Analyzing all of the transfers and commitments from the spring window of the transfer portal – the portal won’t open again until December.
The spring window tends to be a little less hectic than the end of the college football regular season. Nonetheless, there have been some impactful losses and commitments over the past month.
There have also been some key graduate transfers and commitments when spring practice opened back in March that you may have missed. We cover all of those transfer portal movements for all 14 Big Ten teams below:
Illinois
Entered the Portal: 5
Incoming Transfers: 0
Biggest Impact: Defensive Depth
Illinois didn’t have any big-time names hit the portal, but their defensive depth certainly took a hit with the latest batch of transfers. LBs Shammond Cooper & CJ Hart, CB Prince Green, and DT Raashaan Wilkins all entered the portal this spring.
Cooper was a 4-star and top-300 prospect in the ’19 class, but has struggled to see the field outside of special teams. He’s appeared in 18 games over the past four seasons, accumulating just 9 tackles. Hart, on the other hand, has been a key reserve since transferring from NC State in ’21. He registered 22 tackles last year.
With Illinois’ top four linebackers all returning in 2023, these are definitely not devastating losses. However, their depth certainly takes a hit in the case Seth Coleman, Gabe Jacas, Alec Bryant or Ezekiel Holmes get hurt.
Prince Green was a 3-star prospect in the ’21 class and has not seen the field since enrolling. There was hope Green could develop into a key contributor as soon as this year, but he now leaves Illinois with three years of eligibility remaining.
Wilkins had just transferred from Vanderbilt last year and was a key backup at DT, garnering 13 tackles last year.
Illinois should once again field one of the Big Ten’s best defenses in 2023. The good news for Illinois is the talented front-seven stays almost completely in tact. However, the loss of a few key backups could test the Illini defense should the injury bug hit them this year.
True freshman TE Naivyan Cargill also transferred after not seeing the field last year.
Indiana
Entered the Portal: 1
Incoming Transfers: 2
Biggest Impact: Blocking
CB Trevell Mullen was Indiana’s lone transfer portal loss this spring. He’s the brother of CB Tiawan Mullen who was a freshman All-American in 2019 and just signed with the Chargers as an UDFA.
There was hope Trevell could develop into a similar kind of impact player. The 4-star prospect made a name for himself on the scout team as a true freshman last year and was in contention to carve out a serious role on defense this year. Indiana loses a lot of talent in the secondary so this loss definitely stings a bit.
However, Indiana landed a key transfer in OT Noah Bolticoff from TCU. Bolticoff was a 3-star prospect in ’21 and redshirted his freshman year. Bolticoff ended up carving out a role in TCU’s offensive line rotation, appearing in each of their final five games. That includes their matchups against Michigan and Georgia in which he gained valuable experience.
Indiana has been plagued with some of the worst offensive line play in the entire country over the past two seasons. There is still a lot to be figured out along the offensive front, but bringing in a big tackle like Noah Bolticoff will certainly help.
The Hoosiers also got a key transfer in Stanford TE Bradley Archer. Archer was a 3-star prospect in ’19 and has been a key role player for the Cardinal offense, appearing in 26 games with four starts over the past three seasons.
Archer is unlikely to see a lot of action in the pass game outside the red zone, but he will certainly help in the run game. He’s a great athlete and very strong at 6’3″ 255lbs. Archer has proven to be incredibly physical in both run and pass blocking.
Indiana needs all the help they can get up front and they definitely got some in OT Noah Bolticoff and TE Bradley Archer.
Iowa
Entered the Portal: 1
Incoming Transfers: 1
Biggest Impact: Wide Receiver
After a lot of movement at the end of the 2022 seasons, Iowa’s transfer portal activity had been very quiet this spring. That was until Thursday when they picked up Ohio State transfer wide receiver Kaleb Brown.
Brown didn’t see the field for the Buckeyes last year as a true freshman, but the former top-100 prospect and top-10 receiver in his class got some priceless experience competing in college football’s best wide receiver room. Brown’s speed and athleticism should land him an immediate starting spot in an offense that struggled mightily to move the ball – especially through the air.
Tight end Sam LaPorta was Iowa’s leading receiver last year. No one else topped 34 receptions or 400 yards receiving. That should definitely change this year with a playmaker like Brown.
Their one loss was OG Justin Britt – one of the top 10 players from the state of Indiana from in 2019 class. He showed a lot of improvement over his time at Iowa, becoming their top reserve in 2021. He appeared in nine games and started four that season. However, a recurring knee injury flamed up in 2022 and costed him his entire season.
Britt could have contended for a starting spot on Iowa’s offensive line in 2023, but instead will move on from the program with one year of eligibility remaining. The departure did not seem to be a surprise to Kirk Ferentz, though. It’s never good to lose an experienced offensive lineman, but this loss alone shouldn’t hinder Iowa from finding some improvement along a line that struggled mightily in 2022.
Maryland
Entered the Portal: 4
Incoming Transfers: 1
Biggest Impact: Offensive Line
Maryland loses three offensive linemen from a unit that took a while to gain some traction and play well in 2022. One of those losses is LT Jaleyn Duncan.
The Terps did get a few key transfer pickups back in December with ex-LSU tackle Marcus Dumervil, Gottlieb Ayedze from Frostburg University, and Corey Bullock from NC Central. Dumervil was a top-15 tackle prospect in ’20 and Ayedze was 1st-team all conference each of the past three seasons – both figure to compete for the tackle spot opposite returner DJ Glaze. Bullock was the top HBCU prospect in the portal and figures to contend for a starting spot at guard.
While Glaze, Dumervil, Ayedze, and Bullock offer some stability to build the offensive line around, the Terps got some tough news with the departures of Mason Lunsford and Keon Kindred.
Lunsford started all 13 games at gaurd for Maryland last year. He was a 3-star prospect in ’19 and figured to have his starting spot locked down. Kindred was a true freshman and did not play last year, but had the potential to step up and provide key depth behind Glaze, Dumervil, and Ayedze at tackle.
To make matters worse, Maryland lost Coltin Deery who many thought would step up into the starting center role to replace Johari Branch. Deery played a lot as a true freshman last year and looked to have a bright career ahead of him as a Terp.
Maryland’s offensive line is the offense’s seemingly only question mark heading into 2023. They seemed to be in a good spot with the additions from the end of the 2022 season, but these three losses definitely set the unit back a bit.
The Terps also lose DT Anthony Booker who has been a key reserve at the position since arriving on campus in 2019. He got the first start of his career against Wisconsin late in the season. However, he’s registered just six career tackles and figured to struggle to see the field this season behind Taisze Johnson, Isaac Bunyun, and Tommy Akingbesote.
Finally, Maryland lost TE Joseph Bearns. He was the 74th-ranked TE in the ’21 class and had not yet registered a reception. He didn’t figure to see the field much this year either, as he still sat behind potential All Big-Ten TE Cory Dychess.
After making some solid additions early in the off-season, Maryland loses five contributors which most notably sets the rebuild of their offensive line back a bit.
Michigan
Entered the Portal: 4
Incoming Transfers: 2
Biggest Impact: Wide Receiver
Michigan has been amongst the most active teams in the transfer portal ever since the NCAA allowed transfers to be immediately eligible. The portal is a key reason why their offensive line was able to repeat as Joe Moore Award winners. But this spring, Michigan lost four players to the portal.
Three of their losses came on the defensive side of the ball – safeties RJ Moten & Damani Dent as well as linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green all left this past April. Moten was perhaps the biggest surprise out of the departures. The veteran has appeared in 29 career games for the Wolverines, starting in 15 of them. Coupled with Dent, the depth in the back-end of the Michigan defense certainly took a hit. But with Makari Paige and Rod Moore both returning, the losses shouldn’t hurt the defense too much assuming Paige and Moore stay healthy.
Hill-Green figured to be a key part of the Michigan linebacker room in 2023. In 2021, he appeared in every game and started five for one of the best defenses in the country. Hill-Green racked up 50 tackles and two TFLs that year. But injury forced him to miss the entire 2022 campaign. The third starting linebacker spot next to Junior Colson and Michael Barrett is now wide open and perhaps the biggest question mark for this defense.
However, I think the biggest loss for the 2023 Wolverines was wide receiver AJ Henning. The 4-star ’20 prospect made his name for kick and punt return ability, but he was in line to step into the WR3 position behind Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson this season. Without Henning, Michigan has a whole lot of unknowns behind their two starting receivers.
If Michigan wants to improve from the last two seasons and win a playoff game and contend for a national championship, the passing game will need to continue to develop. In order to do so, Michigan needs receivers who can consistently win 1:1 coverage and make contested catches.
With Ronnie Bell graduated and Henning transferred, the Wolverines will have to hope one of their three receivers from the ’22 class can step up and become a real difference maker in the pass game. Given Michigan’s recent track record of developing receivers, I think that is a big ask.
Their two transfer additions were both on special teams – Louisville kicker James Turner (who is tasked with replacing All Big Ten kicker Jake Moody) and Teas A&M punter Hudson Hollenbeck. Turner is a solid pickup, going 32-33 on field goals within 40 yards over the past three seasons. But he hasn’t proven to be incredibly accurate from deep, going just 1-6 from 50+ yards. Hollenbeck is a sophomore and was a 5-star punter coming out of high school.
Michigan State
Entered the Portal: 5
Incoming Transfers: 0
Biggest Impact: Passing Offense
Michigan State’s losses to the portal were fairly minimal until the end of April. Their only losses were QB-converted tight end Hampton Fay, safety AJ Kirk, and linebacker Itayvion Brown. Brown was the only one of the three to see the field for Michigan State and it was mainly on special teams.
However, the Spartans got some tough news on April 30th when QB Payton Thorne and WR Keon Coleman decided to hit the portal. Thorne had been Michigan State’s starting quarterback each of the past two seasons. After helping lead Michigan State to a magical 2021 season in which he threw for over 3,000 yards and 27 TDs, Thorne’s stats fell across the board in 2022. His QB rating dropped from 148 to 131. Part of that was the complete absence of a run game, but Thorne also struggled with his decision making and accuracy.
Nonetheless, Thorne decided to return in 2023. But it was evident early in the spring – and especially in their spring scrimmage – that Thorne was being pushed by QB Noah Kim. Thorne’s decision to leave East Lansing makes fans believe Kim was going to win the job. Regardless of who would’ve won the starting job, losing one of the two best quarterbacks on the roster is never a good sign for a team hoping to improve from a wildly disappointing 5-7 campaign.
But the biggest loss for Michigan State was easily wide receiver Keon Coleman. Coleman burst onto the scene last year and led MSU in receiving with 58 receptions for 798 yards and 7 TDs. He was the only sure thing in a receiver room that loses Jayden Reed for the NFL.
Now, Noah Kim has 5th-year Trey Mosley, redshirt freshman and son of the hall-of-famer Antonio Gates Jr, and a whole lot of uncertainty behind them. Mosley has been a steady contributor for Sparty since arriving on campus, accumulating almost 1,200 yards over the past four seasons. Gates didn’t play last year, but raised some eyebrows with an impressive showing in the spring scrimmage.
Michigan State had a lot of question marks heading into the 2023 season – the secondary, the offensive line, the running back room. The wide receiver position was supposed to be a unit of strength for the Spartans. But with Keon Coleman’s departure, Michigan State may very well miss out on a bowl game for the second straight year.
Minnesota
Entered the Portal: 6
Incoming Transfers: 2
Biggest Impact: Offensive Skill Positions
Minnesota had six players leave since March – three on offense and three on defense. Their biggest loss on the defensive side is easily DeAngelo “Trill” Carter who started all 13 games at DT last year for the Gophers. Despite not being a highly-ranked prospect in the 2019 class, Carter quickly became a key piece of Minnesota’s defensive line.
He became a highly sought-after player once he entered the portal, taking visits to places like Arkansas and Ohio State before ultimately landing at Texas. Carter was Big Ten Honorable Mention last year.
However, Minnesota’s biggest and most impactful losses came on the offensive side of the ball. First, RB Trey Potts made a surprising move to Penn State. Potts has been an incredibly efficient runner whenever his name has been called. He rushed for over 500 yards in four games when he stepped up to replace an injured Mo Ibhrahim in 2021 before getting hurt himself and missing the rest of the year. In 2022, Potts rushed for 474 yards as Ibrahim’s main backup.
The assumption was Potts – with three years of eligibility still left – would step up into a bell-cow role for Minnesota in 2023. That was until they landed ex-Western Michigan back Sean Tyler in January. Tyler has back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons and over 3,000 career total yards. It looked like Tyler and Potts would make yet another great running back duo, but now Tyler will have to shoulder the majority of the carries. At 5’8″ 185lbs, it may be challenging for him to be a true workhorse in this run-heavy offense.
The Golden Gophers also lose their #2 and #3 receiver from last season in Mike Brown-Stephens and Dylan Wright. The two combined for 39 receptions and 618 yards last season.
Minnesota’s questionable receiving core now appears to be razor thin which is bad news for new starting QB Athan Kaliakmanis. Kaliakmanis didn’t exactly wow fans in the five starts he made in replacement of injured Tanner Morgan last year. He finished with year completing 54% of his passes for 946 yards, three touchdowns, and four INTs.
Down one of their best running backs and two of their top receivers to go along with three graduating offensive linemen, Minnesota’s offense is a massive question mark heading into 2023.
On the bright side, the Golden Gophers did bolster the back-end of their defense with a couple safety commits: Rowan Zolman from Miami OH and Craig McDonald from Auburn. Zolman saw the field a decent amount as a true freshman last season, appearing in nine games with one start. McDonald originally enrolled at Iowa State and had an impactful 2021 season with 41 tackles and 2 INTs. He transferred to Auburn last season and struggled to see the field, though. He did not record a tackle.
Nebraska
Entered the Portal: 13
Incoming Transfers: 2
Biggest Impact: Quarterback
As it tends to happen whenever there is a regime change, Nebraska has seen a lot of player turnover the past few months. The spring hit Nebraska especially hard, with 13 players entering their name into the transfer portal.
Many of the players they lost were reserves who had yet to see the field a lot if at all. In total, Nebraska lost four receivers, a tight end, a running back, a DT, a cornerback, and two safeties. But as mentioned, none of those players contributed much to the Huskers’ 2022 campaign.
But their QB room saw a mass exodus of players. It started with Richard Torres and Logan Smothers. Although neither was expected to start this year, Nebraska had an open competition for its starting QB job and both Torres and Smothers were in contention.
Torres was a 3-star prospect in the 2022 class and did not play for the Huskers as a true freshman last year. Smothers was a 4-star prospect in 2020 and a top-five dual-threat QB in his class. He started the season finale in 2021 before becoming Casey Thompson’s primary backup last season. He appeared in five games and had 19 pass attempts in 2022.
But the assumption was that this QB battle would boil down to returning starter and former Texas QB Casey Thompson and Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Simms. This was shaping up to be one of the best QB battles in the entire country after Simms impressed in the spring game with Thompson out. But that all changed last week when Casey Thompson decided to enter the portal for the second time in his career.
Much like the entire Nebraska team, Thompson had an up-and-down 2022 campaign. But his talent was evident and there was hope amongst Husker fans that he could develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the country next season.
With three QBs gone, Jeff Simms seems to be the guaranteed starter for Nebraska next season. There was a very good chance Simms was going to beat Thompson out for the starting spot anyway. But as is the case with Michigan State, losing one of the two best quarterbacks on your roster is never an ideal way to finish up spring practice.
Northwestern
Entered the Portal: 0
Incoming Transfers: 1
Biggest Impact: Quarterback
Northwestern is typically very quiet in the transfer portal and that did not change much this spring. No one from their spring roster entered the portal and the Wildcats brought in just one commitment. But the one commitment they received is a big one.
Cincinnati QB Ben Bryant committed to Northwestern on Wednesday after starting their first 11 games last year before an injury cost him the rest of the season. Bryant completed 61% of his passes for 2,731 yards, 21 TDs, and 7 INTs. Although the numbers aren’t eye-popping, Bryant offers a sense of consistency and reliability at QB that Northwestern has not sniffed the past two seasons.
The Wildcats were on of the worst scoring offenses in the entire country last year mainly because of their revolving door of quarterbacks. Ryan Hilinski, Brendan Sullivan, and Cole Freeman combined for 59% completion percentage, 10 TDs, and 15 INTs. Hilinski figures to compete for the job when we returns from his ACL recovery. But I think it’s safe to assume Ben Bryant will win this job.
When Northwestern has gotten consistent QB play under Northwestern, they’ve won games. Simple as that. Although the 2022 Wildcats had far more problems than just their QB play, the wide-open Big Ten West offers a glimmer of hope for Northwestern fans this upcoming season. Every team in that division is still deeply flawed in at least one way. Although it’s unlikely, Northwestern fans can at least dream of another division title this off-season thanks to the arrival of Ben Bryant.
Ohio State
Entered the Portal: 3
Incoming Transfers: 2
Biggest Impact: Offensive Line
The transfers that made the biggest headlines were the departures of receivers Kaleb Brown and Caleb Burton. Both Brown and Burton were top-150 prospects from the 2022 class and did not see the field last season.
The departures are more impactful for whoever lands these highly-ranked receivers than they are for Ohio State’s 2023 season. It was evident in the spring game that both Brown and Burton were being pushed by true freshman Carnell Tate. In one of the most talented and crowded position groups in the entire country, it was unlikely that either of these guys were going to see the field this year.
Ohio State’s other loss and one of their additions came along the offensive line. Tackle Ben Christman hit the portal in April. Christman was a 4-star prospect in 2021 and one of the top 10 linemen in his class. Despite the high grade, it was apparent that he was falling behind in competition for Ohio State’s starting RT position. Nonetheless, tackle is Ohio State’s biggest question mark next to their QB play heading into 2023. So losing a talented piece like Ben Christman definitely hurts.
However, the Buckeyes picked up a replacement in San Diego State tackle Josh Simmons – another 4-star prospect from the ’21 class. After redshirting in 2021, Simmons started every game for the Aztecs, switching between RT and LT. That kind of experience is invaluable for an offensive line that lost three starters to the NFL.
However, Simmons is far from a finished product. He excelled in pass protection but struggled in run blocking, receiving just a 47.7 grade from PFF. Simmons also committed 17 penalties last year. But at 6’6″ 300lbs, one can assume he will improve drastically under Ohio State’s coaching. Josh Simmons will certainly be in contention for that starting RT spot in the fall.
The Buckeyes’ other addition was Notre Dame receiver Lorenzo Styles – brother of OSU safety Sonny Styles. Although Styles played WR at Notre Dame – racking up 688 yards over the past two season – he came to Ohio State to play cornerback. This is a huge pickup for the Buckeyes, as they are tremendously thin at that position. Although their cornerbacks showed remarkable improvement in the spring game, they are just a couple injuries away from having a mess on their hands.
Ohio State has become much more active in the transfer portal than they were a couple years ago. Their two spring additions will certainly make an impact on the 2023 season.
Penn State
Entered the Portal: 3
Incoming Transfers: 2
Biggest Impact: Interior Defensive Line
After Penn State’s spring game, James Franklin specifically mentioned the need to beef up the interior line. Penn State was able to accomplish just that with the addition of Alonzo Ford Jr from Old Dominion. Ford was Sun Belt Honorable Mention last year with 32 tackles, 5 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks. At 6’3″ 275lbs, he is built for run support which is exactly what Penn State needs.
By adding more depth as defensive tackle, this Nittany Lion defense now has few, if any, holes and will surely be among the nation’s best in 2023.
Penn State was also able to bolster their already-talented running back room with the addition of Minnesota’s Trey Potts. Potts has proven to be an incredibly efficient runner when healthy and should fit in has Penn State’s RB3 as Devyn Ford’s replacement. This may have given Penn State the best running back room in the country.
Penn State did lose a couple depth pieces in OT Jimmy Christ and CB Storm Duck. Christ had appeared in 11 games with one start over the past two seasons. Duck had just arrived from UNC earlier this year and figured to be a rotational corner after a 46 tackle, 3 INT season last year. But he’s already left Happy Valley, transferring to Louisville earlier this month.
Purdue
Entered the Portal: 11
Incoming Transfers: 3
Biggest Impact: Edge rushing
Purdue’s 11 transfers this spring may sound harsh, but they were the kind of depth pieces that you expect to lose during a regime change (Illinois DC Ryan Walters is taking over for Jeff Brohm this season).
The Boilermakers lost several guys in the secondary: cornerbacks Jordan Buchanan, Brandon Calloway, and Tee Denson as well as safety Jah’Von Grigsb. However, none of them have seen significant field time in their short Purdue careers.
The same can be said at running back, as they lost Sione Finau and Kentrell Marks – neither of which registered a rushing yard for the Boilers last season.
At wide receiver, Purdue lost Milton Wright and Collin Sullivan. Wright had a very promising career as a 4-star prospect in the 2019 class. He had 593 yards over his first two seasons before exploding in 2021 with 732 yards and 7 TDs. However, he was ruled academically ineligible last spring and missed the entire 2022 season. There was hope Milton could turn it around and return as Purdue’s top receiver in 2023, but entered the portal at the end of April. Collin Sullivan was a 3-star in 2020 but has registered just two receptions over the past two seasons.
To bolster what is a shaky wide receiver room with the loss of Charlie Jones, Purdue brought in Jahmal Edrine from FAU. As a redshirt freshman last season, he hauled in 39 catches for 570 yards and 6 TDs. Edrine is a big target at 6’3″ 210 lbs and should compete for a starting spot this season.
Purdue’s biggest loss was easily tackle Eric Miller who left to join Brohm at Louisville. Miller had been a consistent piece of Purdue’s offensive line over the past few seasons, starting 29 consecutive games. It will be difficult for the Boilermakers to fill this tough loss so late in the transfer portal.
Purdue did gain a reinforcement on the interior line in Preston Nichols. Now entering his sixth year, Nichols originally played at Charleston Southern. After being a key reserve, Nichols became a full-time starter in 2022. He then transferred to UNLV for the 2022 season where he started all 12 games. At 6’3″ 290lbs, he will at least provide Purdue with some reliable depth on the inside.
One of Purdue’s biggest addition of the entire 2023 class is defensive end Jeffrey M’ba from Auburn. With freakish size and athleticism, M’Ba was a consensus top-five junior college prospect in the 2022 class. He played sparingly last year for the Tigers, registering 7 tackles and a sack. Under a vastly-improved defensive coaching staff under Ryan Walters, M’Ba could be in store for a big 2023.
Other losses include LB/DE Tristan Cox and TE Charlie Kenrich.
Rutgers
Entered the Portal: 2
Incoming Transfers: 0
Biggest Impact: n/a
Rutgers transfer activity has been very quiet since their active December. This spring, Rutgers only losses were guard Brad Harris and linebacker Micah Wing.
Harris was a low 3-star prospect in the 2022 class and did not see any game action as a true freshman. Wing was a LB/DE hybrid in ’23 class but entered the portal after just a short time on campus. Neither of these moves should have a significant impact on the 2023 season.
Wisconsin
Entered the Portal: 6
Incoming Transfers: 0
Biggest Impact: Cornerback
The Badgers brought in 10 new transfers after Luke Fickell was announced as head coach. Since then, Wisconsin has only had players leave the program. However, none of the losses have been too significant.
Wisconsin has lost three cornerbacks this spring: Avyonne Jones, Al Ashford III, and A’Khoury Lyde. All three players were 3-star prospects in their couple years of eligibility. Although none of them have seen significant game time outside of special teams, cornerback is one of Wisconsin’s biggest areas of improvement heading into 2023.
Wisconsin also loses running back Julius Davis, linebacker Spencer Lytle, and kicker Vito Calvaruso.
Davis is a senior who has just 35 career carries. Lytle was a promising 4-star prospect in the 2019 class but has appeared in 15 career games without a start. And Calvaruso was not Wisconsin’s full-time kicker last year, going 7-7 on PATs and 1-3 on FGs.
None of these losses are insurmountable for Wisconsin and their new coaching staff. But losing three players from a position group of need is not the best result Badger fans could have hoped for from this spring batch of transfers.