yards and five touchdowns to fall just short against the Trojans. 

Sanders ranks in the Top 5 nationally in yards, completion percentage and passing touchdowns through five games. 

3. QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

Down several of his top receivers, the former Wake Forest transfer saved the Irish’s College Football Playoff hopes with a gutsy scramble on 4th-and-16 to get a first down and lead Notre Date to a comeback win on the road against a Top 25 Duke team last weekend. 

On the season, Hartman has completed north of 66% of his passes with 14 touchdowns to zero picks. He has another test Saturday at Louisville.

 

4. RB Ray Davis, Kentucky

Davis nearly broke the SEC’s single-game record with 280 yards against Florida on Saturday. The Vandy transfer scored four touchdowns and has been the backbone of the Wildcats’ 2023 offense. 

Kentucky’s tailback, who has outstanding vision and cut-back abilities, leads the SEC in yards (594), yards per rush (7.82) and touchdowns (eight) through five games. He’s been awesome as a receiver, too, hauling in 11 catches for 146 yards and four scores. 

5. WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Xavier Worthy gets lots of shine but AD Mitchell might be the Longhorns’ best receiver in 2023. The Georgia transfer showcased his simpatico connection with Quinn Ewers against Kansas, hauling in a team-high 10 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. 

Mitchell leads Texas in targets and touchdowns through five games. 

6. WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville

Thrash was held in check on Friday night against NC State, hauling in just three catches for 44 yards in a slog 13-10 win by the Cardinals. 

Still, the Georgia State transfer remains among the more productive (22 catches) and explosive (20.2 yards per catch) wideouts in the nation. If the Cards are going to engineer an upset over Notre Dame on Saturday, they need another big night from Thrash.

7. WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss

After missing the last two games with an injury, the Rebels’ transfer made his presence felt in force against LSU, torching a Tigers secondary for eight catches for 153 yards and the game-winning touchdown where he okey-doked multiple defenders. 

In the three games he’s played, the La. Tech transfer is averaging 21.3 yards per catch and has six touchdowns — the first of which would top the SEC and the latter which is good for 3rd in the league.

8. RB Blake Watson, Memphis

Very quietly, the Old Dominion transfer tailback has emerged as one of the most productive plug-and-replace players in the country in 2023. 

Against Boise State, Watson had 113 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. For the year, Watson has 455 yards (more than 120 than the next-best ‘back in the AAC), with a conference-best six touchdowns while averaging nearly 6.0 yards per carry. 

9. RB Marshawn Lloyd, USC

The Trojans refused to run the ball as much as they should’ve against Colorado (just seven snaps after halftime despite being up 34-14), but the South Carolina transfer remained a key cog in the offense. 

Lloyd had 13 carries for 84 yards and a score, and is averaging over 8.3 yards per carry this season. The former Top-100 recruit has been as-advertised and will play a key role in how USC’s unfolds the rest of the fall. 

10. RB Ismail Mahdi, Texas State 

A week after rushing for over 200 yards, Mahdi had another resplendent performance in a win over Southern Miss on Saturday. The FCS transfer had 89 rushing yards on 14 carries — with three touches going for touchdowns. But Mahdi  also added 89 yards receiving on ONE CATCH and 100-yard kickoff return score. 

That’s 278 total yards and four touchdowns. Definitely Top 10 worthy.  

Best of the Rest: DB Khyree Jackson, Oregon WR/DB Travis Hunter, Colorado; EDGE Andre Carter, Indiana; LB Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri; WR Xavier Weaver, Colorado; WR Andrel Anthony, Oklahoma; QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech.