Make no mistake about it, the college football transfer portal is NFL free agency at the NCAA level. In the spring portal window, there are top-commodity names with proven production such as Georgia DT Bear Alexander.
The freshman standout and former top-60 recruit is highly identifiable, and as he told ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren, he chose to transfer to USC because “I wanted to be in a position where I could show my versatility as a player.”
What about the less heralded, under-the-radar free agents who become just as impactful? Who is the NFL’s version of Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Haason Reddick in this year’s portal? A change of scenery and positional scheme led to 16 sacks. He was the catalyst of a Super Bowl defense.
The spring transfer window opened on April 15 and will close Sunday. Big names have already entered and committed, but we still see great value in some under-the-radar prospects who might have been overlooked as high school prospects.
We start at the FCS level, where Shaquille Leonard and Cooper Kupp have proved that players can go from obscurity to the Pro Bowl if they are in an opportune situation.
coverage:
Ranking the spring portal’s top players
Transfer portal class rankings
Transfer takeaways and trends
Transferring from: Maine
HT: 6-3 | WT: 230 | Class: Junior
Edge rushers are a premium at the FBS level, and Manns is already attracting a lot of attention for his speed when tracking down quarterbacks. He posted 6.5 tackles for loss last season and four sacks despite constant double teams.
The New York native’s first step is explosive off the snap, and he closes with excellent burst and tenacity. He will likely be more of a situational pass-rusher rather than playing every down, as his leverage and overall power will be challenged against the run at the FBS level. Underdeveloped and underrecruited out of high school, Kansas and Colorado are the latest to offer the no-star high school prospect.
Transferring from: Rhode Island
HT: 6-1 | WT: 187 | Class: Sophomore
Carter is also a defensive player from the CAA who went unranked out of high school. Carter is from Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, Florida, and like Manns, he was a game-changer at the FCS level. The scheme-versatile DB can play corner or…
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