College football transfer portal tracker: Notable players to enter
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ESPN staff
College football‘s transfer portal is now open for the next 15 days. More than 6,000 NCAA football players have entered the portal since the beginning of the 2022 season, including 2,179 last December alone — the most of any month since the transfer portal was created in fall 2018.
The NCAA enacted two transfer portal windows: a 45-day window that started the day after the four College Football Playoff teams were selected in December and a spring window from April 15 to 30.
The first wave of transfers saw many big names change teams, such as former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei finding a new home with Oregon State and Cade McNamara, who led Michigan to the 2021-22 CFP, leaving the Wolverines for in-conference Iowa. Meanwhile, Deion Sanders and Colorado made some big splashes, namely in quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the coach’s son, and defensive back Travis Hunter, the No. 1-ranked player to enter the portal in the winter.
Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison was the highest-profile player to enter the portal last spring when he left Pitt to go to Southern California. What will happen this spring?
We’re tracking notable players entering (and exiting) the portal, with the latest news and updates on how the 2023 season could be transformed. The most recent moves are listed at the top.
Editor’s note: This story was last updated on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET.
coverage:
Ranking top winter transfers
Coaches pick transfer winners
Winter transfer class rankings
Texas A&M keeps restocking secondary
The Aggies secured a commitment from former Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry, who tallied 99 total tackles and three interceptions over the past two seasons with the Eagles. During the winter window, Texas A&M added defensive backs Tony Grimes from North Carolina and Sam McCall from Florida State.
ACC DB back in the portal
Cam’Ron Kelly transferred from North Carolina to Virginia in January, but the veteran cornerback decided to reenter the portal Tuesday after the Cavaliers’ spring game this past weekend. Kelly recorded 179 total tackles, 7 pass breakups and 5 interceptions in four seasons with the Tar Heels.
Former top recruit leaving TCU
Wide receiver Jordan Hudson was TCU’s top-rated recruit in the 2022 class, ranked No. 58 in the ESPN 300. He recorded 14 catches for 174 yards and three touchdowns with the Horned Frogs.
Texas A&M CB to enter portal
Bobby Taylor was one of 24 ESPN 300 recruits in Texas A&M’s historic 2022 recruiting class. But after a freshman season in which he recorded just one total tackle, Taylor, the No. 243-ranked recruit, tweeted that he will enter the portal.
Eighth Colorado player enters portal
Simeon Harris recorded 20 total tackles in 11 games (four starts) with Colorado as a true freshman in 2022.
Since the portal reopened on April 15, eight Buffaloes have entered the portal. Colorado’s first spring game in the Deion Sanders era is this Saturday.
Utah State starting CB enters portal
Ajani Carter has recorded four interceptions, two sacks, three forced fumbles and six pass breakups in 23 games (nine starts) since becoming a full-time cornerback for the Aggies.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Carter played wide receiver as a true freshman in 2019 before converting to safety in 2020 and outside linebacker in 2021.
BYU poaches Oklahoma State for OL help
BYU will enter its first season in the Big 12 with one of its new conference rival’s former starting offensive lineman.
The Cougars landed a commitment from Caleb Etienne, who started all 13 games at left tackle for the Cowboys in 2022. Etienne surrendered four sacks on 581 pass-blocking plays last season.
Oklahoma losing veteran DB
Jaden Davis announced his intentions to enter the portal with one year of eligibility remaining after four seasons with Oklahoma.
The 5-foot-10, 179-pound Davis recorded one interception, 10 pass breakups and 102 total tackles in 47 games for the Sooners over the past four seasons. He had an opponents’ completion percentage of 53.1% and had broken up 10.2% of passes in which he was the primary defender in coverage.
Texas lands former Minnesota DL
The Longhorns landed a commitment from Trill Carter, a 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive lineman who had 40 total tackles, three sacks and an interception in four seasons with Minnesota.
Former ESPN 300 QB to transfer again
Harrison Bailey, ranked the No. 244 recruit in the 2020 ESPN 300, will enter the portal for the second straight year.
Bailey, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound signal-caller, was 48-for-68 for 578 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions for Tennessee in 2020, but he played in just one game in 2021. He transferred to UNLV for the 2022 season, in which he played six games (winning his only start) and threw for 318 yards and two touchdowns with one interception on 30-of-58 passing.
All-SWAC RB leaving Jackson State
Sy’veon Wilkerson ran for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns for Deion Sanders’ Tigers in 2022, earning all-SWAC honors. In two years prior, the 5-foot-8, 205-pound running back totaled 1,100 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns for Delaware State.
Two defensive linemen leaving Colorado
Tyas Martin — a 6-foot-4, 340-pound freshman — and Ryan Williams (6-3, 275) entered the transfer portal days before Colorado’s first spring game in the Deion Sanders era.
Both Martin and Williams were recruits in the Karl Dorrell era, signing with the Buffaloes in the 2021 cycle. Martin had 13 total tackles in 2022, while Williams had seven.
Cincinnati linebacker to enter portal
Third-year linebacker Jaheim Thomas has recorded 93 total tackles and 2.5 sacks in 27 games over the past two seasons for the Bearcats. A 6-foot-4, 245-pound linebacker, Thomas will have two years of eligibility remaining.
First-team All-AAC OL to leave Houston
Cam’Ron Johnson started all 13 games for Houston at left guard, not surrendering a sack in 554 pass-block attempts. Johnson, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman who was originally a three-star recruit in the 2019 class, is a redshirt sophomore with two years of eligibility remaining.
Texas A&M center in transfer portal
Matthew Wykoff, a three-star recruit in the 2021 class who started nine games last season, is in the portal. He allowed one sack in 545 total snaps.
Wykoff is the 26th player from Texas A&M to enter the portal since December.
Oregon to lose former four-star corner to portal
Jalil Tucker, a four-star recruit in the 2022 class who ranked No. 137 in the ESPN 300, is in the transfer portal. He played in just one game last season.
Patrick McMorris announced Saturday night that he is heading to Cal. He had five interceptions and 151 tackles over the past two seasons at San Diego State.
Auburn linebacker enters portal
Auburn linebacker Desmond Tisdol, who played 24 games in three seasons with the Tigers, has entered the transfer portal. Tisdol had 12 tackles, six solo, in six games for Auburn last season. He was No. 210 in the 2020 class ESPN300.
Bear Alexander, the No. 56 recruit in the 2022 ESPN 300, told ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren he plans to enter the portal. Alexander had two sacks as a freshman, with one coming in Georgia’s national championship win over TCU. On the season, he played 163 defensive snaps and had nine total tackles.
Dawson, a four-star recruit in the 2021 class, played in four games last season, catching two passes for 30 yards. He ran 16 total routes in 2022.
Here are a few more notable portal entries as of Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET, including another Auburn player:
Oklahoma State lineman announces intention to enter portal
Caleb Etienne, Oklahoma State’s starting left tackle left season, announced Friday he will enter the transfer portal when it reopens.
Etienne was one of two offensive players to start every game for Oklahoma State. The 6-7, 330-pound senior was a junior college transfer in 2021, starting three games while preserving a redshirt.
The NCAA enacted transfer portal windows for the 2022-23 academic year to try to regulate when players were allowed to enter the portal: a 45-day window from Dec. 5 to Jan. 18 and a second 15-day window that runs from April 15 to 30.
But while the windows were intended to add structure, many coaches and personnel directors from various conferences said dealing with the continuous balancing act of the portal, recruiting classes and bowl preparations, all during the holiday season, made for too much at once.
All-SEC freshman OL to leave Texas A&M
Texas A&M center Matthew Wykoff, who earned All-SEC honors as a freshman in 2022, will enter the portal once it opens Saturday.
Wykoff, 6-6 and 330 pounds, played in 12 games (starting nine) for the Aggies last season, giving up just one sack. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
Quarterback Ben Finley played in three games and started the Wolfpack’s last two of the 2022 season, totaling 741 yards, 3 passing touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He led NC State to a double-overtime win over North Carolina but threw two picks in a 16-12 loss to Maryland in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Boston College DB in the portal
Cornerback Josh DeBerry, who recorded 4 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and 154 total tackles in four years with Boston College, entered the portal as a grad transfer in March.
The 5-11, 177-pound defensive back has tweeted that he has received offers from several programs, including Texas A&M, Arkansas, Coastal Carolina and Wisconsin.
The portal reopens this weekend
Last August, the NCAA implemented two transfer windows to help regulate the college football calendar. The first one lasted from Dec. 5 through Jan. 18, and the second one opens for about two weeks beginning Saturday.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
CHICAGO — Chicago White Sox great Paul Konerko got a present from one No. 14 to another in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 2005 World Series championship run: a jersey signed by noted Chicago fan Pope Leo XIV.
Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, presented Konerko a jersey with the new pontiff’s signature on the back during a ceremony prior to the game against the Cleveland Guardians. It had the six-time All-Star’s last name and “Pope Leo” above the No. 14.
Robert Prevost became the first pope from the U.S. in the history of the Catholic Church when he was elected on May 8. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, is a White Sox fan.
Prevost attended the 2005 World Series opener against Houston in Chicago. He watched from Section 140, Row 19, Seat 2 as the White Sox beat the Astros 5-3 on the way to a four-game sweep and their first title since 1917.
In May, the team unveiled a graphic installation near the seat paying tribute to Pope Leo and that moment. The pillar artwork features a waving Pope Leo XIV, along with a picture from the TV broadcast of the future pope sitting with good friend Ed Schmit and his grandson, Eddie.
Members of the 2005 team are in Chicago this weekend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the championship run. The White Sox debuted uniform patches honoring late closer Bobby Jenks, who died last week in Portugal, where he was being treated for stomach cancer. On Friday, the team unveiled a statue of former ace Mark Buehrle.
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