Whether it was players joining rosters or new entries into the transfer portal seeking fresh opportunities, player movement was a key storyline of the 2024 season. The second transfer window has now closed in 2025, and the focus will shift to how these movements will impact the College Football Playoff next fall.

Some players will continue to take visits and find new homes, but many teams already have made significant additions via transfers. The transfer route, though, is a two-way street, and losses can impact rosters as well — and that needs to be accounted for.

Here’s a look at the 10 teams that mastered the winter and spring portal windows to upgrade their rosters.

1. Texas Tech Red Raiders

After hitting the portal hard this winter to amass one of the Big 12’s most improved rosters, Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders landed their most high-profile addition in the spring portal. Former Stanford edge defender David Bailey, who has 14.5 career sacks, transferred to Lubbock in the wake of Troy Taylor’s firing, giving the Red Raiders a disruptive edge presence. He has the chance to develop into an early round pick. They can pair Bailey with Georgia Tech transfer Romello Height, who arrived over the winter after making 34 stops and 2.5 sacks last year. This overhauls a Red Raiders pass rush that finished in the bottom half of the conference in sacks in 2024.

Texas Tech’s newfound willingness to spend in the portal yielded nearly 20 additions. UCF defensive tackle transfer Lee Hunter should provide additional immediate help on defense and should become one of the top defensive linemen in the Big 12. Howard Sampson (North Carolina), Hunter Zambrano (Illinois State) and Will Jados (Miami, Ohio) will help on the offensive line. Jados is one of two Miami transfers to join Texas Tech — the other is 6-foot-4 wide receiver Reggie Virgil, who is coming off an 816-yard season with nine touchdowns. The Red Raiders also shored up their leaky secondary, headlined with the addition of safety Cole Wisniewski, a versatile All-American who arrives from FCS power North Dakota State. To cap off the class, Tech brought back receiver Micah Hudson who left in the winter portal for Texas A&M.

2. LSU Tigers

The Tigers finished with nine wins last year, after back-to-back 10-win seasons to begin Brian Kelly’s tenure, and they moved swiftly in the winter portal to ensure no further cracks in the foundation. Their additions fortified a roster that also included one of the better incoming high school classes in the country.

The Tigers did all their work in the winter portal. Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and Barion Brown (Kentucky) give Garrett Nussmeier a pair of new pass-catching options with SEC pedigree. Anderson is one of two former Sooners arriving in Baton Rouge, joining 6-foot-4 Bauer Sharp, who caught 42 passes for 324 yards and two scores last year. There were intriguing additions on defense as well. Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton is the star of the class with 16 career sacks, though he has been an inconsistent performer. Corner Mansoor Delane started 25 games over the past two years with Virginia Tech and had a team-high four interceptions last year. He joins Ja’Keem Jackson (Florida) and Tamarcus Cooley (NC State) as backend additions worth keeping an eye on.

Kelly might even have added LSU’s quarterback of the future after landing Michael Van Buren Jr., a former ESPN 300 recruit who appeared in 10 games with Mississippi State last year.

3. Oregon Ducks

It was a quiet spring for the Ducks, but they already had done most of their heavy lifting. They have one of the nation’s top portal classes, a strong incoming high school group (No. 3 overall class), and won 25 games over the past two seasons, so there weren’t many glaring needs to fill.

Tulane transfer running back Makhi Hughes is one of the nation’s top additions of either portal window and has the inside track on Oregon’s starting job. He’s a two-time All-AAC first team selection who gets downhill in a hurry and ran for 2,779 yards over the last two seasons. At 210 pounds, he should have no issue shouldering the load. Protecting new starting quarterback Dante Moore is paramount, and transfer tackle Isaiah World (Nevada) and guard Emmanuel Pregnon (USC) should allow the Ducks to remake the left side of their offensive line on the fly. Pregnon, in particular, was a key win considering how Oregon and USC have battled for transfers and freshmen alike this year — an interesting subplot in a loaded Big Ten.

The Ducks also landed Dillon Thieneman (Purdue), one of the best safeties on the market.

4. Ole Miss Rebels

It’s not the transfer portal without the Rebels. Ole Miss has once again flipped its roster, bringing in nearly 50 new faces through transfers and incoming freshmen. Much of the Rebels’ work in the portal focused on replenishing depth on both sides of the ball.

A pair of Arkansas SEC transfers in guard Patrick Kutas and tight end Luke Hasz, a 2023 ESPN 300 prospect, could immediately step into starting roles. Former Florida standout Princely Umanmielen notched 10.5 sacks as a senior transfer addition last year, and now his younger brother, Princewill Unanmielen, arrives in Oxford via Nebraska hoping to develop into a similar impact edge rusher. Troy running back Damien Taylor, one of the top rushers in the Sun Belt, might end up as the Rebels’ starter.

In the spring, Ole Miss added corner Tavoy Feagin, another former ESPN 300 prospect, joining the Rebels after one season at Clemson. He showed an impressive combination of length, toughness and change-of-direction skills as a prep, and he appeared in the Under Armour All-American game. They also added 6-foot-3 corner Ricky Fletcher, plus Division II All-American quarterback Trinidad Chambliss from Ferris State, where he accounted for over 4,000 yards and 51 touchdowns as a dual-threat and could serve in specific packages while manning backup quarterback duties.

5. Miami Hurricanes

Landing Carson Beck brought college football’s most recognizable transfer of the winter portal to campus. Now, the Hurricanes surely hope he experiences a similar resurgence as Cam Ward. Beck has prototypical size and arm talent when healthy. He missed spring practice recovering from a significant elbow injury. His status will be one of the bigger stories in the country leading up to the start of the season.

After losing two of their top three most productive receivers from 2024, they pulled CJ Daniels out of the portal. He was very productive in 2023 at Liberty with over 1,000 yards receiving and had 40 catches at LSU last season. Daniels lacks elite speed but has good body control and is a sharp route runner. He should help make up for some of the production lost with Xavier Restrepo and Isaiah Horton gone.

On defense, Louisiana Tech transfer David Blay was a notable add. He made 45 stops along with six sacks last year. Blay was one of the best defensive tackles in the portal and brings a high motor and disruptive inside pass-rushing presence to the middle of a Miami defense undergoing a scheme change under new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman. Miami’s addition of corner Xavier Lucas was controversial off the field, but on it, the Florida native appeared in 12 games as a freshman and is one of several additions in the secondary along with Ethan O’Connor (Washington State) and Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State).

6. Missouri Tigers

Missouri has had back-to-back double-digit win seasons, but Eli Drinkwitz’s incoming transfer class will play a pivotal role in determining whether the Tigers can hold their ground following the departures of Brady Cook, Luther Burden III, Armand Membou and Nate Noel.

Penn State transfer quarterback Beau Pribula didn’t see much action behind Drew Allar, attempting only 56 passes over the last two years. He’s an accurate passer who extends plays with his mobility. He’ll benefit from sharing a backfield with 205-pound transfer running back Ahmad Hardy, who ran for 1,351 yards and 13 scores as a freshman at Louisiana-Monroe. He rose from unheralded recruit to one of the best running back transfers and he rarely goes down on first contact. Mississippi State transfer receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. gives Pribula a versatile playmaker with SEC experience. He was Mississippi State’s top target in 2024 and accounted for over 30 percent of the Bulldogs’ receiving production.

Missouri’s most high-profile addition, though, was on defense. Former Georgia edge Damon Wilson II was a four-star recruit who has an 80-inch wingspan. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, he has the size-speed combination to flourish as a full-time pass rusher. He’ll have a much clearer path to making a consistent impact with Missouri after playing only 30 snaps per game in the SEC last year.

7. Auburn Tigers

Hugh Freeze is walking the line between building for the future and upgrading Auburn’s roster for immediate results as he looks to guide the Tigers to their first winning season since 2020.

Auburn has a highly ranked incoming freshmen class (No. 6 overall), which includes potential quarterback of the future Deuce Knight. That didn’t stop Freeze from adding quarterback Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold in the portal in the hopes a fresh start and renewed confidence will help unlock the former five-star’s potential. He’ll have another dynamic target in Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr., who is an elite sprinter and ranked as the fourth-best player available in the winter portal.

Auburn didn’t stop there. Xavier Chaplin looks like an instant plug-and-play option at left tackle after showing sturdy pass protection as a two-year starter at Virginia Tech. This spring, the staff turned its focus to the defense, adding James Ash (Florida A&M) and Jay Hardy (Liberty), plus linebacker Caleb Wheatland from Maryland. Returning to relevance in the SEC won’t be easy, but Freeze’s roster is on the rise.

8. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Matt Rhule is using the portal to reshape Nebraska’s identity. Despite a few departures, Nebraska’s additions stack up against the best in the country after landing three of the top-50 players available in the winter portal.

At wide receiver, former Kentucky veteran Dane Key brings polish and reliability as a three-year SEC contributor who followed his position coach Daikiel Shorts Jr. to Nebraska. Key’s a contested ball specialist who creates separation even without elite athleticism. While Key has only one season remaining, incoming Cal transfer receiver Nyziah Hunter has a much longer runway after catching 40 passes for 578 yards in his first season last year. If Key is more of a tactician, Hunter counters with sheer athleticism as a 6-foot-2 receiver with impressive straight-line speed and a great frame. In a critical year for QB Dylan Raiola, that duo could emerge as a much-needed reliable combination.

On defense, Williams Nwaneri opted to leave hometown Missouri for Lincoln. A 2024 five-star, Nwaneri projects to big things because of his length and quickness off the edge, but his lack of production (he played only 38 snaps) was surprising. Developing Nwaneri into an impact defender would be a major win for a Huskers staff that remade their defensive line this winter. Elijah Pritchett (Alabama) and Rocco Spindler (Notre Dame) arrive with plenty of starting experience on the offensive line as well.

9. Florida State Seminoles

Florida State’s nightmare 2024 season shows the risk-reward nature of relying heavily on portal additions. The Seminoles are surely hoping the addition of former Boston College QB Tommy Castellanos works out better than DJ Uiagalelei. Castellanos’ departure from BC and coach Bill O’Brien raised eyebrows when he transferred before the season ended, but he’s familiar with offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. Florida State’s system should help strengthen his dual-threat play style, especially when he’s asked to create on the fly.

The Seminoles worked hard to add around Castellanos. USC transfer Duce Robinson is a massive 6-foot-6 receiver target who can be deployed either on the boundary or as an in-line option. FSU also brought in dynamic speed option Squirrel White from Tennessee, although he struggled to mirror his 2023 production when he hauled in 67 passes for 803 yards. Florida State added a bevy of new faces on both the offensive and defensive lines as it overhauls its trenches as well. In the spring, FSU added Houston corner Jeremiah Wilson, the No. 11 player in ESPN’s portal rankings.

10. Texas A&M Aggies

After an eight-win season in 2024, Mike Elko has built a wave of positive momentum on the recruiting trail, but the Aggies need to jump-start a passing offense that finished near the bottom of the SEC to take the next step. Their work in the transfer portal confirmed as much.

Landing Kevin Concepcion from NC State netted the Aggies one of the top transfer receivers on the market, and he might quickly develop into Marcel Reed‘s safety blanket out of the slot. Concepcion has wiggle, versatility and a productive track record. He won ACC Rookie of the Year in 2023, but unsteady Wolfpack quarterback play hurt his output a season ago. Concepcion is one of the several incoming pass catchers primed to play a big role. Mississippi State transfer Mario Craver is a burner at receiver with three years of eligibility. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Houston transfer Jonah Wilson has great size.

Georgia transfer Julian Humphrey is the top name to know defensively. A 6-foot-1 corner, he was replaced after starting 10 games for the Bulldogs in 2024 and subsequently announced his intention to transfer ahead of the SEC Championship game. Elko, a former defensive coordinator, could find ways to utilize Humphrey’s frame and physicality. The change of scenery and return to his home state could also be a plus for Humphrey.