The transfer portal has changed the game, and with NIL, there's basically free agency in college football now. And the Big Ten's deep pockets undoubtedly helped its programs lure some of the top talent in the country.
Here are players expected to make an instant impact out of the portal as selected by writers who cover the league forUSA TODAY SportsNetwork.
ILLINOIS: DL Dennis Briggs Jr. (Florida State)
The 6-4, 290-pound defensive lineman comes to Illinois after a solid junior campaign at Florida State, appearing in 10 games with 14 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries. Look for Briggs Jr. to help fill the void left by second-round pick Jer'Zhan Newton. — Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star
INDIANA: QB Kurtis Rourke (Ohio)
If it isn’t Kurtis Rourke, Indiana could be in trouble. Rourke has good depth behind him but there’s no quarterback on roster nearly so accomplished as a player who rolled up well over 6,000 passing yards and led Ohio to consecutive bowl berths in 2022 and 2023. Rourke was named MAC offensive player of the year in 2022, and even after an ACL tear sat him down for virtually an entire offseason he started 11 games last season. He will almost certainly be QB1 from day one, and IU needs his very best. — Zach Osterman, IndyStar
IOWA: QB Brendan Sullivan (Northwestern)
Sullivan might not start and it's uncertain how much he will even play at all, but simply having him on the roster is a big deal. Iowa's quarterback play was a disaster last season after Cade McNamara got hurt. So having somewhat of a safety net alongside McNamara this season means Iowa's offense has another competentoption at quarterback. — Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register
MARYLAND: CB Jalen Huskey (Bowling Green)
Defensive back Jalen Huskey earned first team all-MAC honors at Bowling Green last season and should slot in as an immediate starter in the Maryland secondary. He was considered one of the top 25 cornerbacks in the country by Pro Football Focus in 2023 and ended up as one of four players to snag an interception off former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy during the Wolverines' national championship run. — Mark Giannotto, USA TODAY Network
MICHIGAN: LB Jaishawn Barham (Maryland)
The Wolverines bid farewell to third-round pick Junior Colson, their leading tackler in 2023. Barham, an import from Maryland, should mitigate the loss of Colson and keep Michigan’s defense strong at the second level. — Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press
LB Jaishawn Barham (Maryland)
The Wolverines lost nine combined years of linebacker experience to the NFL last season in Junior Colson (three years) and Michael Barrett (six years) which left a notable gap in the middle of the defense. U-M also turned over its entire defensive staff, which is now coordinated by long-time NFL mind Wink Martindale. Barham was a standout for Maryland last season — he started 11 games, recorded 37 tackles including three for loss, three sacks and intercepted J.J. McCarthy in the end zone — and will now be tasked with being the middle of U-M's unit and a possible "green dot" candidate. — Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press
MICHIGAN STATE: QB Aidan Chiles (Oregon State)
New coach Jonathan Smith convinced Chiles, a promising sophomore quarterback, to tag along with him when he moved from Oregon State to Michigan State. Now, Chiles will lead the Spartans into a new age. — Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press
MINNESOTA: QB Max Brosmer (New Hampshire)
What had been a languishing and occasionally dreadful Minnesota passing attack in 2023 got a boost in the offseason with the commitment of Max Brosmer, a New Hampshire transfer who was a second-team FCS All-America selection last season. The 6-2 Brosmer was sensational last season, throwing for 3,464 yards, 29 touchdowns and just five interceptions. The jump from the Coastal Athletic Association to the Big Ten is a considerable one, but given the position he plays, there are few people, if any, on the Golden Gophers roster poised to have a bigger impact. — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network
NEBRASKA: WR Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest)
Fifth-year receiver Jahmal Banks was the highest-rated addition from the portal for the Cornhuskers and can become a reliable go-to option. He had 107 receptions for 1,404 yards and 13 touchdowns in 44 games for Wake Forest, including 59 catches for 653 yards and four touchdowns last season. Banks is listed as an impressive 6-4, 205 pounds.— Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY Network
NORTHWESTERN: QB Mike Wright (Mississippi State)
While it’s cliché, it’s true: There is no more important position in college football than quarterback. And this is especially true for Northwestern heading into the 2024 season, as the Wildcats had four players take snaps under center last season. This is why Mike Wright will be the impact transfer for the Wildcats in 2024. The former SEC quarterback brings a dual-threat skillset and veteran experience to Evanston. In three seasons combined at Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, Wright compiled 2,520 career passing yards, 1,229 rushing yards, 24 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns. — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Network
OHIO STATE: S Caleb Downs (Alabama)
As the top player to enter the transfer portal this offseason, Downs adds more star power to an already experienced defense that ranked among the best in the Football Bowl Subdivision last year. He was the first freshman since at least 1970 to lead Alabama in tackles and should slide in for the Buckeyes at free safety. — Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch
QB Will Howard (Kansas State)
Caleb Downs is probably the best of the additions, but he’s joining an already loaded defense. Howard is being counted on, assuming he beats out Devin Brown, to raise the level of quarterback play from what it was in 2023. Kyle McCord was good but not great last year before transferring to Syracuse. The Buckeyes don’t need Howard to be a superstar, but the Kansas State transfer can’t hold the offense back. — Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch
OREGON: CB Jabbar Muhammad (Washington)
The former Washington Husky packed his bags and moved five hours south to help shore up Oregon’s defensive backfield as one of the best available outside corners on the market. Muhammad gives the Ducks a true lockdown corner on the outside with plenty of big game experience to pair with its other DB transfers. — Alec Dietz, The Register-Guard (Eugene)
PENN STATE: WR Julian Fleming (Ohio State)
The former 5-star recruit should bring leadership, dependability, and a dire lift in on-field production to the Nittany Lions’ most concerning position group. The former Ohio State Buckeye could be the most impactful transfer in the league if he can stay healthy for a full season. — Frank Bodani, York (Pa.) Daily Record
PURDUE: CB Nyland Green (Georgia)
Nyland Green headlines a quartet of incoming transfers from Georgia. The former consensus four-star, top-100 prospect played in 25 games as a reserve for the Bulldogs over his first two seasons — including two SEC championship games and two playoff games. He can immediately boost a secondary which ranked among the Big Ten’s worst last season. — Nathan Baird, IndyStar
CB Nyland Green (Georgia)
Jahmal Edrine has been at Purdue, but a torn ACL during last year’s camp kept him off the field in a Boilermaker uniform. Expect him to become an impact player in the offense, but what Purdue desperately needed was a lockdown cornerback. The Boilers hope they found that in Nyland Green, who Georgia had high hopes for before Green fell out of favor on the depth chart. Green transferred from Georgia following last season and Purdue is banking on his experience with two national championship teams and his former five-star status as a recruit out of high school. — Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier
RUTGERS: WR Dymere Miller (Monmouth)
The Scarlet Knights brought in Monmouth transfer Dymere Miller to bolster their wide receiver corps and he’s poised to become a reliable weapon for new QB Athan Kaliakmanis. Miller’s a dynamic, speedy receiver who broke multiple program records at the FCS level. — Chris Iseman, The Bergen Record/NorthJersey.com
UCLA: WR Rico Flores (Notre Dame)
Rico Flores impressed as a freshman at Notre Dame, finishing third on a top-15 team with 392 receiving yards. After the season, the California native and former four-star recruit opted to transfer closer to home and ended up at UCLA. The Bruins bring back their top three receivers from last season, but given Flores’ potential and what he was able to accomplish as a freshman for the Fighting Irish, it’s not hard to envision him making his presence felt. — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Sports Network
USC: LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (Oregon State)
Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection at Oregon State last season, should help bolster USC's leaky defense in 2024. Arnold finished last season with 107 total tackles with two sacks and two interceptions for the Beavers in 2023. — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports Network
WASHINGTON: QB Will Rogers (Mississippi State)
Fifth-year Mississippi State transfer quarterback Will Rogers brings four years of starting experience to the Huskies and has a chance to put up a prolific season under first-year coach Jedd Fisch, who proved to run a potent offense at Arizona last season. Rogers brings over 12,000 career passing yards on top of 94 passing touchdowns to Washington. — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports Network
WISCONSIN: QB Tyler Van Dyke (Miami)
Tyler Van Dyke might not be UW’s best transfer, but he is the most important. Van Dyke came to UW after starting a total of 28 games over the past three seasons at Miami and must beat out Braedyn Locke for the starting job. Locke started only three games last season and completed just 50% of his passes. — Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
