The transfer portal and the 2022 all-conference teams (arrivals and departures)

One of the many perceived negatives of the transfer portal was that “smaller schools” – Group of 5 schools in football, mid- and low-majors in basketball – would sign and develop players, then see them depart to bigger schools.

No question that has happened. But Group of 5 schools in football definitely have benefited from the portal in terms of all-conference players.

In the Power 5 leagues in 2022, 27 transfers were first-team all-conference performers. There were 19 from other Power 5 programs, four from Group of 5 schools, three from the FCS ranks and one from a Division II program. There were 25 transfers who were first-team all-league performers in the Group of 5 conferences, with 11 of those having transferred down from a Power 5 program. Eight transferred up: seven from FCS schools and one from a Division II program. There also were six who moved from other Group of 5 programs.

After the season, there were 14 first-team all-league guys in the Group of 5 conferences who entered the transfer portal. All 14 are headed to Power 5 programs. Here’s a closer look.

(Two Power 5 all-conference players – both from the Pac-12 – entered the transfer portal. Both are headed to other Power 5 programs: Oregon State linebacker Omar Speights to LSU and Arizona State punter Eddie Czaplicki to USC.)

AAC

Three first-team All-AAC performers hit the transfer portal: Temple defensive lineman Darian Varner to Wisconsin, Cincinnati cornerback Ja’Quan Sheppard to Maryland and USF return specialist Jimmy Horn Jr. to Colorado. (Horn also is a wide receiver but was honored as a return man.) All three left for Power 5 schools.

The flip side? Eight transfers were named first-team All-AAC: UCF offensive tackle Ryan Swoboda (Virginia), Tulane guard Prince Pines (Sam Houston State), UCF defensive tackle Ricky Barber (Western Kentucky), Cincinnati nose tackle Jowon Briggs (Virginia), UCF linebacker Jason Johnson (Eastern Illinois), Cincinnati linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (Miami of Ohio), Tulane cornerback Jarius Monroe (Nicholls State) and Memphis kicker Chris Howard (Florida). That’s three transfers from Power 5 schools, two from other Group of 5 programs and three from the FCS ranks.

Conference USA

Two first-team All-C-USA selections entered the transfer portal: Louisiana Tech wide receiver Tre Harris to Ole Miss and UTEP offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers to Florida State. Both are headed to Power 5 schools.

Three transfers earned first-team all-league honors: UTSA defensive tackle Brandon Brown (Tulane), UTSA safety Clifford Chattman (Texas A&M) and North Texas cornerback Ridge Texada (McNeese State). That’s one from a Power 5 school, one from another Group of 5 program and one from the FCS ranks.

Mid-American

Five first-team All-MAC picks went into the transfer portal: Kent State wide receiver Dante Cephas to Penn State, Kent State wide receiver Devontez Walker to North Carolina, Ball State running back Carson Steele to UCLA, Kent State running back Marquez Cooper to Ball State and Kent State offensive tackle Marcellus Marshall to UCF. All five are headed to Power 5 programs.

Six transfers were first-team all-conference guys: Akron wide receiver Alex Adams (LSU), the aforementioned Walker (North Carolina Central), Ohio wide receiver Sam Wiglusz (Ohio State), Central Michigan defensive end Thomas Incoom (Valdosta State), Toledo linebacker Dallas Gant (Ohio State) and Eastern Michigan return specialist Jaylon Jackson (Lamar). That’s three former Power 5 players, two former FCS players and a former Division II player.

Mountain West

No first-team all-conference players left via the transfer portal.

Five first-teamers were transfers: Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener (Washington), Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton (Nevada), San Jose State wide receiver Elijah Cooks (Nevada), Hawaii tight end Caleb Phillips (Stanford) and Nevada safety Bentlee Sanders (USF). That’s two from Power 5 programs and three from other Group of 5 schools (including two intraconference moves).

Sun Belt

Four first-team all-conference players left via the transfer portal: Old Dominion wide receiver Ali Jennings to Virginia Tech, Georgia State wide receiver Jamari Thrash to Louisville, Arkansas State tight end Seydou Traore to Colorado and Coastal Carolina center Willie Lampkin to North Carolina. Each is headed to a Power 5 program.

Three former transfers made the All-Sun Belt first team: Marshall running back Khalan Laborn (Florida State), the aforementioned Jennings (West Virginia) and James Madison wide receiver Kris Thornton (VMI). That’s two from Power 5 schools and one from the FCS ranks.

As for the Power 5 all-league players who were transfers?

ACC (6): Four were from other Power 5 programs, one was from the FCS ranks and one was from Division II. The six: Florida State guard Dillan Gibbons (Notre Dame), Virginia cornerback Anthony Johnson (Louisville), Pitt guard Marcus Minor (Maryland), Florida State safety Jammie Robinson (South Carolina), Florida State EDGE Jared Verse (Albany) and NC State guard Chandler Zavala (Fairmont State).

Big Ten (2): Both were from other Power 5 programs – Purdue wide receiver Charlie Jones (Iowa) and Michigan center Olusegun Oluwatimi (Virginia).

Big 12 (4): Two were from other Power 5 programs and two were from Group of 5 schools. The four: TCU center Alan Ali (SMU), Kansas State corner Julius Brents (Iowa), Baylor nose tackle Siaki Ika (LSU) and TCU corner Josh Newton (ULM).

Pac-12 (10): Eight of the 10 were from other Power 5 programs. One was from the Group of 5 and the other from an FCS program. The 10: USC wide receiver Jordan Addison (Pitt), USC corner Mekhi Blackmon (Colorado), UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet (Michigan), Oregon corner Christian Gonzalez (Colorado), Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley (Nevada), Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid (San Diego), UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu (Washington), Washington EDGE Jeremiah Martin (Texas A&M), California linebacker Jackson Sirmon (Washington) and USC quarterback Caleb Williams (Oklahoma).

SEC (5): Three were from other Power 5 programs, one was from a Group of 5 school and one from an FCS program. The five: Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (Virginia Tech), Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders (Alabama), Alabama linebacker Henry To’oTo’o (Tennessee), Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence (Louisiana) and South Carolina wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr. (James Madison). Wells played at JMU when the Dukes were in the FCS ranks.

In 2021, there were 13 transfers who were first-team all-league performers in the Power 5 conferences (two were specialists). There were five in the ACC, one in the Big Ten, two in the Big 12, three in the Pac-12 and two in the SEC. Eleven of the 13 were from other Power 5 programs; one was a Group of 5 transfer and the other was from the FCS ranks. And there were 11 first-team all-conference performers in 2021 from the Group of 5 ranks who transferred. Ten moved on to Power 5 programs, while the other went to another G5 school.