The Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights are at the same crossroads, facing 2-1 deficits ahead of road playoff games Monday.

First up on the schedule is Capitals-Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET, TNT), followed by Golden Knights-Edmonton Oilers (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT).

Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, a recap of what went down in Sunday’s games and the Three Stars of Sunday from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 4 | 7 p.m. ET | TNT

With a 2-1 series lead, the Canes are now -650 favorites to win this series, while the Capitals are +425. Carolina has also jumped to second in the Stanley Cup futures table, at +350, while the Capitals are now +2500.

This is the second straight series in which the Canes led 2-1 (they beat the Devils in five games in Round 1). Carolina/Hartford is 9-4 all time in best-of-seven series when leading 2-1.

Game 3 was the Canes’ first playoff shutout win since Game 2 of the 2022 second round against the Rangers. It was the Caps’ first shutout loss since Game 5 of the 2020 first round against the Islanders.

Frederik Andersen‘s shutout was the fourth of his playoff career, but his first postseason clean sheet as a Hurricane. He joins Cam Talbot as the only active goalies with a playoff shutout for three different franchises.

Andrei Svechnikov now has six goals this postseason, which is the 17th instance of a Hurricanes/Whalers player scoring six or more goals in a single postseason.

The four goals allowed by Logan Thompson in Game 3 were more than his combined goals against in Games 1 and 2, and the most since Game 3 of the first round against Montreal (five).

Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers
Game 4 | 9:30 p.m. ET | TNT

The Oilers’ and Knights’ series odds contracted after Vegas’ Game 3 win. Edmonton is now -250 to win, whereas Vegas is +200 to do so. The Oilers have the third-shortest Cup futures odds at +360, while the Knights are third longest at +1000.

Vegas’ Reilly Smith was credited with the winning goal in Game 3 with 0.4 seconds left on the clock after the puck angled in off Leon Draisaitl‘s stick. It goes in the record books as being scored with one second left in the third period — tied for the latest go-ahead goal in regulation in Stanley Cup playoff history with Colorado’s Nazem Kadri in 2020 and Carolina’s Jussi Jokinen in 2009.

Jack Eichel enters Game 4 riding an active six-game assist streak, which is tied for the Golden Knights’ postseason record. Mark Stone (2023) and Smith (2018) also accomplished the feat.

Connor McDavid now has 40 career playoff goals; he’s the seventh Oilers player to reach that benchmark.

Edmonton’s Corey Perry scored two goals in the first period of Game 3, becoming the third-oldest player in Stanley Cup playoff history with a multigoal period; at 39 years, 359 days old, he is behind Nicklas Lidstrom (41) and Teemu Selanne (40) at the time they had a multigoal period in a playoff game.

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Öcal’s Three Stars from Sunday

The reigning Stanley Cup champions played their best game of the postseason. They limited the Maple Leafs to 22 shots on goal, owned the neutral zone, and peppered Toronto’s Joseph Woll with 37 shots en route to a 2-0 win. (Small shoutout to Woll, who played great — this game could’ve easily been 8-0.)

With a goal and two assists in Game 3, Rantanen became the first player in Stanley Cup playoffs history with five three-point games through a team’s first 10 contests. His first of those games was in Game 5 of the first round.

Bobrovsky didn’t have the busiest night of his playoff career, but he stopped all 22 shots on goal, his fifth career postseason clean sheet.

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Sunday’s recaps

Dallas Stars 5, Winnipeg Jets 2
DAL leads 2-1 | Game 4 Tuesday

The Stars returned home having earned home-ice advantage in the series with a split of the first two games in Winnipeg, and from the start of this one, they looked like they did not want to give it back. Dallas’ Roope Hintz scored 2:27 in on a power play, and while Kyle Connor answered midway through the first, Thomas Harley responded thereafter, giving Dallas a 2-1 edge after the first. Nino Niederreiter scored his fourth goal of the playoffs to knot the game at two, but then the third period was all Stars. Alexander Petrovic and Mikko Rantanen scored within 50 seconds of each other, and Wyatt Johnston put the exclamation point on the contest with a goal at 14:06. Full recap.

Florida Panthers 2, Toronto Maple Leafs 0
Series tied 2-2 | Game 5 Wednesday

It’s down to a best-of-three for the Atlantic Division crown. Carter Verhaeghe kicked off the scoring for the Panthers at 15:45 of the first, and the 1-0 score would persist until 12:09 of the third, when Sam Bennett added his fifth of the postseason to make it 2-0. That was more than enough for Sergei Bobrovsky, who saved all 23 shots the Maple Leafs sent on goal. Joseph Woll was no slouch in the Leafs’ cage, either, saving 35 of 37. Tempers flared late in the game after Toronto’s Max Domi boarded Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and a small melee ensued. Will that carry over into Game 5? Full recap.

LAS VEGAS — Jack Eichel is everything everywhere all at once for the Vegas Golden Knights.

You’re going to see Eichel start games. You’re going to see him score goals. You’re going to see his work lead to goals for his teammates. You’re going to see him score on the power play. Chances are — and not as in Chance, the Golden Knights’ mascot — you already knew that.

But what you might not realize? You’re also going to see him winning defensive zone faceoffs while playing a big role on the penalty kill. You’re going to see him among the special group that Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy trusts to either get the lead or defend the lead in the final two minutes.

Eichel’s status as a top-line center made him the centerpiece of possibly the biggest trade in the history of a franchise that has embodied the winning-at-all-costs philosophy. But Eichel’s focus was on something more: becoming a complete center who can be sent out on the ice in any situation.

Getting there involved earning Cassidy’s trust — which meant arriving at a certain realization about his game.

“When I got here, we had Chandler Stephenson, who is a really good-way center. You have William Karlsson, who is a really good two-way center,” Eichel said. “I looked around and said, ‘If I want to get the ice time and be trusted in these situations, I have to earn the trust of the coach and become more detailed and responsible defensively.'”

For all the different moves that Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon has made to tweak his roster, there are constants. One of them is having a stack of two-way centers on all four lines, to the point that one of them might be moved to the wing because the Golden Knights have that much depth.

Not that Eichel couldn’t be used in defensive situations earlier in his career. It’s just that the No. 2 pick of the 2015 NHL draft was always known more for what he did in the offensive zone, going back to his time at Boston University, where he won the Hobey Baker Award in his lone season, and in six seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.

“I [penalty] killed a little bit when I was in Buffalo, and sometimes when you have a team that’s not winning, you can be honed as a poor defensive forward or a defensive liability,” Eichel said. “I also think just part of it is maturity. It’s understanding what it takes to win, and coming here and having the opportunity to play in this system with this organization, and then allowing me to grow my game, and then having the opportunity to do that.”

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THERE WERE A NUMBER of terms that were associated with Eichel when he was a draft prospect in 2015: Future captain. Future All-Star. Future franchise savior.

Being the strongest penalty killer, however, wasn’t one of them.

Eichel acknowledges he was on the penalty kill with the Sabres. It was enough to make him a contributor, but he never was the center anchoring a short-handed unit. The most short-handed minutes he received in a single season was 53:13 in his third season in Buffalo, according to Natural Stat Trick.

“It’s about the details, but I think a lot of young players when they come into the league are a bit raw,” Eichel explained. “They’re still used to having the puck on their stick for so much time during the game and they rely on their offense. You have to find out ways to round your game off and become a more complete player.”

Getting traded to Vegas in November 2021 was a significant shift. It took Eichel from a franchise that struggled to win — despite finding lots of talented players — to an organization for which “failure” was finishing that 2021-22 season with 94 points and missing the postseason by a single point — after reaching the playoffs in four consecutive campaigns.

That playoff miss prompted the Golden Knights to move on from coach Peter DeBoer and hire Cassidy, who had just been let go by the Boston Bruins. In Cassidy, the Golden Knights got an experienced coach whose defensive philosophies were at the core of why the Bruins reached the playoffs in six straight seasons.

“It did take time,” Karlsson said about learning Cassidy’s system. “We weren’t used to it. But once we learn it, you react with your instincts. You don’t have to think about it anymore because it’s a really good system. He usually has the center in a really good position, but also a really good position to transition into the offensive zone. But there are a lot of defensive details.”

Eichel made an impact in his first full season with Vegas in 2022-23. He led the Golden Knights with 66 points, and his 27 goals were second on the team. Eichel also led the club with 223 shots on goal, while scoring 14 power-play points.

The way McCrimmon constructed the Golden Knights meant that for Eichel to attain more ice time in those crucial situations, he needed to find room in a crowded landscape. The Knights had Karlsson and Stephenson. And they also had Ivan Barbashev, Brett Howden, Nicolas Roy, Reilly Smith and Mark Stone as part of the forward core. All of them logged more short-handed minutes than Eichel when they won the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Still, Eichel would be second on the team in 5-on-5 minutes during the playoffs behind Jonathan Marchessault, while finishing with six goals and 26 points in 22 games.

How did Eichel go about letting Cassidy know that he could be trusted in those situations? It wasn’t through anything he said. It was about using every practice and every game to prove he was ready to handle those demands.

“If I’m put in a situation and I don’t produce a result that is positive for the group? Then, I’m not going to have opportunities,” Eichel said. “It’s about gaining trust through good play, working with the coaches on the structure, what they are looking for and then being able to go out and execute it. I think that’s been a big, big thing.”

Even if he wasn’t heavily used on the penalty kill with the Sabres, Eichel was still playing a lot. He averaged more than 19 minutes per game in every season in Buffalo, and had four straight seasons of more than 20 minutes per contest.

In his first season with Cassidy in 2022-23, Eichel averaged a career-low 18:46 of ice time per game in the regular season, and logged 18:59 per game in the playoffs en route to the Cup.

The investment Eichel made in becoming a more responsible player paved the way for his increased minutes in the seasons that followed. There was also an opportunity for someone to take those short-handed minutes, because Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins following the Cup win in 2023.

Eichel would finish 2023-24 with a career-high 20:31 in ice time per game in 2023-24, and 123:48 in short-handed ice time, which was second among all Vegas centers behind Karlsson. He was also second in total power-play ice time, and seventh in total 5-on-5 ice time on the team — mainly due to missing 19 games.

“We’ve always had good centers. I think we definitely took a crazy step forward when we added Jack,” said Stone, a two-time Selke Trophy finalist as the game’s best two-way forward. “You go from having three guys to four guys, maybe five guys, even. Last year, he kind of took over and this year he took over for Stephenson.”

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LOSING MARCHESSAULT AND STEPHENSON to free agency — in an offseason in which they saw six players from their 2023 Stanley Cup-winning team depart — meant the Golden Knights needed to find solutions to make up for those departures.

Eichel provided the Golden Knights with the best season of his career. His 66 assists and 94 points were both career highs. Some point out that Eichel could have had his first 100-point campaign if not for missing five games.

Then there’s his usage. Eichel led all Golden Knights forwards in average ice time (a career high of 20:32 per game), 5-on-5 ice time and power-play minutes. As for short-handed minutes? Eichel led all forwards in that too, by a margin of 35 minutes more than Howden. He was second in defensive zone faceoffs taken.

There was also an underlying theme of limiting mistakes. Vegas finished the regular season with the second-fewest penalty minutes in the NHL. And yes, Eichel was at the heart of that too, as he had only eight penalty minutes.

“It helps when you have the puck a lot,” Stone said. “He’s good in the D-zone, but he has the puck on his stick more than he doesn’t. He plays the D-zone quick, but when you’re that good of a player, the other team is thinking about not making mistakes.”

Karlsson explained how Cassidy’s system can be physically demanding for anyone playing down the middle. He said there are the natural expectations that come with playing center in today’s NHL. But one of the reasons why the Golden Knights place such an emphasis on conditioning and strength training is so their centers are prepared to play those longer shifts in the event they can’t get off the ice.

Stone added that Cassidy’s structure means centers are doing “a lot of skating,” while the wingers are expected to deny the other team from getting shots from the point and being active in the top of the ice.

“He’s been handling it well this year,” Karlsson said. “He’s in Year 3 now of Butch and his assistants. It’s kind of natural to him now and he’s good. He’s good at picking up things like stripping a guy off the top as he’s a big, strong guy. He reads the game well, so he’s really turning into a 200-foot player.”

During Cassidy’s time with the Bruins, he worked with venerable two-way centers such as six-time Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron and stalwart second-line pivot David Krejci. In discussing those two, Cassidy admitted that they “probably taught me more than I taught them.”

But when it came to his conversations with Eichel, Cassidy said that he talked about what he saw from Bergeron and Krejci — the value they saw and provided in efficient operations in the defensive zone.

Cassidy said he and his staff started seeing that investment in Eichel pay off during their championship season. He’s since grown in those responsibilities as a two-way player who can now be used in every situation.

“That’s on the player,” Cassidy said. “They’ve got to decide if that’s what they want to do because it’s not easy to check. It’s a mindset a lot of nights, and we’ve got to be going to work and he’s done it. He’s getting credit for it, and he should.”

While annual College Football Playoff contenders like Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State are ace recruiters, elite recruiting isn’t the only path to becoming a top program.

The transfer portal has changed how programs build rosters. Some schools go all-in every offseason to overhaul their rosters through the portal, while others use the portal to add depth to a position or target major transfers who could take a team from great to national champion.

And now that spring football and the spring transfer portal period are over, we can look at the best groups of newcomers. When looking at modern roster development, it’s important to consider the combination of recruiting class and success in the portal.

This ranking is the top 25 groups of newcomers — recruits and transfers combined — based on who could see the most impactful immediate returns for 2025.

Top impact recruits: WR Dakorien Moore, CB Na’eem Offord, S Trey McNutt

In 2024, freshman receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Ryan Williams (Alabama) made immediate impacts. Moore, a five-star prospect, looks like the next breakout star at the position. Moore has elite big-play speed, runs excellent routes and has a high football IQ and fierce competitive demeanor. All of those tools can make him a featured target right away for a playoff contender that lost three of its top four pass-catchers from 2024.

Defensively, Offord and McNutt are players to watch. They were both versatile two-way players in high school and bring strong playmaking skills to Oregon’s secondary. With the Ducks needing to reload on the back end, both have a strong chance to contribute in Year 1.

Top transfers: RB Makhi Hughes, OL Isaiah World, OL Emmanuel Pregnon, S Dillon Thieneman, CB Theran Johnson, DT Bear Alexander, OL Alex Harkey, TE Jamari Johnson.

Fresh off a Big Ten title, Oregon signed a top-five recruiting class and an elite group of transfers as it prepares for another national title run. Signing Offord was helpful for the Ducks when his half-brother, running back Makhi Hughes, entered the portal. Hughes was one of the top transfers available after running for nearly 3,000 yards at Tulane. He should help replace 1,000-yard rusher Jordan James in Oregon’s backfield.

To help open running lanes, the Ducks pulled several offensive line starters out of the portal. Both World and Pregnon are poised to anchor the left side of the offensive line. Thieneman was a top-25 portal prospect who brings Big Ten experience from Purdue and looks like a plug-and-play addition. Oregon also pulled out several other transfers who, at a minimum, should provide quality depth and play contributing roles.

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Top impact recruits: CB DJ Pickett, OL Carius Curne, OL Solomon Thomas, RB Harlem Berry

While much of LSU’s immediate help will come from transfers, the Tigers signed a top-10 recruiting class that should produce some early contributors. Pickett, a five-star player, is most likely to make an immediate impact. A long, fluid corner, he enrolled early and showed promising flashes this spring. He has the tools to start as a true freshman and help reestablish the Tigers’ reputation for producing elite defensive backs.

At running back, LSU returns Caden Durham, a key freshman contributor in 2024. But four-star Berry brings big-play speed and could complement Durham nicely if Berry can develop physically. The Tigers’ 2022 class produced two immediate freshman starters on the offensive line in Will Campbell and Emery Jones. Don’t expect this group to replicate that impact right away, but there are opportunities up front, and Thomas, another five-star, and Curne, an ESPN 300 player, are names to watch on the two-deep — or even as eventual starters.

Top transfers: WR Barion Brown, WR Nic Anderson, TE Bauer Sharp, OL Braelin Moore, OL Josh Thompson, QB Michael Van Buren, DE Jack Pyburn, DE Patrick Payton, CB Mansoor Delane, S Tamarcus Cooley, CB Ja’Keem Jackson, S A.J. Haulcy

Brian Kelly and his staff aggressively assembled one of the nation’s top-rated transfer classes, which should provide immediate help as the Tigers work to return to the SEC title game for the first time since 2022.

After losing three of their top four pass-catchers from last season, the Tigers reloaded with experienced SEC targets, including Brown (Kentucky), Anderson (Oklahoma) and tight end Sharp, who could fill the void left by Mason Taylor after a 42-catch season at Oklahoma.

Garrett Nussmeier returns as one of college football’s best quarterbacks, but LSU set itself up nicely if it needs to turn to No. 2 bringing in Van Buren, who appeared in 10 games as a freshman for Mississippi State. In the secondary, one cornerback spot could go to Pickett, but transfers like Delane and Jackson are talented options at the other spot. Cooley is another plug-and-play option in the secondary along with ultra-productive Haulcy (Houston). He earned All-Big 12 honors in 2024 after producing 74 tackles, 8 pass breakups and 5 interceptions, which tied for most in the conference. Edge rushers Pyburn and Payton — the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2022 at Florida State — should give LSU a disruptive presence.

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Top impact recruits: CB Blake Woodby, DT Jourdin Crawford, DT Malik Autry, S Anquon Fegans, WR Sam Turner

Auburn hasn’t posted a winning season since 2020, but Hugh Freeze is building a roster that could change that. The Tigers’ sixth-ranked recruiting class could produce several immediate contributors.

Although secondary wasn’t an urgent need, it might be tough to keep both Woodby, a five-star prospect, and Fegans, a top-5 safety prospect, off the field — especially after some post-spring departures. Woodby is a supremely confident corner with excellent speed, while Fegans brings versatility and is already battling for a starting spot. Teams can never have enough defensive linemen, and Auburn signed several impactful big men, including Crawford and Autry. Both are 300-pounders with the tools to contribute on the interior this season.

After freshmen receivers Malcolm Simmons and Cam Coleman made contributions in 2024, Turner, a three-star recruit, is poised to follow suit. He has good length at 6-foot-1 and runs sharp routes.

Top transfers: QB Jackson Arnold, WR Eric Singleton Jr., CB Raion Strader, OT Xavier Chaplin, OT Mason Murphy, LB Caleb Wheatland, DT Dallas Walker IV, DE Chris Murray

Both Auburn and Arnold needed a fresh start in 2025. A five-star in 2023, the dual-threat Oklahoma transfer has the physical tools to become one of the most impactful transfers of the 2025 cycle.

Singleton, a Georgia Tech transfer, will provide experience and leadership after logging 100 catches over the past two seasons. His speed and production can help solidify a wide receiver group that was a liability not too long ago. On the offensive line, Chaplin and Murphy are in the mix for starting jobs at tackle.

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Top impact recruits: S Jonah Williams, DT Justus Terry, WR Jaime Ffrench, WR Kaliq Lockett, WR Daylan McCutcheon

With the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, Texas can enter 2025 expecting contributions from a deep group of blue-chippers as it eyes a third straight College Football Playoff appearance.

While the Longhorns addressed most of their defensive line needs via the portal, Terry, a five-star, could become a factor, even if he’s not a full-time starter, much like 2024 five-star Collin Simmons. Terry brings explosion and versatility to the interior defensive line.

Texas also signed three ESPN 300 wide receivers — Ffrench, Lockett and McCutcheon — to restock its depth after leaning more on transfers last year. Williams, a five-star DB, is a two-sport athlete who has spent his initial time in Austin with Texas’ nationally ranked baseball program. He has an excellent combination of size and speed. He can contribute this fall as a versatile weapon in the secondary.

Top transfers: TE Jack Endries, DT Maraad Watson, DT Travis Shaw, DT Cole Brevard, DT Hero Kanu.

Texas largely leaned on excellent high school recruiting this year, but after losing three starters and key depth, it used the portal to address immediate needs on the defensive line in 2025. Watson, a Syracuse transfer, was very productive as a freshman starter and can build on that strong start to his career in Austin this season. On offense, Endries was a key spring addition and brings proven production to a position that needed more experience heading into the fall.

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Top impact recruits: WR Leyton Stone, WR Michael Dever, WR Bryson Jones

The Red Raiders signed a solid class, but transfers are expected to make the majority of the immediate impact. They also bring back good production at wide receiver, but in a high-powered passing attack with an experienced quarterback in Behren Morton, there’s always opportunity for young players to jump in and contribute. Although he didn’t enroll early, Jones, a four-star, is the highest-ranked receiver in the recruiting class and could work his way into the rotation.

Top transfers: DE David Bailey, DE Romello Height, DL Lee Hunter, DL Skyler Gill-Howard, WR Reggie Virgil, TE Terrance Carter, OT Will Jados, OL Howard Sampson

Few teams were more active and successful in the portal this offseason than Texas Tech, which finished with ESPN’s top-ranked transfer portal class. Much of that activity focused on improving a defense that ranked near the bottom nationally in several categories.

Adding Bailey from Stanford was a big addition. He already has 14.5 career sacks. Along with Height, Hunter and Gill-Howard, they can revitalize Texas Tech’s defensive front.

Virgil and Carter, who caught 48 passes last season for Louisiana, should pair nicely with returning targets Coy Eakin and Caleb Douglas, who combined for more than 100 catches. To help better protect Morton, Texas Tech landed several potential offensive line starters, with Jados and Sampson poised to man tackle spots.

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Top impact recruits: OL Devin Harper, WR Caleb Cunningham

There doesn’t appear to be an impact freshman like Quinshon Judkins (2022) or Suntarine Perkins (2023), but Ole Miss still brought in intriguing talent that could play a role, much like William Echoles did last season. Cunningham, one of the top prospects in the state, is a player to watch, and Harper could crack their Rebels’ offensive line two-deep.

Top transfers: DL Da’Shawn Womack, DE Princewill Umanmielen, S Sage Ryan, CB Ricky Fletcher, WR De’Zhaun Stribling, WR Caleb Odom, TE Luke Hasz, OL Delano Townsend, OL Patrick Kutas, CB Tavoy Feagin

Ole Miss has become synonymous with the portal. It has yielded exceptional players, including Jaxson Dart and Walter Nolen, and Lane Kiffin’s staff was once again aggressive in 2025.

They pulled several likely offensive line starters, such as Kutas, who arrived from Arkansas. Hasz also transferred in from Arkansas and could become a focal point in the passing game. A 2023 ESPN 300 prospect, Hasz flashed as a freshman before injuries cut his season short, but he turned in a solid 2024 campaign.

Defensively, Princely Umanmielen transferred in and notched 10.5 sacks as a senior before moving on to the NFL. Now, his younger brother Princewill Umanmielen arrives in Oxford from Nebraska hoping to deliver a similar impact.

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Top impact recruits: CB Devin Sanchez, LB Riley Pettijohn, WR Quincy Porter, S Faheem Delane, DE Zion Grady

The defending national champions return a deep, talented roster after recruiting at a high level for several years. So it’s unlikely any freshman replicates the instant impact Jeremiah Smith made last season. That said, this class is very talented and will find a way to carve out roles.

In the secondary, Sanchez is a lengthy, smooth corner. Delane has the physicality to play right away at safety in the Big Ten. Both are on campus and made good first impressions — including a spring game interception from Delane — and might be just a play away from a starting role this season. It’ll be tough to crack Ohio State’s loaded wide receiver mix, but depth is essential to any national title run, and Porter emerged from the spring as another potential weapon.

Top transfers: TE Max Klare, DE Beau Atkinson, OL Phillip Daniels, OL Ethan Onianwa, DE Logan George, RB CJ Donaldson

Ohio State doesn’t need to overhaul its roster via the portal given it consistently signs top-rated recruits. But the Buckeyes are still smart and selective, and last year’s additions, including Quinshon Judkins, Will Howard and Caleb Downs, paid dividends. This year’s group looks poised to do the same.

Klare caught 51 passes at Purdue last season. Targets may be harder to come by this year given the elite stable of wide receivers around him, but he’s a matchup problem who will stress defenses and gain favorable matchups in the middle of the field.

Atkinson, who came from North Carolina in the spring portal, will add more pass-rushing juice, and George looks like an unheralded steal from FCS Idaho State. At least one of their offensive line additions should assume a starting role. Donaldson is a big running back at 6-foot-2, 238 pounds who ran for more than 2,000 yards at West Virginia and will aid a ground game that lost a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.

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Top impact recruits: WR Malachi Toney, OL SJ Alofaituli

Miami has yet to return to college football’s elite class, but after logging their first 10-win season since 2017, the Hurricanes are hoping this new group can help them take the next big step.

The Hurricanes lost their top three pass-catchers at receiver. Transfers should pick up most of the slack, but Toney made a strong first impression this spring, including making eight catches for more than 100 yards and a touchdown in their spring game. He should be squarely in the receiver mix.

Up front, transfer James Brockermeyer will likely slot in at center, but Alofaituli was the top-ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2025 class and is one to watch. Though he’s physically unassuming for a nationally ranked lineman, he’s powerful, flexible and quick. Those traits could help him play a role from day one.

Top transfers: QB Carson Beck, WR CJ Daniels, DT David Blay, CB Xavier Lucas, CB Zechariah Poyser, WR Keelan Marion

Following Cam Ward’s lone season, Miami went back to the portal to replace the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in the hopes of finding a new signal-caller to help get the team to the next step. Enter Beck, who won 24 games at Georgia and brings both experience and poise. He steps into an offense that lost receivers Xavier Restrepo, Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George, who each accounted for over 50 receptions last year.

To offset that need, Miami added Daniels. He brings experience and proven production between his time at LSU and Liberty and offers Beck a target with good body control who runs sharp routes. The Hurricanes have a rich history of developing excellent defensive tackles, and Blay could become a disruptive presence after notching six sacks last year for Louisiana Tech.

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Top impact recruits: QB Bryce Underwood, OT Ty Haywood, OT Andrew Babalola, WR Jamar Browder, WR Andrew Marsh, CB Shamari Earls

Sherrone Moore pulled off the biggest recruiting win of the cycle by flipping Underwood, the No. 1 player in the class, from LSU. The in-state signal-caller addresses a key need and has every physical attribute desired in a passer. He threw for more than 11,000 yards in high school and set a state record with 152 career touchdown passes. Between a need at the position and Underwood’s physical tools, the true freshman could be under center to start the season in Ann Arbor. Marsh, an ESPN 300 player, won’t just be his top target of the future, but also a dynamic playmaker in the rotation this fall.

Moore is a former offensive lineman and offensive line coach, so it’s not surprising he emphasized signing Haywood, a five-star lineman. He’s a powerful big man with excellent length and mobility and could push his way into the rotation. Babalola, who was on campus this spring and performed well, could be the first between these two to see the field and might even contend for a starting tackle spot. Earls, a one-time Georgia commit, has a supreme blend of height, length and speed to contribute in sub packages.

Top transfers: WR Donaven McCulley, RB Justice Haynes, DB TJ Metcalf, OL Brady Norton, DT Damon Payne, DT Tre Williams

Haynes will team up with Jordan Marshall at running back to give Michigan one of the best 1-2 punches in college football. He was successful carrying a big load in high school and certainly can produce in a featured role. Haynes is a strong downhill runner with productive yards after contact. McCulley is a strong, big-bodied receiver at a position of need. He will be a nice target for Underwood on the outside who will win the contested jump balls. Defensively, look for Metcalf to fill a nickel role given his good coverage skills, size and physicality. He’s a ballhawk.

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Top impact recruits: DE Javion Hilson, RB Marquise Davis, WR Donovan Olugbode

Eli Drinkwitz has led the Tigers to back-to-back double-digit win seasons, but a hat trick might be tough following some key roster losses. Still, with a top-10 portal class and top-25 recruiting class, they’ve reloaded with talent to remain competitive in the SEC.

Davis, a four-star player, could step into a meaningful role right away in an immediate area of need. He’s a thickly built back with a nice combination of burst and vision who proved this spring he’s ready to make a contribution to their rushing attack.

Keep an eye on Olugbode in Missouri’s receiver rotation. The IMG playmaker has shown he can quickly adapt and be a versatile prospect. The Tigers shouldn’t need to count on Hilson immediately, but the defensive end was a key recruiting win. He has tools to be a disruptive pass rusher and could work his way into a situational role.

Top transfers: DE Damon Wilson, QB Beau Pribula, OT Keagen Trost, DE Nate Johnson, LB Josiah Trotter, S Jalen Catalon, RB Ahmad Hardy, WR Kevin Coleman

Despite several departures, the Tigers replenished well in the portal. Wilson, who came from Georgia, is a big addition. His blend of length and burst rushing off the edge will offset the losses of Johnny Walker Jr. (9.5 sacks) and Jahkai Lang (3 sacks).

Pribula, who was a backup at Penn State in 2024, hasn’t locked up the starting job in Columbia, but he’s a strong option to take over for Brady Cook. Missouri also lost both its leading rushers, though Hardy arrives from UL Monroe off a 1,351-yard season as a freshman. Hardy and Davis could form one of the SEC’s better young running back tandems.

The well-traveled Coleman adds an experienced option to a wide receiver room that lost multiple players to the portal. He’s coming off his best season yet at Mississippi State last fall. Catalon and Trotter are plug-and-play caliber additions on defense.

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Top impact recruits: WR Malik Clark, WR Donovan Murph, WR Brian Rowe, OL Shedrick Sarratt Jr.

The Gamecocks knew they needed to elevate their passing game for LaNorris Sellers after losing three of their top-five pass-catchers from 2024. They did it the traditional way, signing five four-star receivers from the high school ranks.

Clark and Murph are a pair of 6-foot-2 receivers who are prime candidates to emerge. Clark brings size, speed and the tools to step in right away. Murph didn’t enroll early, but the Under Armour All-American is a big target with excellent hands, body control and a knack for the big play. At 5-foot-11, Rowe is slightly built, but he’s explosive. On the offensive line, Sarratt, a high three-star prospect, impressed during spring practice and could work his way into the mix at guard.

Top transfers: TE Jordan Dingle, RB Rahsul Faison, DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, OL Boaz Stanley, CB Brandon Cisse, LB Shawn Murphy, LB Justin Okoronkwo

The Gamecocks also made targeted moves in the portal to fill holes with experience and upside. Dingle, coming from Kentucky, had a strong spring at tight end. His well-rounded skill set should make him a reliable option in both the run and pass game.

Up front, Stanley is providing quick returns and has seemingly already won the starting job at center. Both Brownlow-Dindy and Murphy were touted ESPN 300 prospects, with the former a five-star in the 2022 class, so each comes with talent to break out. Cisse is also coming off a strong spring.

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Top impact recruits: QB Julian Lewis, DE London Merritt, WR Quentin Gibson, WR Quanell X. Farrakhan Jr.

Lewis, a five-star recruit, is one of the most heralded quarterbacks in the ESPN recruiting era. He headlines Colorado’s recruiting class and arrives with all the tools to set records in Boulder. Lewis could work his way into the mix as the season progresses.

Farrakhan might see the field before any other freshman, as either a returner or rotating outside receiver. He brings big-play speed, great hands and good football instincts to the Buffs. Gibson is small in stature but is coming off a monster senior season when he had more than 2,000 receiving yards with 36 touchdowns. At 5-foot-9, 155 pounds, his lack of physical stature could limit his initial role, but he’s another electric option in the return game and an offensive weapon if coordinator Pat Shurmur can create ways to get him the ball in space.

Top transfers: QB Kaidon Salter, OT Xavier Hill, WR Joseph Williams, WR Sincere Brown, OL Zylon Crisler, OL Akinola Ogunbiyi

Salter arrives from Liberty as a more dynamic runner than his predecessor, Shedeur Sanders, especially when making plays outside the pocket. He’s not that far behind Sanders’ accuracy, either. Salter’s presence allows the five-star Lewis to develop patiently in his first year without immediate pressure.

The offensive line has undergone a near-complete overhaul, though it’s too early to say whether it will be better than last year’s group. At 6-foot-4, 318 pounds, Hill, a Memphis transfer, has impressive mobility for his massive size and can play either guard or tackle. Brown was a key spring addition who caught 61 passes for 1,028 yards and 12 scores at Campbell last year. His production will translate to the Big 12 and, at the very least, in the red zone, where the 6-foot-5 receiver has great ball skills.

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Top impact recruits: DT Kevin Wynn, QB Kevin Sperry, WR Jayvan Boggs

It’s all hands on deck as the Seminoles dig out of the wreckage stemming from last year’s 2-10 season. Transfers will carry much of the load, but there are young, talented players coming in who could play a role, even after the poor 2024 season led to some defections from the class.

Wynn’s decision to stick with Florida State should pay off early. He’s a powerful player with the size to contribute right away. Boggs posted eye-popping numbers as a high school senior with more than 2,000 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns. If he can replicate even just a quarter of that, he’ll be a productive freshman. Sperry isn’t a plug-and-play option at quarterback, but he has impressed enough this spring that the Seminoles could turn to him sooner rather than later if they falter again this season.

Top transfers: WR Duce Robinson, QB Tommy Castellanos, WR Squirrel White, CB Jeremiah Wilson, DE Deante McCray, DE James Williams, LB Stefon Thompson, OL Luke Petitbon

Though Florida State has experienced the benefits and pitfalls of the transfer portal, it once again leveraged the portal to turn things around. Castellanos is undersized at 5-foot-9 but can be a dynamic and improvisational playmaker. He’s an upgrade at the position if he can limit his turnovers.

At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Robinson is a massive target who moves like a wide receiver in a tight end’s body, and he has an interesting multi-sport background as a one-time baseball prospect. Petitbon brings toughness to the trenches, and he’ll move right into the starting center job. Wilson, McCray and Williams are among the portal additions who are expected to step in and help elevate the defense.

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Top impact recruits: DT Elijah Griffin, CB Dominick Kelly, WR C.J. Wiley

Seven Georgia defensive linemen have become first-round draft picks since 2022. Adding Griffin could help keep that pipeline flowing. The nation’s top-ranked defensive tackle impressed during Under Armour All-America week in January, then followed it up with a strong spring in Athens. His dynamic combination of size, explosion and agility draws early comparisons to Jalen Carter. Kelly highlights the depth of Georgia’s class. He also had a good spring and should immediately bolster the Bulldogs’ secondary.

Top transfers: WR Zachariah Branch, RB Josh McCray, WR Noah Thomas, LB Elo Modozie

After signing nine consecutive top-three recruiting classes, Georgia doesn’t need to live in the portal. However, the Bulldogs used it to supplement their roster, especially at wide receiver. Branch, a five-star coming from USC, has blazing speed and could be one of the most electrifying players in college football. He’ll factor into the return game but could elevate his presence by becoming a weapon in the passing game. Thomas led Texas A&M in receiving in 2024. At running back, McCray is a big, physical back at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds to complement Nate Frazier.

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Top impact recruits: CB Dijon Lee Jr, OT Jackson Lloyd, S Ivan Taylor, QB Keelon Russell, WR Lotzeir Brooks

Nick Saban set an incredibly high bar in recruiting. So far, Kalen DeBoer has met that high standard. He signed two five-stars who could contribute in 2025. At 6-foot-4, Lee has elite length and very smooth movements for his size at corner. He’ll be tough to keep out of the mix, even if Alabama returns two starters.

Alabama returns multiple offensive line starters, but Lloyd and Michael Carroll are competing for open spots at left guard and right tackle. At a minimum, they should factor into the offensive line two-deep.

Quarterback Ty Simpson enters as the likely starter on a similar timeline to Bryce Young, who was a reserve in his first season in Tuscaloosa. Russell could follow a similar path, but he was one of the most talented prospects in the 2025 class regardless of position.

Top transfers: WR Isaiah Horton, CB Cameron Calhoun, LB Nikhai Hill-Green, OL Kam Dewberry, DL Kelby Collins

In the portal, Alabama added some experience at multiple spots. Calhoun’s arrival from Utah only strengthens the cornerback unit. Horton caught 56 passes for Miami last season and should be productive in a starting role. While the Tide have a freshman option, 2022 ESPN 300 offensive lineman Dewberry (Texas A&M) will likely take over Tyler Booker’s left guard spot. Hill-Green, a Colorado transfer, is also plenty experienced and could step into multiple roles on Alabama’s defense, even if he doesn’t win the starting job outright.

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Top impact recruits: OT Lamont Rogers, DT Landon Rink, DT D.J. Sanders

Mike Elko has an eye for identifying and developing talent. The Aggies didn’t need to use the portal to replenish their offensive line given their considerable returning depth. Instead, they added Rogers, a five-star, with an eye on the future. He has good feet, flexibility and already gained some experience this spring. He has a chance to work his way into the mix up front.

Texas A&M lost a lot of production along the defensive line. Rink executes with good technique and a relentless motor. He can fill a rotational role immediately. At 300 pounds, Sanders brings what Rink lacks — size — and could contribute right away as well.

Top transfers: WR Kevin Concepcion, WR Mario Craver, WR Jonah Wilson, DL T.J. Searcy, CB Julian Humphrey, DL Tyler Onyedim, DE Dayon Hayes

To jump-start a passing attack that ranked near the bottom of the SEC last year, the Aggies aggressively retooled their receiving corps in the portal. Concepcion was one of the top receivers available and won ACC Rookie of the Year in 2023 at NC State. He hauled in more than 120 receptions over two seasons. Craver is quick and elusive and jumps from SEC foe Mississippi State. The Aggies hope he can build upon his productive freshman season. Wilson, coming from Houston, is another target with nice size.

On defense, Humphrey, coming from Georgia, provides SEC starting experience. The Aggies needed to replace nearly 100 tackles and 8.5 sacks along their defensive front, and Searcy headlines several portal additions who can pack some pass-rushing punch.

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Top impact recruits: CB Bryson Webber, WR Cortez Mills

Unlike a year ago, when freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola played a vital role, the Cornhuskers’ 2025 class doesn’t appear poised to inject much immediate impact. Mills and Isaiah Mozee, both ESPN 300 receivers, add quality depth, and one could emerge as the season progresses. Carving out a role in a crowded secondary could be tough, but Webber flashed enough this spring that he is a player to watch among the incoming freshmen.

Top transfers: WR Dane Key, DE Williams Nwaneri, WR Nyziah Hunter, LB Marques Watson-Trent, LB Dasan McCullough, OL Rocco Spindler, OL Elijah Pritchett

Key was Nebraska’s top portal addition. He provides Raiola a sorely needed steady, polished target who runs great routes with good size and hands. Key, who comes from Kentucky, will replace Nebraska’s lost production at receiver after it sent a pair of pass catchers to the NFL.

Hunter spent two seasons at California and gives Raiola a young target with nice size at 6-foot-2 whom he can grow with. Watson-Trent was not a highly touted name in the portal out of Georgia Southern but brings a wealth of experience. His leadership qualities appear to already be making a significant impact.

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Top impact recruits: WR LeBron Bond, S Byron Baldwin

Bond is a dangerous, elusive weapon with the ball in his hands who has big-play speed out of the slot. Baldwin, an ESPN 300 player, is an aggressive defender who can quickly close on the ball. At minimum, he should be a strong special teams contributor as a freshman.

Top transfers: QB Fernando Mendoza, C Pat Coogan, G Kahlil Benson, OT Zen Michalski, TE Holden Staes, DT Hosea Wheeler, S Devan Boykin, S Louis Moore

Mendoza should thrive in this offense and keep Indiana in the playoff picture. He’s a better overall passer than his predecessor, Kurtis Rourke, and will benefit from a much better offensive line and supporting cast around him. Expect him to put up big numbers.

His line will be new, but it’s not inexperienced. Coogan (Notre Dame) will be the catalyst at center, Benson (Colorado) is a driving interior force and Michalski (Ohio State) will protect the edge. Up front on defense, Wheeler has strong hands and leverage to eat blocks and still get a push. Moore and Boykin (NC State) are really solid instinctual and rangy pickups in the secondary. Moore returns to Bloomington after a spotty season at Ole Miss, but when healthy he’s a productive ball hawk.

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Top impact recruits: OL Michael Fasusi, DT Trent Wilson

The Sooners’ first season in the SEC was disappointing, but their first official recruiting class was solid, especially up front. Look for Fasusi, an ESPN 300 player, to provide quality depth at the important left tackle position. He’s the No. 1-rated tackle with a ton of upside given his length and great footwork, but he won’t have the benefit of waiting to develop in Norman. Wilson has size and mature physical attributes to provide depth on the interior defensive front.

Top transfers: QB John Mateer, RB Jaydn Ott, WR JaVonnie Gibson, TE Will Huggins, DE Marvin Jones Jr.

The Sooners emphasized impact portal additions on offense, landing two backfield game changers in Mateer (Washington State) and Ott (Cal). Mateer has quickness and accuracy and will keep defenses honest with his legs. His offensive coordinator should count as the most significant transfer, as Mateer followed his offensive coordinator at Washington State, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman. When healthy, Ott is one of the best backs in college football. He’s explosive, fast and can break tackles in the second level.

Gibson is coming off a broken leg suffered in the spring, but he should be ready for fall. What does that mean for the offense? The Arkansas Pine-Bluff transfer was one of the top FCS receivers last year with 70 catches for 1,215 yards. His size and speed will transfer to the SEC.

The defense received a boost with Jones, a former ESPN 300 outside linebacker who developed into a productive end at Florida State (four sacks) after two lackluster seasons at Georgia. He has the ideal physical makeup, but Sooners fans need him to put it all together this fall.

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Top impact recruits: OT Jaylen Gilchrist, QB Malik Washington, DT Bryce Jenkins

Maryland kept its best talent home, signing one of its strongest recent classes by winning key DMV-area recruiting battles. Gilchrest and Washington lead the way. An in-state ESPN 300 quarterback, Washington has a big arm and dynamic mobility. He fits well in offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s scheme, and he arrives with swagger and confidence, although Maryland won’t need to rush him given his upside. Gilchrist is powerful enough to provide depth inside along the offensive line, particularly as a run blocker, but he could help at tackle as well if he continues to develop his feet.

On defense, Jenkins is a massive interior lineman out of Washington, D.C., who eats up blocks and holds his ground at the point of attack but also plays with deceptive quickness to disrupt. He should provide quality snaps at nose guard.

Top transfers: WR Jalil Farooq, TE Dorian Fleming, QB Justyn Martin, DB Jamare Glasker, DB Dontay Joyner

Martin didn’t win the job this spring, but his experience as a starter at UCLA and his strong physical skill set will be valuable until Washington is ready to take the reins. Farooq (Oklahoma) returns home after an up-and-down career in Norman. He racked up 694 receiving yards and 15.4 yards per catch two years ago. When healthy, he’s a versatile playmaker who can move the chains after the catch and produce in the return game. Fleming (Georgia State) had a breakout season in 2024 and should upgrade tight end for the Terps in 2025 with his size and strength. On defense, Glasker (Wake Forest) and Joyner (Arkansas State) are improvements on the perimeter.

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Top impact recruits: S Martels Carter Jr., WR DJ Miller, WR Montavin Quisenberry

Kentucky finished under .500 for the first time since 2020 and with its fewest wins (four) since Mark Stoops’ first season at the helm in 2013. The Wildcats hope their offseason roster overhaul helps reverse course in 2025. Stoops landed a top-30 recruiting class and Carter, a dynamic in-state talent, is one to watch. He’s a great athlete who was a two-way threat in high school and has the combination of speed, coverage skills and size to factor into Kentucky’s two-deep at safety.

Miller and Quisenberry fill different roles as pass catchers. The 6-foot-3 Miller has desirable length and tallied over 1,700 receiving yards as a high schooler in the St. Louis area. Quisenberry is only 5-foot-10 and slightly built, but the 2024 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year is a shifty, slippery threat who should push for time in the slot.

Top transfers: QB Zach Calzada, OL Joshua Braun, OL Shiyazh Pete, OL Alex Wollschlaeger, RB Dante Dowdell, WR Kendrick Law, Edge Sam Green, DT David Gusta

The Wildcats brought in two dozen transfers, including plenty on offense, as they rebuild a unit that finished last in the SEC last year. Calzada, 24, is on his third stint at an SEC school sandwiched around two years at Incarnate Word, where he took a big step forward last year in throwing for 3,744 yards and 35 touchdowns to just nine interceptions.

Dowdell is well-traveled as well after stints at Nebraska and Oregon, and at 6-foot-2, 227 pounds, his physical run style should suit the SEC. Law should contribute right away in the slot for Calzada. He didn’t turn his four-star pedigree into consistent production at Alabama, but he has a much clearer path to a consistent role in Lexington. Shiyazh (New Mexico State, 6-foot-8) and Wollschlaeger (Bowling Green, 6-foot-7) are massive bookend tackles with considerable starting experience that now must translate against much tougher competition, and expect Braun, a 340-pounder who has 50 career games and 32 starts at Florida and Arkansas, to plug in right away at guard.

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Top impact recruits: OLB Madden Faraimo, S Dallas Golden, WR Elijah Burress

The Irish signed a top-15 recruiting class as they continue to emphasize player development and long-term roster building under Marcus Freeman. Faraimo caught on quickly in South Bend, and he should be in the mix for playing time because of his versatile skill set. He has linebacker size and physicality with safety range and athleticism.

Golden won’t arrive until summer, but he should push for time in the secondary and as a key special teams contributor because of his dynamic athleticism. Burress, the son of former NFL receiver Plaxico Burress, turned heads this spring as well with his speed, elusiveness and polished route running. The four-star had 15 touchdowns as a senior for state champ DePaul Catholic in New Jersey.

Top transfers: WR Malachi Fields, WR Will Pauling, DL Jared Dawson, S DeVonta Smith, S Jalen Stroman

Freeman has been selective in the transfer portal and hit on Fields, who has size and speed to produce big plays vertically. The 6-foot-4 220-pounder is an upgrade from the Irish’s wide receiver unit last season and a legit go-to playmaker with his impressive size and explosiveness. Pauling (Wisconsin) is smaller but plenty quick and productive as an underneath target.

Defensively, Smith (Alabama) and Stroman (Virginia Tech) will bolster the secondary. Smith sets the tone with his physicality versus the run and solid coverage skills. He should lock down the nickel position. The powerful Dawson arrives from Louisville and should see plenty of snaps, providing disruption as an interior defensive lineman.

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Top impact recruits: WR Dallas Wilson, S Lagonza Hayward, S Hylton Stubbs

While the 2024 season presented challenges, the Gators finished strong under Billy Napier, which led to a boost on the recruiting trail, particularly in their backyard. Florida kept Wilson and fellow ESPN 300 pass catcher Vernell Brown III home. Wilson has turned heads the most this spring. At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with a 4.5 40-yard dash, he has a rare combination of size, speed and understanding of the position for a freshman.

Hayward and Stubbs should be in the backend rotation this fall. Both ESPN 300 safeties have been as advertised this spring. Stubbs is very instinctive with range and physicality to make plays in all three levels of the defense.

Top transfers: WR J. Michael Sturdivant, QB Harrison Bailey, CB Micheal Caraway

The Gators brought in weapons for their talented young quarterback DJ Lagway after their two top wideouts graduated. Sturdivant is a proven pass catcher with 1,667 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns over three seasons at UCLA and Cal. He has big-play potential and NFL talent, but perhaps most valuable will be his veteran leadership for freshmen Wilson and Brown. Caraway (Southern Miss) might not project as an impact defender, but he’s scheme versatile with experience.

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Top impact recruits: WR Corey Simms, OT Alex Payne, QB Husan Longstreet, DE Jahkeem Stewart, RB Waymond Jordan

Lincoln Riley is known for his explosive offenses, but the Trojans need to strengthen their defense if they want to become a true national title contender and erase last year’s disappointing 7-5 finish. At roughly 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, Stewart is long, explosive off the ball and moves like an edge player with interior size. He’s still a bit green without a lot of high school experience but checks all the physical boxes and should be impactful as the season progresses after making a strong impression this spring.

On offense, the receiver room is inexperienced, but Simms has the size and catch radius on the outside to work into the rotation. Longstreet is well-groomed and has the physical makeup to play at quarterback if needed. He has a quick release and strong arm, but his intangibles will get him on the field early. Payne has impressive agility and might be called into action given the lack of depth at offensive tackle. The Trojans’ X factor, though, could be Jordan, a juco prospect with the size, speed and vision to become a true every-down back.

Top transfers: WR Prince Strachan, OG DJ Wingfield, OC J’Onre Reed, RB Waymond Jordan, DT Keeshawn Silver, CB DJ Harvey, S Bishop Fitzgerald

The Trojans were decimated by losses in the portal but did a good job finding transfers to fill some holes. At 6-foot-4, 336 pounds, Silver (Kentucky) fills a need as an early-down two-gap nose tackle who wins with leverage and deceptive burst.

On the opposite side, the Trojans are replacing three offensive line starters from 2024, so finding a quality center like Reed, who comes over from Syracuse, and strong interior play from Wingfield (Purdue) is instrumental. Strachan, a Boise State transfer, has been impressive as a true X receiver. Defensively, Harvey (San Jose State) and Fitzgerald (NC State) are productive secondary additions. Fitzgerald is a real ball hawk with great range.

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Top impact recruits: OG Byron Nelson, QB Bryce Baker

Most of North Carolina’s impact additions came via the portal, and the new regime under Bill Belichick kept things close to the vest this spring in Chapel Hill. Nelson and Baker stand out as two freshmen who could push for time early. Nelson, a 300-pound interior lineman out of Texas, remained committed to the Tar Heels even after the coaching change and enrolled early, giving him a leg up as he pushes for a role amid several new faces on the interior. The dual-threat Baker also stuck with Belichick. The in-state four-star throws a great deep ball and has the physical tools to at least push incoming transfer Gio Lopez in the Tar Heels’ quarterback competition.

Top transfers: WR Aziah Johnson, OG Daniel King, OT William Boone, QB Gio Lopez, DE Smith Vilbert, DT CJ Mims, DE Pryce Yates, OLB Khmori House, S Gavin Gibson, CB Thaddeus Dixon

The portal was quite active for the Tar Heels in both directions and yielded North Carolina a slew of potential starters. Lopez might be the most high-profile of them all. He was the sixth-best player in the spring portal after throwing for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns to just five picks as a starter in the Sun Belt at South Alabama last year. The lefty is like a point guard who distributes quickly and efficiently with enough athleticism to keep defenses honest.

King, a three-year starter in the Sun Belt at Troy, should team with Boone (Prairie View A&M) to protect Lopez and rebuild the right side of North Carolina’s line. Johnson was a North Carolina target out of high school and now arrives via Michigan State as a potential slot receiver.

Belichick prioritized experience in the portal to restock his defense. Yates played in 32 games over three seasons at UConn, and the defensive lineman arrives with 12.5 career sacks. Vilbert is in his seventh year of eligibility and comes over from Penn State. Gibson (Maryland/East Carolina) and Dixon (Washington) combined for 60 career collegiate games in the secondary, and Dixon arrives with a leg up already knowing the scheme after playing for defensive coordinator Steve Belichick last year at Washington. He’s one of four former Huskies to transfer to North Carolina.