Top 25 overall players in the NCAA Transfer Portal

The NCAA transfer portal is booming, with the window for players to enter without having to sit out a year in residence beginning on Monday. There are already hundreds of players in the portal.

Players hitting the market range from quarterbacks who have proudly captained their squads, to impact defenders, to elite playmakers on offense. On3 has compiled a list of the current top 25 players in the NCAA transfer portal.

The list includes a handful of names that everyone will recognize, then a handful that they certainly should get familiar with in the coming days. Let’s take a look.

1. Cam Ward, Quarterback, Washington State

This is the second time around that Ward is hitting the transfer market, after going from Incarnate Word to Washington State. Like last time, Ward is likely to significantly upgrade his prospects after showing what he can do at the Power Five level.

Ward has thrown for more than 3,000 yards in each of the last three seasons, while he has topped 20 touchdowns in each of the last four seasons. He’s one of the most prolific career passers in the country, tallying 13,874 yards pasing and 119 touchdowns. He’s also run for 16 scores.

2. Dante Moore, Quarterback, UCLA

The former five-star prospect played right away for UCLA this year but didn’t hold the starting job throughout the season, as UCLA split snaps between Moore, Ethan Garbers and Collin Schlee. Moore showed some real talent but still had some polishing to do.

The UCLA freshman threw for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns, but he did so while also throwing nine interceptions. Going forward, Moore will need to cut down on the turnovers, but whoever lands him will be getting a real raw talent.

3. Trey Moore, EDGE, UTSA

In his second season as a major contributor, Moore emerged as an even bigger threat off the edge, a constant thorn in the side of opposing quarterbacks. His numbers alone will get him a look from just about every major program in the country.

Moore finished the 2023 campaign with 45 tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss, 14.0 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and four pass breakups. In two years he has 35.5 tackles for a loss and 22.0 sacks.

4. Will Howard, Quarterback, Kansas State

One of the most talented quarterbacks to hit the market this offseason, Howard showed what he could do for a contending Kansas State team. He was a major reason why the Wildcats won eight games this season.

In four seasons with the Wildcats, Howard completed 59% of his passes while throwing for close to 5,800 yards and 48 touchdowns. He served as a part-time starter in 2022 and took over as the Wildcats’ QB1 in 2023, leading them to an 8-4 record.

5. Dillon Gabriel, Quarterback, Oklahoma

Like Ward, Gabriel is on his second transfer after showing what he can do at the Power Five level. He originally picked the Sooners after playing for UCF out of high school.

Gabriel played in 12 games during the 2023 season, completing just over 69% of his passes. He threw for 3,660 yards and 20 touchdowns, with just six interceptions. Whoever gets him will have a mobile quarterback on their hands as well, with Gabriel adding 373 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns to the stat sheet.

6. Marcus Carroll, Running Back, Georgia State

After four years at Georgia State, Carroll is looking to move on, likely to a more high-profile program where he can showcase his skills and hopefully earn a shot in the NFL. He has slowly built up to that point over his career.

Carroll ran for 622 yards as a junior in 2022, then hit 1,350 yards in 2023. He ran for 13 scores. Carroll also began to show some pass-catching versatility in 2023, catching 23 passes for 234 yards. In his career, Carroll has run for 2,136 yards and 22 touchdowns.

7. Monroe Mills, Offensive Tackle, Texas Tech

Mills will be on his second transfer this offseason after going from Oklahoma State to Texas Tech originally. But he’s a graduate transfer, so he’ll still be able to play right away in 2024.

The talented 6-foot-6 tackle has been a regular starter for Texas Tech for the past two years, starting on both sides of the line. He started 10 games at right tackle in 2022, then started 12 games at left tackle in 2023. He’ll be an experienced option up front for someone.

8. Joey Slackman, Defensive Line, Penn

One of the first players into the NCAA transfer portal during this cycle, Slackman immediately began collecting Power Five offers from some major programs upon entry. He’s been one of the most sought-after defensive linemen in the portal.

Slackman registered 50 tackles, including 12 behind the line of scrimmage and 4.0 sacks, with one pass breakup this season. His 90.1 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade led all FCS defensive tackles, as did his 92.8 run-defense rating. He posted 18 pressures as a pass rusher, which was tied for 36th among FCS interior defensive linemen.

9. Riley Leonard, Quarterback, Duke

One of the ACC’s most talented quarterbacks, Leonard is seeking a fresh opportunity after helping elevate the Duke program to new heights. He’ll be one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the transfer portal.

Leonard played in seven games this year under Mike Elko at Duke. He was dealing with an ankle injury, dating back to the Notre Dame game in Durham. Even so, Leonard was still able to put up 1,102 passing yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Being a threat on the ground is where Leonard can be really dangerous, adding 352 rushing yards and four touchdowns to the stat sheet.

10. Ethan Miner, Interior Offensive Line, North Texas

Miner will be a second-time transfer after going from Arkansas State to North Texas previously. He’ll be a good one, too, after proving at North Texas he was more than up to the task.

The 6-foot-2, 296-pound offensive lineman started every game for the Mean Green at center this season, bringing his career total of starts up to 36. He has been a consistent anchor in the middle for whatever team he has lined up on.

Top 25 Transfers, 11-25

11. WR Juice Wells, South Carolina
12. QB Brock Vandagriff, Georgia
13. QB Kyle McCord, Ohio State
14. CB Toriano Pride, Clemson
15. TE Justin Joly, UConn
16. WR Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
17. WR Will Sheppard, Vanderbilt
18. QB Dequan Finn, Toledo
19. EDGE RJ Oben, Duke
20. QB DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State
21. QB Chandler Rogers, North Texas
22. CB Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
23. TE Corey Dyches, Maryland
24. S Phillip Dunnam, Indiana
25. QB Tyler Van Dyke, Miami

There are a ton of talented players among the top 25 currently available transfers, including some notable quarterbacks in the likes of Vandagriff, McCord, Uiagalelei and Van Dyke. There are also some serious playmakers in the likes of Wells, Lacy and Sheppard. Finally, there are some talented defenders, as Oben is likely to draw heavy interest as well as several others. Be sure to stay tuned to the transfer portal rankings, because they’re updating on the regular with new entries daily.