Transfer Portal Power Rankings: Shedeur Sanders headlines Top 10 players after Week 2 of college football

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 a new No. 1! Colorado’s Batman and Robin — Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders — remain the top two impact transfers, but they flip-flopped spots this week. We also saw lots of movement in the bottom half, with six new additions including Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiageleli.

The Top 10 Transfer Portal Player Power Rankings after Week 2:

1. QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Sanders continues to creep onto more and more “Way-Too-Early” Heisman lists with another standout performance against Nebraska. While he was slowed a bit to start by the Cornhuskers’ relentless pressure, Sanders still played with precision and poise. 

He finished the blowout win with 393 yards and three total touchdowns. He held the ball too long at times, but the Buffs were able to overcome their eight sacks allowed because Sanders improvised enough big plays. For the second time against FBS competition, Sanders displayed top-flight accuracy (74% completion on the season) — especially on plays out of structure (see: His ridiculous 2-point conversion throw). 

2. WR/DB Travis Hunter, Colorado

The former No. 1 overall recruit didn’t repeat his transcendent performance against TCU, but Hunter was still highly involved in the win over TCU. 

A week after playing more than 130 snaps, Hunter proved he was capable of a similar workload, logging 126 snaps as a two-way star against the Cornhuskers. He finished with four tackles and one PBU and caught three passes for 73 yards. He made a huge 40-yard reception on a 3rd-and-15 to help setup a touchdown drive, and didn’t allow a single reception on 21 coverage snaps. 

3. WR Keon Coleman, Florida State

After torching LSU’s secondary with nine catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns, Coleman hauled in another touchdown in the Seminoles’ 66-13 blowout over Southern Miss before watching from the sidelines the rest of the second half. 

The ex-Michigan State transfer has quickly emerged as Jordan Travis’ favorite target, catching 12 passes on 17 targets (both team-highs). The ‘Noles are creatively utilizing Coleman’s versatile skill set, too, lining him up in both the slot and out wide. 

4. QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

Sam Hartman has quickly asserted himself as the best Irish quarterback since Brady Quinn. Out of the slow-mesh and into Gerad Parker’s offense, the Wake Forest transfer has been flawless through three games, averaging 11.4 yards per attempt (fourth-best nationally) with 10 touchdowns and zero picks.

The ACC’s all-time passing leader has completed 75% of his passes and has changed the Irish’s 2023 ceiling. Against a solid NC State defense, Hartman went 15 of 24 for 286 yards and four touchdowns — two of which were 35+ yard passes to emerging freshman tight end Holden Staes.

5. QB DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State

Uiagalelei may have found the fresh start he was looking for in Corvallis, as the ex-Clemson quarterback looks quite comfortable operating Jonathan Smith’s pro-style scheme. 

The former 5-star recruit is completing 74% of his passes — far and away a career-high. He has five passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. He’s not being asked to run nearly as much, but Uiagalelei’s legs are still a threat in the red zone (three rushing scores in two games). Uiagalelei made quick work against UC Davis (8 of 13 for 107 and two scores) before giving way to freshman Aiden Chiles.

6. WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

The former Georgia transfer is no stranger to making monster catches in marquee games, famously hauling in a touchdown in all four of the Bulldogs’ playoff wins the last two seasons. 

In his first big game at Texas, Mitchell again showed out on the biggest stage, beating future 1st Round corner Kool-Aid McKinstry for a long, moon-shot touchdown from Quinn Ewers. He also beat Alabama safety Trey Amos for another 39-yard score. On the season, Mitchell is averaging 17.3 yards per catch and has three of Ewers’ six touchdowns.

7. WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss

After a monster debut in Week 1, the former La. Tech playmaker got off to another hot start against Tulane before exiting the first quarter with an injury. 

Harris caught a 31-yard touchdown on the Rebels’ opening drive in the first minute of the game — his fifth of the season, No. 2 nationally. He finished the day with two catches for 55 yards. On the season, he’s averaging 23.5 yards per catch. Lane Kiffin said he does not expect Harris’ knee injury to sideline him long. 

8. WR Xavier Weaver, Colorado

How well did Deion Sanders clean up in the transfer portal? The Buffs have three of my Top 10 players through two weeks, and there’s definitely an argument that Jimmy Horn, who is on the best of the rest list, could be included, too. 

Weaver, a transfer from USF, is averaging 144 receiving yards per game. He has 16 catches at 18 yards per clip. As Shedeur Sanders’ favorite target, he torched Nebraska last weekend with 10 catches for 170 yards and a score. 

9. RB Marshawn Lloyd, USC

The former 5-star South Carolina signee is part of a three-headed backfield for the Trojans, but if Lloyd keeps gashing defenses at nearly 8.0 yards per clip then he’s going to see the lion’s share of carries moving forward. 

Against Stanford, Lloyd had a game-high 77 yards on just nine carries and a score. On the season, he has 195 yards and two touchdowns. Twelve of his 24 carries have gone for a first down, per PFF. 

10. DL Bear Alexander, USC

Despite missing a chunk of training camp battling a variety of injuries, the Georgia transfer has made an immediate impact on USC’s defense through its first three games. 

The Trojans are showing signs of a pulse on that side of the ball, and Alexander is among the reasons why. The raw stats aren’t eye-popping — just one TFL, 0.5 sacks, but Alexander has provided some real juice as an interior pass rusher. In three games, he’s racked up 12 quarterback hurries, per PFF, most among any interior DL in the country. He has multiple QB hits, two batted balls at the LOS and four “run stops.”

Best of the Rest: DB Jalen Catalan, Texas; RB Corey Kiner, Cincy; WR Jimmy Horn, Colorado; RB Carson Steele, UCLA; WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville.