01
Alabama
Alabama lost too much premium depth to wave away
Important arrivals
- Devan Thompkins (DL) from USC
- Terrance Green (DL) from Oregon
- Noah Rogers (WR) from NC State
- Ty Haywood (OT) from Michigan
- Nick Brooks (IOL) from Texas
Important departures
- James Smith (DL) to Ohio State
- Isaiah Horton (WR) to Texas A&M
- Keon Keeley (DL) to Notre Dame
- Qua Russaw (EDGE) to Ohio State
- Wilkin Formby (OT) to Texas A&M
Alabama still owns the recruiting base to build an elite starting lineup, but this portal cycle removed too many players from expensive positions to dismiss the exits as ordinary blue-chip churn. James Smith and Qua Russaw left for Ohio State, Keon Keeley moved to Notre Dame, and Jordan Renaud joined Ole Miss. Noah Carter also departed for Georgia Tech. Together, those players represent size, pass-rush traits and years of development from a defensive front that now must replace both current snaps and future answers.
The offensive losses matter as well. Isaiah Horton took 42 catches, 511 yards and eight 2025 touchdowns to Texas A&M, while Wilkin Formby carried SEC starting experience to the same program. Jaylen Mbakwe's move to Georgia Tech removes another explosive possibility. Alabama answered with defensive linemen Devan Thompkins and Terrance Green, receiver Noah Rogers, tackles Ty Haywood and Jayvin James, and interior lineman Nick Brooks. Those are legitimate additions, but several are being asked to replace players whose value came from already understanding the weekly demands of Alabama and the SEC.
What it changes: The downgrade is about insulation, not a prediction that Alabama's first team will be poor. The Tide can still field stars. The concern arrives when an injury, suspension or difficult matchup forces the staff to reach for a seventh defensive lineman or a third tackle. In previous seasons, that next player was often another future NFL prospect with meaningful experience. In 2026, more of those contingency snaps may belong to newcomers. Alabama's ceiling remains national-title level, but its margin for a developmental miss is smaller than the brand name suggests.
02
Iowa State
Iowa State lost an operating system, not merely a quarterback
Important arrivals
- Zane Flores (QB) from Oklahoma State
- Jaylen Raynor (QB) from Arkansas State
- Isaac Terrell (EDGE) from Washington State
- Jaheim Singletary (CB) from Arkansas
- Caden Crawford (EDGE) from unlisted program
Important departures
- Rocco Becht (QB) to Penn State
- Jontez Williams (CB) to USC
- Chase Sowell (WR) to Penn State
- Benjamin Brahmer (TE) to Penn State
- Caleb Bacon (LB) to Penn State
Iowa State's loss is larger than the individual transfer ratings because so many pieces of the same football system moved together. Rocco Becht, receiver Chase Sowell and tight end Benjamin Brahmer take years of passing-game timing to Penn State. Quarterback Alex Manske, linebacker Caleb Bacon, defensive lineman Ikenna Ezeogu and safety Marcus Neal Jr. followed the same route. The Cyclones did not simply lose their quarterback; they lost players who knew how the old offense and defense solved problems after the original call.
The coaching transition compounds the damage. Matt Campbell's departure means the terminology, practice rhythm and developmental structure are changing at the same time as the roster. Iowa State added quarterbacks Zane Flores and Jaylen Raynor, giving the new staff two different skill sets to evaluate. Flores offers developmental upside, while Raynor brings game experience and mobility from Arkansas State. Isaac Terrell, Jaheim Singletary, Caden Crawford and Jake Taylor provide important help elsewhere. Those additions can replace talent, but they cannot immediately reproduce the trust that existed among Becht, his receivers and the previous staff.
What it changes: Iowa State may spend the early season learning basic truths that the old group already understood: which quarterback protects the ball, who wins on third down, how the line communicates against pressure and which defender makes the adjustment when an opponent changes formations. The incoming class gives the Cyclones enough ability to rebuild, but not enough continuity to skip the rebuilding process. If Raynor or Flores takes control quickly, the offense can recover. If the competition lingers, every other new relationship will develop more slowly around it.
03
South Alabama
South Alabama's depth drain is dangerous in a league decided by thin margins
Important arrivals
- Masey Lewis (EDGE) from unlisted program
- Seidrion Langston (LB) from UL Monroe
- Andrew Hines (DL) from unlisted program
- Dylan Chiedo (EDGE) from unlisted program
- Jaylen Moson (CB) from Utah
Important departures
- Jordan Davis (OT) to UCLA
- Nehemiah Chandler (CB) to Florida State
- Ethan Hubbard (OT) to destination unannounced
- Achilles Woods (DL) to LSU
- RJ Moss Jr. (DL) to Florida International
South Alabama's problem is not one famous departure. It is the number of functional two-deep players who left the same position groups. Tackles Jordan Davis and Ethan Hubbard remove experience from both edges of the offensive line. On defense, Nehemiah Chandler leaves the secondary, while Achilles Woods, R.J. Moss, Dominic Wiseman and Ed Smith take away interior size. Tyler Thomas also departs from the edge. At a Group of Five program, losing an entire cluster can be more damaging than losing one star because there are fewer proven replacements waiting behind it.
The Jaguars added edge Masey Lewis, linebacker Seidrion Langston, defensive lineman Andrew Hines and defensive backs Jaylen Moson and D.J. Moore. Those players create options, but much of the incoming group is being asked to step into larger roles than it previously held. The offensive tackle situation is particularly important. If the new line needs extra tight-end or running-back help to protect the quarterback, South Alabama loses flexibility in the passing game before a receiver ever runs a route. Defensively, replacing several linemen at once can affect early-down fits, third-down pressure and special-teams depth.
What it changes: The first unit may still look competitive in September. The downgrade is most likely to surface later in games and later in the season. A thinner front has fewer answers when an opponent sustains a long drive, and a rebuilt offensive line has less flexibility when injuries arrive. South Alabama must identify eight or nine dependable defensive linemen and a stable tackle pair quickly. If it cannot, the Jaguars could play good football for stretches without having enough depth to finish physical Sun Belt games.
04
USC
USC's portal losses hit the secondary and overall two-deep
Important arrivals
- Jontez Williams (CB) from Iowa State
- Zuriah Fisher (EDGE) from Penn State
- Terrell Anderson (WR) from NC State
- Alex VanSumeren (DL) from Michigan State
- Deven Bryant (LB) from Washington
Important departures
- Husan Longstreet (QB) to LSU
- Devan Thompkins (DL) to Alabama
- Walker Lyons (TE) to BYU
- Alex Payne (OT) to Virginia
- Braylon Conley (CB) to Georgia
USC remains talented enough to produce an impressive starting lineup, but the transfer ledger removed options from nearly every part of the two-deep. Husan Longstreet's move to LSU is more a loss of future quarterback ceiling than an immediate starter crisis, yet it narrows the room's contingency plan. Devan Thompkins leaves a hole in the defensive-line rotation, Walker Lyons removes a versatile tight-end option, and Alex Payne takes tackle depth to Virginia. Braylon Conley, Carlon Jones and James Johnson also reduce the defense's margin for injury.
The Trojans did make serious additions. Jontez Williams brings coverage experience from Iowa State, Zuriah Fisher can help the pass rush, and Terrell Anderson gives the receiving room another large target. Alex VanSumeren adds interior size, while Deven Bryant and Carrington Pierce increase competition at linebacker and corner. The concern is that these players are replacing departures across several different units. USC must establish new communication in the secondary, rebuild part of the defensive rotation and settle the depth behind its quarterback at the same time.
What it changes: The downgrade does not mean USC lacks top-end talent. It means the program has fewer proven fallback options when the Big Ten schedule forces it to use the whole roster. Williams and Fisher can make the first defense better, but they cannot individually replace every lost coverage and front-seven snap. The Trojans need a strong summer from their developmental players so the new transfers can fill targeted roles rather than carry entire position groups. If that development arrives, USC can absorb the churn. If it does not, the weak point may shift from week to week.
05
Oklahoma
Oklahoma's outgoing value creates another SEC depth test
Important arrivals
- E'Marion Harris (OT) from Arkansas
- Trell Harris (WR) from Virginia
- Parker Livingstone (WR) from Texas
- Jack Van Dorselaer (TE) from Tennessee
- Dakoda Fields (CB) from Oregon
Important departures
- Sammy Omosigho (LB) to UCLA
- Kobie McKinzie (LB) to Northwestern
- Michael Hawkins Jr. (QB) to West Virginia
- Gentry Williams (CB) to Georgia
- Markus Strong (DL) to Clemson
Oklahoma's portal losses are easy to underestimate because the Sooners did not watch a projected superstar starter leave every position. The damage is in the experienced middle of the roster. Linebackers Sammy Omosigho and Kobie McKinzie leave behind 2025 production and years of game exposure. McKinzie played in 42 career games and started 10 over the last two seasons, while Omosigho contributed 50 tackles, two sacks and three pass breakups in 2025. Corner Gentry Williams and defensive lineman Markus Strong remove more defensive contingency options.
Michael Hawkins Jr.'s move to West Virginia also changes the quarterback room. John Mateer remains the central figure, but the Sooners no longer have the same experienced alternative if he is injured or struggles. Oklahoma added tackle E'Marion Harris, receivers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone, tight end Jack Van Dorselaer and defensive backs Dakoda Fields and Bishop Thomas. Those additions address real needs, especially on offense. They do not fully replace the number of veteran defensive snaps that left.
What it changes: Oklahoma may have improved a few individual starting competitions while weakening the structure behind them. That is a dangerous exchange in the SEC, where offenses identify and repeatedly attack the least experienced defender on the field. The linebacker rotation must establish new communication, and the quarterback room needs a trustworthy second option. A healthy first team can still perform well. The concern is how quickly the quality drops when the Sooners need their 35th through 50th players to decide a game.
06
Oregon
Oregon lost major depth but remains too talented for a simple loser label
Important arrivals
- Dylan Raiola (QB) from Nebraska
- D'Antre Robinson (DL) from North Carolina
- Koi Perich (S) from Minnesota
- Aaron Scott Jr. (CB) from Ohio State
- Jerome Simmons (DL) from UL Monroe
Important departures
- Bryson Beaver (QB) to Georgia
- Tionne Gray (DL) to Notre Dame
- Blake Purchase (EDGE) to Ole Miss
- Terrance Green (DL) to Alabama
- Jericho Johnson (DL) to California
Oregon is a portal-accounting loser and a football gray area. The Ducks lost several highly recruited players, but many were leaving crowded rooms in search of larger roles rather than abandoning obvious starting jobs. Tionne Gray, Blake Purchase, Terrance Green and Jericho Johnson remove a large amount of defensive-line depth. Quarterbacks Bryson Beaver, Austin Novosad and Luke Moga also leave the position with fewer developmental paths. Those losses matter over a long season even though they do not automatically weaken Oregon's opening lineup.
The additions are strong enough to prevent a collapse narrative. Dylan Raiola gives the offense a high-ceiling quarterback with substantial starting experience. Koi Perich arrives after producing 128 tackles, six interceptions and two forced fumbles in two seasons at Minnesota, giving the secondary a proven playmaker. D'Antre Robinson and Jerome Simmons help rebuild the defensive line, while Aaron Scott adds another talented corner. Oregon also retained the core of its starting front, which is why the raw outgoing value overstates the immediate damage.
What it changes: Oregon's first team may be better at quarterback and safety while the roster behind it becomes less insulated. That is why this is a downgrade in depth, not a declaration that the Ducks are worse overall. The defensive staff must develop a new second wave so the starters do not absorb an unsustainable snap load. The quarterback staff must also build a clear emergency plan behind Raiola. If the younger players advance, Oregon can remain a national contender. If injuries arrive before that development, the cost of the portal exits will become much easier to see.
07
Ohio State
Ohio State's losses matter most after the first wave of stars
Important arrivals
- James Smith (DL) from Alabama
- Qua Russaw (EDGE) from Alabama
- Dominick Kelly (CB) from Georgia
- Justyn Martin (QB) from Maryland
- Terry Moore (S) from Duke
Important departures
- Quincy Porter (WR) to Notre Dame
- Lincoln Kienholz (QB) to Louisville
- Mylan Graham (WR) to Notre Dame
- Tegra Tshabola (IOL) to Kentucky
- Aaron Scott Jr. (CB) to Oregon
Ohio State's portal story requires careful scale. The Buckeyes did not lose a collection of established 2025 stars. Guard Tegra Tshabola was the clearest starter-level departure, and even his future role was not guaranteed. Receivers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter combined for limited 2025 production behind an elite room, while quarterback Lincoln Kienholz sought a clearer opportunity at Louisville. Corner Aaron Scott, safety Faheem Delane and defensive lineman Jarquez Carter also take blue-chip developmental value elsewhere.
Ohio State countered with two of Alabama's most talented front-seven players, James Smith and Qua Russaw. Dominick Kelly and Cam Calhoun add corner depth, Terry Moore and Earl Little Jr. strengthen the safety room, and Justyn Martin gives the quarterback room another experienced option. Jeremiah Smith's return means the top of the receiver group remains exceptional. The issue is what happens behind the stars. Graham and Porter may not have produced much last season, but their departures remove two players who could have become major answers if an injury changed the depth chart.
What it changes: The Buckeyes may have improved the immediate defensive front while losing some of the future depth that made the roster unusually resistant to injuries. That trade can work, especially if Smith and Russaw become impact players. It places more pressure on the next receiver wave, the reserve offensive line and the younger corners to mature before they are needed. Ohio State remains a national-title roster. The downgrade is that its second and third answers at several positions are now less proven, which can matter in the two or three games when the first plan is unavailable.
08
North Texas
North Texas lost the engine of an elite offense
Important arrivals
- Tayven Jackson (QB) from UCF
- Chaston Ditta (QB) from East Carolina
- Peyton Taylor (CB) from unlisted program
- Zach Johnson (CB) from unlisted program
- Christian Lorenzo (DL) from unlisted program
Important departures
- Drew Mestemaker (QB) to Oklahoma State
- Wyatt Young (WR) to Oklahoma State
- Caleb Hawkins (RB) to Oklahoma State
- Reese Poffenbarger (QB) to Akron
- Ethan Day (DL) to Utah
North Texas suffered one of the country's most concentrated offensive losses. Drew Mestemaker leaves after leading the FBS in passing, and Wyatt Young follows him to Oklahoma State after catching 70 passes for 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025. Running back Caleb Hawkins and tackle Braydon Nelson made the same move with coach Eric Morris. The Mean Green therefore lost the quarterback, leading receiver, featured runner, a blocker and the playcaller who connected those pieces. That is an offensive ecosystem leaving together.
The departures extend beyond the headline trio. Reese Poffenbarger reduces the quarterback depth, Ethan Day and Will Smith remove defensive-front snaps, and Kollin Lewis leaves the secondary. North Texas added Tayven Jackson and Chaston Ditta at quarterback and brought in a large group of defensive backs and linemen. Jackson's experience gives the new staff a credible starting point, but he is joining a new offense without the old unit's established timing. The receiving hierarchy, protection calls and backfield roles all must be rebuilt together.
What it changes: North Texas can still field a talented offense, but it should not be expected to reproduce elite efficiency merely because the replacements carry recognizable names. The new quarterback must learn which receiver wins each route, the line must establish shared protection rules, and the staff must discover how to replace Young's explosive and red-zone production. At this level, continuity is often the advantage that allows an offense to outrun deeper rosters. The Mean Green surrendered that advantage and now need coaching and player development to build a new one quickly.
09
South Florida
South Florida lost its quarterbacks, its playcaller and part of its offensive identity
Important arrivals
- Luke Kromenhoek (QB) from Mississippi State
- Michael Van Buren Jr. (QB) from LSU
- KJ Cooper (QB) from unlisted program
- Jayden Bradford (QB) from Liberty
- C.J. Hicks (EDGE) from Ohio State
Important departures
- Byrum Brown (QB) to Auburn
- Locklan Hewlett (QB) to Auburn
- Jeremiah Koger (WR) to Auburn
- Jonas Duclona (CB) to Georgia Tech
- Ira Singleton (EDGE) to SMU
South Florida's losses are schematic as much as statistical. The Bulls finished 2025 with one of the nation's most productive scoring offenses, and Byrum Brown was its central decision-maker. Brown, quarterback Locklan Hewlett and receiver Jeremiah Koger followed Alex Golesh to Auburn. Koger alone takes 597 receiving yards out of the offense, while Brown's value included the way he understood tempo, run-pass decisions and when to create outside structure. New coach Brian Hartline is replacing both the quarterback and the language that helped him play fast.
USF responded more convincingly than a typical rebuild. Michael Van Buren Jr. arrives with 17 games, 12 starts, 2,896 passing yards and 19 touchdowns on his college resume. Luke Kromenhoek has played in nine games and offers a different athletic profile. C.J. Hicks gives the defense a major edge talent, and Za'Quan Bryan, A'mon Lane-Ganus and Teddy Foster rebuild the secondary. The spring quarterback competition narrowed around Van Buren and Kromenhoek, which gives Hartline two credible choices rather than one emergency answer.
What it changes: The downgrade is about continuity, not a lack of replacement talent. Van Buren or Kromenhoek may eventually give USF high-level quarterback play, and Hartline's offensive background offers real upside. The Bulls still must teach a new system, rebuild Brown's relationship with the receivers and decide how much of the old tempo identity should remain. That process can produce an excellent offense, but it rarely happens without uneven stretches. USF's 2026 ceiling remains high; its week-to-week reliability is less certain than it was with Brown and Golesh operating the same system.
10
Florida State
Florida State needed a cleaner portal win than the final ledger delivered
Important arrivals
- Xavier Chaplin (OT) from Auburn
- Mikai Gbayor (LB) from North Carolina
- Quintrevion Wisner (RB) from Texas
- Ashton Daniels (QB) from Auburn
- Dean DeNobile (QB) from unlisted program
Important departures
- Lawayne McCoy (WR) to Louisville
- Omar Graham Jr. (LB) to destination unannounced
- Brock Glenn (QB) to Western Kentucky
- Earl Little Jr. (S) to Ohio State
- Ashlynd Barker (S) to destination unannounced
Florida State is the clearest reminder that a live portal database is not the same thing as a final depth chart. The preserved snapshot counted corner Ja'Bril Rawls and defensive linemen Mandrell and Darryll Desir among the departures even though they returned. Removing those stale exits produces a fairer picture. The Seminoles did lose receiver Lawayne McCoy to Louisville, quarterback Brock Glenn to Western Kentucky, safety Earl Little Jr. to Ohio State and edge Amaree Williams to Mississippi State. Those are meaningful departures, but not the roster collapse implied by the uncorrected raw ledger.
The incoming class supplies several useful starters. Xavier Chaplin is positioned to help at left tackle after playing in the SEC. Tre Wisner arrives from Texas with 21 starts and 1,734 career rushing yards, giving the backfield proven volume. Mikai Gbayor strengthens the linebacker room, and Rylan Kennedy adds an edge option. Ashton Daniels brings substantial quarterback experience, but he does not automatically solve the position. Florida State has added competence and competition; it has not assembled the kind of overwhelming portal class that erases every question created by the previous season.
What it changes: Florida State's downgrade is relative to what the program needed. Chaplin and Wisner should make the offense more functional, and the defensive returnees prevent the depth chart from being as thin as the database first suggested. The Seminoles still enter camp needing a clear quarterback answer, a new receiving hierarchy and more proof that the defensive additions can change games. This class repaired several rooms without transforming the roster. For a program trying to restore national relevance, useful improvement may not be the same thing as enough improvement.