Even though it doesn’t open again until Monday, Dec. 4, many college football players have already told coaches they want to join or leave certain schools through the transfer site. One of those names is Riley Leonard, who used to play quarterback for Duke. He will be going somewhere else in the fall of 2024 after three seasons with the Blue Devils.
A new list from On3 shows that a lot of skilled players have entered the portal. Leonard is just one of them, and these players will likely be very sought after. A lot of other names come to mind, like Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina, Will Howard from Kansas State, and Tyler Van Dyke from Miami.
This is just the start of what will be yet another historic season leading up to 2024, when conference realignment will play a big role in many of the choices these new players make.
In this list, we’ll look at some of the best players who are about to be released.
1. QB Duke and Riley Leonard
Duke was one of the surprises of 2023, and it wasn’t just the great defense led by Mike Elko. They beat Clemson by three touchdowns in the first game. That was also due in large part to Riley Leonard. If he hadn’t been hurt so many times this season and been able to play in only seven games, the Blue Devils might have been in the running for the ACC Championship this weekend.
Leonard has thrown 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his career. He has also scored 19 scores on the ground. He is accurate and very fast, which is why he is at the top of this list from the transfer site. A lot of people already think he will go to Notre Dame, just like Sam Hartman did from Wake Forest last season.
2. Will Rogers, quarterback for Mississippi State
Will Rogers did very well with the Air Raid system and the late head coach Mike Leach. This season, Zach Arnett took over and gave Kevin Barbay charge of the offense. Rogers did not do well with the new method. His numbers dropped a lot, though some of that was because he got hurt.
His friend Mario Cristobal from Miami has already followed him on X, which used to be called Twitter. Shannon Dawson is in charge of the offense for the Hurricanes. They use a style of play called “Air Raid.”
3. Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward
The Cougars’ program is uncertain right now because they don’t play in a league. Cameron Ward, one of the best quarterbacks to come out of the Pac-12 this season, is now putting his name in the transfer portal.
You have to agree that Ward is now one of the best in the site. This year, he threw for 3,736 yards, 25 touchdowns, and only seven picks. The bad thing about Ward is that he could still enter the NFL Draft.
4. Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall
It was expected that McCall would be one of the most sought-after portal signings when he put his name into it last season, with Auburn being very high on his list. But because of school, he had to take down his name, so he stayed with Coastal Carolina for another season. McCall’s performance dropped a lot, though, and like many of the other players on this list, it was because he got hurt.
This season, he only threw 10 scores and 6 interceptions, which is a big drop from the 25/2 ratio he had in his previous three seasons. Hugh Freeze might finally be able to get McCall this season as a senior transfer, where he won’t have to worry about school?
5. Notre Dame offensive lineman Zeke Correll
It’s not often that you can find an offensive lineman in the transfer window who is ready to play right away. So, Zeke Correll is at the top of these rankings because, even though there are a lot of talented quarterbacks, someone will need his help to guard one of them.
It’s possible for Correll to play both guard and center, but he mostly lined up at center for South Bend during his 23 games with the Fighting Irish.
6. Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei
Uiagalelei was once very important to Dabo Swinney and Clemson, but he left for Corvallis last season because he was having trouble staying consistent. The former Tigers quarterback had a bit of a comeback while working for Oregon State’s head coach Jonathan Smith. He threw for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only seven picks.
His 30-10 record in 40 career starts should get him a lot of attention from coaches looking in the window. Could he get back to Smith, who was just named Michigan State’s new head coach?
7. Kansas State quarterback Will Howard
Will Howard hopes to find a new home where he’s the full-time starter after four years in Manhattan sharing time with other quarterbacks. He is entering the transfer portal to do this. Even though he had to split time with other players, he still threw for 5,786 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions. He also scored nine scores on the ground.
He will get a lot of attention because of his big body and dual-threat skills.
8. Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke
Tyler Van Dyke was once a Heisman contender, but that quickly went away as he dealt with injuries and poor play. His stats were pretty much the same this season: he threw 19 scores and 12 interceptions. In the last two years, he has picked off 17 passes.
Van Dyke has had a hard time with the Miami school because they have had a new offensive coordinator every season of his career. When he goes through the portal, he’ll have a new one, but maybe a change of setting is just what he needs.
9. Dante Moore, quarterback, UCLA
When Dante Moore signed with the Bruins in the 2023 recruitment cycle, he had originally committed to Oregon when he was in high school. This was one of Chip Kelly’s biggest turns arounds. As a true freshman, he played in nine games this season, but he still had to split time with other quarterbacks because the team kept struggling. He only threw for 1,610 yards, 11 scores, and 9 picks. His going through the portal doesn’t come as much of a surprise, which is making Kelly in Pasadena even more unsure.
10. Clemson wide receiver Beaux Collins
Clemson used to have a lot of potential at wide receiver, but the last couple of seasons have not been good there. Because of this, Dabo Swinney must be sad to lose Beaux Collins, who has been one of the better players. During the season, he caught 38 passes, gained 510 yards, and scored three score.
