6 Most Important College Football Transfers You Aren't Thinking Of

Big names dominate the headlines, but here are six difference makers that transfer to new teams this college football season.

With over 2,000 players hitting the transfer portal this past offseason, it's pretty easy to get lost in the shuffle. Names like Sam Hartman and Tyler Buchner steal all the headlines and, as a result, many players get swept under the rug. Today, we're gonna lift that rug and find six of the most impactful transfers whose names you either don't know or forgot moved homes.

Last year, three of our five highlighted transfers made huge impacts on their new teams, with one even being named an All American. Let's find our diamonds in the rough for 2023.

OT Jeremiah Byers: UTEP to Florida State

© Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

Few offensive linemen had the suitors that UTEP's Jeremiah Byers did in the portal. Among his dozens of offers were Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and Oklahoma. Ultimately, Byers selected Florida State, where he projects be a Week 1 starter, preseason All-ACC selection, and All-American contender.

Last season, Byers allowed no sacks or QB hits and just five pressures on 419 pass snaps (PFF). He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 315 pounds, making him a possible enticing prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft.

CB Fentrell Cypress: Virginia to Florida State

© Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

According to On3, Fentrell Cypress was the No. 3 transfer in the country – behind just Travis Hunter and Sam Hartman. Cypress also heads to Florida State after logging nine pass breakups in 2022. He allowed zero touchdowns and a paltry 58.2 passer rating when targeted in an offense-heavy ACC.

Cypress came out of high school in South Carolina as just a three-star prospect that was graded as the 85th-ranked corner in the country. By his junior season, he was a second-team All-ACC selection and one of the most highly-coveted transfers.

WR Zakhari Franklin: UTSA to TBD

© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Receiver Zakhari Franklin hit the portal in the spring transfer window after initially announcing his return to UTSA alongside QB Frank Harris. In the last two seasons combined, he posted one of the more ridiculous stat lines nationally: 175 receptions, 2,163 yards, and 27 touchdowns. Last year, only Houston's Nathaniel Dell boasted more TD receptions (17) than Franklin (15).

He has yet to announce his new school, but there's rumored interest from Oregon and Miami, among others.

LB Nick Jackson: Iowa to Virginia

© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Jackson's numbers won't necessarily jump off the page to you at first glance – 64 tackles, 16 pressures, and five sacks – but perhaps his three-time All-ACC honors will. At 6-foot-1, 234 pounds, Jackson is one of the best coverage linebackers nationally while also posing a serious threat in the box.

Aside from him being a great player, Jackson lands in an ideal spot at Iowa. The Hawkeyes just lost first-round NFL linebacker Jack Campbell and are looking to fill their third linebacker vacancy. Jackson should be one of the more productive Big Ten linebackers this season.

WR Jyaire Shorter: North Texas to TBD

© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Jyaire Shorter's body of work is smaller than most, but none are more efficient. In his fifth season with North Texas, Shorter logged just 23 receptions... 11 of which went for touchdowns. He posted a ridiculous 27.3 yards per reception average, the most by a wide margin in the FBS.

He, too, was a spring portal addition and has yet to announce a new home. Wherever he lands gets one of the top deep threat targets that Conference-USA had to offer. Put in the right spot, Shorter could continue to take the top off defenses.

EDGE Josiah Stewart: Coastal Carolina to Michigan

new threads 🤫 pic.twitter.com/hBFgdyfqfx

— Josaiah🔮 (@josaiah_stewart) March 11, 2023

In 2021, perhaps Stewart's name wouldn't have flown under the radar. That season at Coastal Carolina, he logged 16 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks, earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors, and led the Chants to an 11-2 record. Moving from a down lineman to a floating linebacker, Stewart logged just 3.5 sacks but 10 tackles for a loss in 2022 and began to fly under the radar.

He landed at Michigan and was immediately moved back to a hand-down pass rusher. In the Wolverines' Maize and Blue spring scrimmage, he terrorized an offensive line than is a multi-year award winner and could be the nation's best once again. There's a firm chance Stewart is in the first-round conversation should he decide to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.

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