College Football's 10 Biggest Winners in 2025 Spring Transfer Portal

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College Football's 10 Biggest Winners in 2025 Spring Transfer Portal

Steven Lassan · Athlon Sports

Thu, May 8, 2025 ·

8 min read

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College football's spring transfer portal window for the 2025 season was active. Counting the first window in December, over 3,000 players entered their name into the transfer portal. As teams look to solidify their roster or improve their playoff hopes, the spring window produced several clear winners among teams. SEC heavyweights in Georgia, Texas , and LSU continued to build rosters capable of winning a national title, while Texas Tech 's offseason spending spree has coach Joey McGuire's team in the mix to win the Big 12.

Although the spring typically lacks the big names that enter in the fall, this year's cycle saw a handful of stars on the move. Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA in the spring's biggest move, with Joey Aguilar departing the Bruins' roster to replace him in Knoxville. Defensive end David Bailey left Stanford for Texas Tech in a high-profile defensive transfer, and LSU landed an impact safety in Houston 's A.J. Haulcy .

Which teams were the biggest winners in the spring transfer portal window for the 2025 college football season? Athlon Sports breaks down the 10 biggest winners:

College Football's Biggest Winners in the Spring Transfer Portal Window

Georgia

The Bulldogs addressed their biggest needs in the first window by landing receivers Noah Thomas (Texas A&M) and Zachariah Branch (USC). Additionally, with depth in the secondary a concern, coach Kirby Smart added three potential contributors for '25.

Although Smart filled the team's needs, it didn't stop Georgia from shopping in the portal this spring. Running back Josh McCray ( Illinois ) will help spell starter Nate Frazier , while offensive lineman Waltclaire Flynn Jr. ( UCF ) and defensive tackle Josh Horton (Miami) add depth in the trenches.

Army edge rusher Elo Modozie was one of the spring's most intriguing transfers. The Florida native emerged as a dynamic pass rusher for the Black Knights with 6.5 sacks in '24. How Modozie's talent translates to the SEC is a key fall storyline to watch.

Miami

Coach Mario Cristobal filled the team's biggest 2025 need by landing Georgia's Carson Beck to replace Cam Ward at quarterback in the first portal window. The Hurricanes continued to reinforce the team around Beck this spring by landing two veteran receivers in Tony Johnson (Cincinnati) and Keelan Marion ( BYU ). Both players add experience and depth to a young receiving corps. North Dakota State transfer CharMar Brown won the Jerry Rice Award as the most outstanding freshman at the FCS level last season, bringing another talented option to a deep backfield.

Upgrading a defense that allowed 30.8 points a game in ACC play started earlier this offseason with the arrival of new coordinator Corey Hetherman from Minnesota, along with a couple of portal additions up front and in the secondary in the first window. That effort continued this spring with safety Jakobe Thomas (Tennessee) and cornerback Keionte Scott (Houston) joining the mix. Linebacker Kamal Bonner (56 tackles) is a key addition to the second level after a standout freshman season at NC State.

Texas kicker Bert Auburn (16 of 25 on field goals in '24) also filled a major need with Andres Borregales off to the NFL.

Texas

The Longhorns had two clear needs in both transfer portal windows this offseason: Add weapons for quarterback Arch Manning and bolster the defensive front.

After landing three linemen (Hero Kanu, Travis Shaw and Cole Brevard) in the first window, coach Steve Sarkisian added more beef to the interior by landing Lavon Johnson ( Maryland ) and Maraad Watson (Syracuse) this spring.

California transfer tight end Jack Endries (56 catches for 623 yards) and receiver Emmett Mosley V (48 catches for 525 yards) committed this spring to fortify the weapons around Manning. Endries filled a major need with the departure of Gunnar Helm to the NFL.

Sarkisian also upgraded at kicker with Texas State's Mason Shipley (15 of 19 on field goals in '24).

Penn State

Quality, not quantity, was the theme of Penn State's transfer haul this offseason. The Nittany Lions added only two transfers this spring in receiver Trebor Pena (Syracuse) and linebacker Amare Campbell ( North Carolina ). However, both players filled key needs for a Penn State team capable of contending for a national championship in '25.

Pena is the third transfer receiver to join coach James Franklin's team this offseason. After picking up Kyron Hudson (USC) and Devonte Ross (Troy) in the first window, Pena was the biggest get for quarterback Drew Allar following a second-team All-ACC season at Syracuse last year. In 13 appearances in '24, Pena caught 84 passes for 941 yards and nine scores.

Tony Rojas and Dominic DeLuca are a solid returning duo at linebacker but more depth was needed. Campbell should push for a starting job after recording 76 tackles and 6.5 sacks in a breakout season with the Tar Heels last year.

LSU

After landing one of the nation's top transfer hauls in the first window, the Bayou Bengals didn't have a ton of glaring needs this spring. However, coach Brian Kelly still looked for opportunities to upgrade the roster.

LSU accomplished that goal with the commitments of Houston safety A.J. Haulcy and South Florida defensive lineman Bernard Gooden. Haulcy picked off five passes for the Cougars last season and is another key addition in a much-improved secondary. Gooden (10 TFL with the Bulls in '24) addressed the Tigers' biggest question mark exiting spring practice - depth at defensive tackle.

Texas Tech

The Red Raiders landed arguably college football's best transfer class in the first window and only added to it this spring.

Edge rusher David Bailey (eight tackles for a loss in '24) arrives from Stanford as the program's lone defensive addition this spring. But with Bailey, Romello Height ( Georgia Tech ), Anthony Holmes (Houston), Skyler Gill-Howard (Northern Illinois), and Lee Hunter (UCF) arriving from the portal, Texas Tech's defensive front should be among the most improved in the nation.

And on offense, receiver Micah Hudson is back after deciding to transfer (and later depart) Texas A&M after his freshman season in Lubbock in '24. Incarnate Word transfer Roy Alexander adds another weapon to the receiving corps after catching 100 passes at the FCS level in '24. Improving a struggling offensive line was a priority this offseason. After landing three key contributors in the first window, McGuire added another potential starter on the interior in Colorado 's Cash Cleveland.

Oklahoma

After a second losing record in three years, the pressure is building on coach Brent Venables. That urgency translated into an active transfer haul for the Sooners, starting with quarterback John Mateer ( Washington State ) and help for the receiving corps and offensive line in the first window.

However, the Sooners weren't finished after landing the standout class in the fall. Venables added a dynamic running back in Jaydn Ott (California) to team with Mateer in a revamped backfield. Injuries hampered Ott in '24, but he was considered one of college football's top running backs after rushing for 1,315 yards in '23. Kicker Tate Sandell (UTSA) is a key pickup with Zach Schmit (9 of 11 in field goals last year) out of eligibility.

Venables added more talent and depth to the receiving corps with McNeese State transfer Jer'Michael Carter, while offensive lineman Jake Maikkula (Stanford) should push for a starting job on the interior.

Ole Miss

"The Portal King" Lane Kiffin was at it again in college football's second transfer window. After landing over 20 transfers in the fall, the Rebels added seven more this spring.

Troy's Damien Taylor (1,010 yards in 2024) is a key addition to a depleted running back room. Quarterbacks Trinidad Chambliss (Ferris State) and Maealiuaki Smith (Oklahoma State) provide needed depth behind starter Austin Simmons . Also, Maryland transfer offensive lineman Terez Davis can push for a spot on the two-deep.

With only one defensive back (Chris Graves) returning who played more than 100 snaps last season, adding talent and depth to the secondary has been a priority all offseason. Kiffin added three more options here, including standout safety Wydett Williams from UL Monroe and cornerback Ricky Fletcher from South Alabama.

Oklahoma State

Coach Mike Gundy has dramatically reshaped Oklahoma State's roster after last year's disappointing 3-9 season. The Cowboys tallied over 20 additions in the first window and could end up with 40 transfers by the time all of the spring movement ends.

A defense that allowed 35.6 points a game last season has help on the way from six spring additions, including impact players in lineman De'Marion Thomas (Vanderbilt) and ends Wendell Gregory ( South Carolina ) and Taje McCoy (Colorado).

Georgia State transfer running back Freddie Brock headlined nine spring additions on offense. Linemen Bob Schick ( Virginia Tech ) and Markell Samuel (Appalachian State) are key pickups with the Cowboys losing all five starters from last year's unit.

UCLA

The Bruins desperately needed an offensive reset this spring after averaging only 18.4 points a game last season. Coach Deshaun Foster accomplished part of that goal in December by hiring Tino Sunseri from Indiana to call plays, with the second piece coming in the spring. After a high-profile split with Tennessee, quarterback Nico Iamaleava's transfer to Westwood gives the Bruins one of the Big Ten's most-talented signal-callers.

Just adding Iamaleava would be enough to land UCLA on this list, but Foster also landed a potential starter at running back in Jaivian Thomas (California) and help for the secondary (Jamier Johnson, Indiana and Rodrick Pleasant, Oregon ) and defensive line (Kechaun Bennett, Michigan and Anthony Jones, Michigan State).

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