College Football Transfers Who Will Immediately Upgrade Offenses in 2023
College football's transfer portal has revolutionized the way that rosters are built within the sport. Thanks to the NCAA allowing players to transfer to another school—at least once—without penalty, coaches across the country can rely on both recruiting classes and utilizing the portal to build their depth charts.
As we enter the 2023 season, there are a ton of big-time offensive skill players from the portal that will make huge impacts at their new schools.
From quarterbacks to wide receivers, tight ends and running backs, let's run through the college football transfers that will immediately upgrade offenses in 2023.
Wide Receivers, Part 1
Dorian Singer, USC
Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley is consistent at utilizing the transfer portal to land top talent. Just last season, Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams and leading receiver Jordan Addison came to USC via the transfer portal. Williams followed Riley from Oklahoma, while Addison came from Pitt.
Riley wasted no time using the portal again in this offseason. In Arizona transfer wideout Dorian Singer, Riley seemingly has found his replacement for Addison, who is now with the Minnesota Vikings. Singer had a breakout season for the Wildcats last season, accounting for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns, including a top-15 finish in receiving yards nationally.
In fact, Singer had a huge game against USC last season. During Arizona's 45-37 loss to the Trojans, the wideout had seven receptions for 141 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. Per Pro Football Focus, Singer's 29 catches that went for 15 or more yards were second in the Power Five behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr.
Adonai "AD" Mitchell, Texas
If Texas wants to compete for a Big 12 title this season, getting a receiver like Adonai Mitchell is a good start. The wideout transferred to the Longhorns after spending two seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs.
A 4-star recruit from Georgia's 2021 class, Mitchell played in all 15 of Georgia's games as a true freshman. He finished with 29 catches for 426 yards and four touchdowns.
As a sophomore in 2022, Mitchell was hampered by an ankle injury throughout the season. As a result, he played in just six games. He was able to play in some critical moments late in the year for the Dawgs, however. In fact, Mitchell scored the go-ahead touchdown against Ohio State in the Peach Bowl semifinal, off a 10-yard pass from Stetson Bennett.
He also had a touchdown against TCU in the national championship game.
At Texas, Mitchell gives starting quarterback Quinn Ewers yet another weapon at receiver. Mitchell will play alongside leading Texas receiver Xavier Worthy in 2023.
Travis Hunter, Colorado
Travis Hunter was the top-ranked transfer portal prospect in the nation, and for good reason. He plays both wide receiver and cornerback. After spending 2022 at Jackson State with Deion Sanders, he followed his head coach to Colorado.
Last season, he finished with 11 receptions for 135 yards and four touchdowns in Jackson State's final four games of the season. We'll see if Hunter gets more reps at receiver with the Buffs, which also includes former JSU quarterback—and Sanders' son—Shedeur Sanders under center.
Wide Receivers, Part 2
Dont'e Thornton Jr., Tennessee
The Volunteers will be looking to replace star wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, who is now with the New York Giants. The good news is that they brought in Oregon transfer Dont'e Thornton Jr. He'll give Tennessee some much-needed experience within the receiving corps.
Thornton played in all 14 games for Oregon as a true freshman, getting 175 yards and two touchdowns in 2021. Last season, he had 17 receptions for 366 yards and a touchdowns in 11 games.
I wouldn't be surprised if Thornton has a breakout season in 2023 and becomes Vols quarterback Joe Milton's new go-to receiver.
Dominic Lovett, Georgia
Georgia has one of the most talented receiving rooms in the country, featuring the likes of wideout Ladd McConkey and tight end Brock Bowers.
And the rich just get richer—the Dawgs add yet another talented receiver to their rotation in former Missouri receiver Dominic Lovett. Lovett led the Tigers in receiving last season, finishing with 846 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 15.1 yards per catch.
Keon Coleman, Florida State
Florida State looks like it has one of the most loaded offenses in the country. The unit features Heisman candidate Jordan Travis at quarterback, Trey Benson at tailback and receiver Johnny Wilson.
Now, add receiver Keon Coleman to that list. Coleman transferred to FSU after two seasons with Michigan State. In East Lansing, he had 65 receptions for 848 yards and eight touchdowns over his two seasons.
Tight Ends
Jaheim Bell, Florida State
Oh, speaking of the Noles' loaded offense! The unit has yet another receiving weapon for Jordan Travis from the transfer portal in tight end Jaheim Bell.
Bell spent 2020 to '22 with South Carolina and was used in both the rushing and passing game. He had his best season in 2022, finishing with 261 rushing yards with three scores and another 231 receiving yards with two scores.
FSU tight ends coach Chris Thomsen hinted that Bell might be a crucial weapon in the Noles running game with his blocking abilities:
"In the scrimmage, you break eight or nine tackles on one run. We gotta go block with that same tenacity and he's doing that," Thomsen said (via Sports Illustrated).
"We had a down block on a big D-end today on a toss play. He stuck his face in there and showed the physicality. The guy squats over 600 pounds. His lower half is extremely powerful, which is why it's hard to tackle him. It's hard to wrap that guy, but now take that to the run game."
CJ Dippre, Alabama
At 6'5", 257 pounds, Maryland transfer CJ Dippre will be a big target for Alabama's new starting quarterback, whether it's Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner, Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson.
Regardless of who wins the job, Dippre should produce for Alabama, which has to replace Cameron Latu from 2022. Dippre had 33 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns over two seasons with the Terps.
Dippre picked the Tide over Ohio State as his transfer destination.
Running Backs
Carson Steele, UCLA
The Bruins will need to replace Zach Charbonnet, who is now with the Seattle Seahawks. UCLA head coach Chip Kelly did a great job landing Carson Steele from Ball State in the transfer portal.
Steele rushed for 1,556 yards—good for ninth nationally—with 14 touchdowns. He averaged 129.7 yards per game, which also ranked inside the top 10 nationally.
MarShawn Lloyd, USC
Remember how I mentioned how successful Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley was at utilizing the portal? In addition to receiver Dorian Singer, Riley landed running back MarShawn Lloyd from South Carolina.
The running back had his most productive season in 2022 when he rushed for 573 yards and nine touchdowns. He added 176 yards and two touchdowns receiving, too. As USC replaces leading rusher Travis Dye from last season, Lloyd will be a welcomed addition to USC's already-loaded offense.
Treshaun Ward, Kansas State
Kansas State has to replace star running back Deuce Vaughn this season. The good news? K-State head coach Chris Klieman landed Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward to do just that in 2023.
Ward, who was at FSU since 2019, had his best seasons in 2021 and 2022. Over those two years, he combined for 1,143 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. K-State returns all five offensive linemen from last season, so Ward could have his most productive season yet in Manhattan.
Logan Diggs, LSU
LSU will be looking to build off its 10-4 season last year, one that included an SEC West title in head coach Brian Kelly's first season.
The Tigers have a great chance to do that in 2023 and added Notre Dame transfer Logan Diggs to their running back corps this offseason. Diggs rushed for 1,052 yards and seven touchdowns over two seasons with the Fighting Irish.
LSU brings back starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who also led the team in rushing. Diggs joins a running back room featuring Josh Williams and Noah Cain, who combined for 941 yards and 16 scores last season.
Quarterbacks
Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin
Wisconsin, under new head coach Luke Fickell, looks like a legitimate contender in the Big Ten West for 2023. A big reason for that is the addition of new QB Tanner Mordecai, who transferred from SMU.
Mordecai started his career at Oklahoma but played in just 12 games over three seasons with the Sooners.
He transferred to SMU prior to the 2021 season. He flourished with the Mustangs as their starter, throwing for 7,152 yards with 72 touchdowns and just 22 interceptions. He also set an SMU record with 13 games throwing for 300 or more passing yards and threw a school-record 39 touchdowns in 2021.
Mordecai's offensive coordinator will be Phil Longo. Just last season, Longo coached UNC QB Drake Maye to an NCAA-best 5,019 yards of offense with 45 total touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Wisconsin looks like a clear front-runner in the Big Ten West with Mordecai under center this season.
Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
As he enters year two, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is looking to lead the Fighting Irish to College Football Playoff contention. Luckily, he gets a huge upgrade under center in quarterback Sam Hartman.
Hartman has opted to play his sixth year of eligibility at Notre Dame after five impressive seasons at Wake Forest. He had his best season at Wake in 2021 when he threw for 4,228 yards and 39 touchdowns with 14 interceptions while rushing for 363 yards and 11 scores. The Deacs won the ACC Atlantic that season and finished with their second 11-win season in school history.
In 2022, Hartman missed the first two games of the season after being diagnosed with Paget-Schroetter syndrome, characterized by a blood clot in the subclavian vein, in early August. Remarkably, Hartman rehabbed in time to start for Wake's Week 3 game vs. Vanderbilt, and he threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns. He finished with 3,701 yards and 38 touchdowns with 12 interceptions on the year.
At Notre Dame, Hartman brings veteran experience to a unit that returns just six starters from last season. If Hartman and the Irish can navigate a tough schedule featuring games against Ohio State, USC and at Clemson, a playoff bid is a definite possibility.
Devin Leary, Kentucky
Kentucky has to replace second-round draft pick Will Levis under center this season. The good news is that the Wildcats get a veteran quarterback in Devin Leary, who transferred from NC State this offseason.
Following a redshirt season in 2018, he saw action in 12 games over his first two seasons with the Wolfpack. He played in just four games in 2020, suffering a broken fibula in NC State's game vs. Duke in October that ended his season.
Following the injury, Leary had a breakout season in 2021. He threw for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns—setting a new school single-season record—with just five interceptions. NC State finished 9-3.
In 2022, Leary got off to a hot start, throwing for 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns with four picks before suffering a shoulder injury that ended his season in Week 6 vs. Florida State.
If Leary can stay healthy, he can help Kentucky get back to relevance inside the SEC East after a down 7-6 season in 2022.