College Football

2024 college football transfer portal tracker: Former Nick Saban recruit leaving Alabama

Updated Apr. 29, 2024 7:04 p.m. ET

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Transfer season is in full swing in college football, again.

The spring transfer portal window officially opened on April 16, allowing players to move following spring ball or even during their team's spring practices.

Which players are on the move this offseason, and which ones have already found a new home? 

Let's take a look at the stars and standouts who are testing the waters and transferring.

Alabama S Peyton Woodyard

Woodyard is a former four-star safety who signed with Alabama as part of the 2024 recruiting class, Nick Saban's last with the Crimson Tide. Like several other high-profile members of Saban's final classes, the former standout at St. John Bosco High School in Southern California appears set to depart elsewhere following the legendary head coach's retirement in January. Woodyard was committed to Georgia at one point and also heavily recruited by Ohio State and hometown USC, all of whom could line up for his services once again. Woodyard reportedly has a "do not contact" tag in his portal entry, meaning he may have already chosen his next destination.

Colorado RB Dylan Edwards to Kansas State

Edwards, a former four-star recruit, was the first notable high school recruit to flip his commitment to the Buffaloes after Deion Sanders took over Colorado's program in Dec. 2022, thanks in large part to a long association with Sanders dating back to Edwards' youth football days. Edwards then made a massive impression in his first college game, racking up 159 total yards of offense and scoring four touchdowns in Colorado's dramatic 45-42 upset of TCU in Fort Worth. Although Edwards cooled off after that, he still led Colorado in rushing with 321 yards on the ground, and Sanders had praised him as a big part of the Buffaloes' 2024 offensive plans. 

Edwards, out of Derby, Kansas, now joins a promising home-state Kansas State program that won the Big 12 two years ago and carries a promising roster into 2024 led by former four-star quarterback Avery Johnson and bolstered by the addition of Edwards. Due to Colorado's return to the Big 12, Edwards will return to Boulder to face "Coach Prime" and his former teammates on Oct. 12 next season.

Arizona State QB Jaden Rashada to Georgia

The Bulldogs are adding some talent to their quarterback room, landing Rashada, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2023 who opened last season as Arizona State's starter. He threw for 485 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions before suffering a knee injury that ended his season after three games. With Carson Beck returning for the 2024 season, Rashada likely won't see much action this upcoming season. However, he could position himself to become the starting quarterback for a Bulldogs team that's turned into a perennial contender in the future. 

Iowa QB Deacon Hill

Hill assumed starting QB duties for the Hawkeyes when high-profile transfer addition Cade McNamara tore his ACL in Iowa's fifth game of the season. Hill struggled, however, as Iowa's anemic offense under coordinator Brian Ferentz invited national scorn even as the Hawkeyes' defense became one of the best in the entire nation, propelling Iowa to the Big Ten title game. Hill had 1,152 passing yards on a 48.6 completion rate, five touchdowns and eight interceptions last season.

Ohio State RB Dallan Hayden to Colorado

The rising junior is reportedly adding to the influx of transfer talent into Deion Sanders' program at Colorado. Hayden, who rushed for 553 yards and five touchdowns in 2022, didn't get many opportunities to produce in 2023, as he only had 19 carries. The Class of 2022 four-star recruit would've likely seen his number of carries dwindle further as Tre'Veyon Henderson returned to Columbus, while former Ole Miss star Quinshon Judkins transferred in earlier this offseason. 

Miami RB Henry Parrish Jr. to Ole Miss

Parrish returns to the place he started his college career and gives head coach Lane Kiffin a needed veteran in his running back room after Quinshon Judkins transferred to Ohio State. Parrish ran for 819 yards and five touchdowns at Ole Miss from 2020-2021, then ran for 1,238 yards and 10 touchdowns at Miami from 2022-2023. Now, he's back in Oxford for his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Florida State CB Greedy Vance Jr. to USC

Vance had three interceptions last season and bolstered a USC secondary that was one of the worst in college football last season, resulting in the departures of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and cornerbacks coach Donte Williams. The Trojans' defensive backs looked much improved under new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn in the team's spring game, however, and now that group adds an experienced addition in Vance, who started five games for the Seminoles last season and had 71 tackles and defended 12 passes.

Pitt DE Dayon Hayes, Ohio DT Rayyan Buell and Texas OT Payton Kirkland to Colorado

Deion Sanders and Colorado have landed some trench help, getting commitments from three offensive and defensive linemen. Hayes is the most notable name of the group. He joins Colorado after leading Pitt in tackles for loss (10.5) last season, adding 45 total tackles, four sacks and six hurries. He was considered by some talent evaluators to be the best defensive end in the transfer portal at the time of his commitment, as he enters his fifth season of eligibility. 

Buell was productive at Ohio over the last two seasons, recording 39 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Kirkland, meanwhile, was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2023. 

Michigan State DT Simeon Barrow Jr.

Barrow started ten games for the Spartans last fall and has 30 career starts in East Lansing over three seasons.

Colorado CB Cormani McClain

McClain was one of the top overall prospects in the Class of 2023 and was a very late flip to Colorado shortly after Deion Sanders took over as head coach. McClain saw inconsistent playing time and even earned a public admonishment from Sanders over his practice habits during his freshman season, despite the Buffaloes' limited defensive back depth. 

However, McClain appeared to respond well to Sanders' tough love and saw more game action as the season progressed and his playing improved, eventually earning four starts. That said, it appears McClain has decided to move on from Boulder, and given his elite five-star prospect profile coming out of high school, he's likely to garner plenty of interest.

Oregon State RB Damien Martinez

Martinez is perhaps coming off the best season of everyone who entered their name into the transfer portal when it reopened. He was a key factor in Oregon State's rise up the Pac-12 over the last two seasons, with 2,167 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 355 attempts since the beginning of 2023. Martinez initially decided to stay when head coach Jonathan Smith departed for Michigan State, but he will now enter the portal as one of the most proven players available. 

Martinez is already reportedly set to visit several Power 5 schools including Arizona, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Kentucky and Miami (Fla.).

USC OL Jason Zandamela

Despite the proliferation of the transfer portal in recent years, a true freshman transferring before his first collegiate season is still virtually unheard of, aside from a significant coaching change. Yet, one of the top overall prospects in USC's 2024 recruiting class is doing just that despite head coach Lincoln Riley and offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Josh Henson still being very much entrenched in Los Angeles. 

Zandamela, a four-star originally from Mozambique, is essentially restarting his recruitment process all over again.

Wisconsin QB Nick Evers

Evers, a top-10 quarterback recruit in the Class of 2022, excited fans when he transferred to Wisconsin to join new head coach Luke Fickell. However, Evers struggled to break through and never seriously competed for the starting quarterback job during his year-plus in Madison, and he now leaves the Badgers without having ever appeared in a game for them.

Iowa OT Kadyn Proctor

Just months after transferring to Iowa, Proctor is back in the transfer portal, according to multiple reports. Proctor reportedly has a "do not contact" mark next to his name, as it's believed he'll be heading back to Alabama. The 2023 five-star recruit transferred out of Alabama following Nick Saban's retirement in January. 

Penn State WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith

Lambert-Smith, one of the top receivers in the Big Ten, is entering the transfer portal after not playing in Penn State's spring game on April 13. The fifth-year wideout has 126 career receptions for 1,721 yards and 11 touchdowns, recording 53 receptions for 673 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Louisville RB Peny Boone

Boone, a fifth-year running back, is entering the transfer portal for the second time in four months. He began his college career at Maryland before playing the last two seasons at Toledo, transferring to Louisville earlier this offseason. His 1,400 rushing yards was the eighth-best mark in the FBS last season, earning him Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Texas A&M S Jacoby Mathews

Mathews is joining the group of several players who are seeking a transfer since Mike Elko became Texas A&M's head coach earlier this offseason. Considered a top-100 recruit in the Class of 2022 by 247 Spots, Mathews had 42 combined tackles and an interception last season.

Michigan WR Karmello English

The former four-star recruit is entering the portal after one season with Michigan, according to multiple reports. English only had one reception, a 4-yard touchdown catch, during his freshman season.

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