College football recruiting has forever changed with the opening of the transfer portal. Next-level coaches are not as focused on signing a full class out of the high school and junior college ranks and are opting to fill their rosters from the portal. From the Under Armour Next All-American Game media day, Rivals asked several top players from across the country whether the transfer portal played a part in their recruiting process.
*****
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Message board | Transfer ranking | Transfer Tracker
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals100
*****
“I haven’t really paid close attention to that. I am ready to compete wherever I am going. I am not really worried about the transfer portal.”
*****
“With the transfer portal, I don’t know if it really made a big impact because I know everyone will be going around to the different schools, and colleges will be making offers. I know there will be different kids going to Oregon. This year with the transfer portal, I knew a lot of kids who went into the portal. It was crazy.”
*****
“Not at all. Coach (Dabo) Swinney doesn’t really use the portal. We got one transfer portal quarterback because we needed some experience at that position after DJ (Uiagalelei) went to Oregon State. Not really, the transfer portal really didn’t affect my recruitment because he is so strong about not using it.”
*****
“With USC, I don’t think it did. USC was a perfect situation for me and my family. My grandparents are out in California, it is easy for them to see me play. I have a lot of family in California. We turned the program around in one year. The goal is to get to the playoffs and win a national championship, I feel this university covers all aspects of that.”
*****
“It didn’t really bother me or affect my recruitment. You get players like that from the portal, you can learn from them. You have to keep on working.”
*****
“It didn’t play a factor. I made it clear that what I wanted was to be surrounded by great people because that will make your time there good. If you are somewhere you don’t want to be, that is something that there’s nothing to recover from. You want to be around people who will make your time there good.”
*****
“There were a few schools that kind of shied away from me because it was late in the process, and they were obviously leaning towards the portal.”
*****
“Honestly, not really. I wasn’t even thinking about the transfer portal.”
*****
“I know coach (Robert) Gillespie won’t use the transfer portal. He’s got two of the strongest backs, he’s got me and Justice Haynes. We will take over that and we will dominate.”
*****
“Most definitely. I received all of my offers after my junior year. Everyone, my coaches were telling me that you have to hurry up and commit because of the portal. … In 2022, my junior year, we saw a lot of players lose scholarships because teams started looking at players in the portal.”
*****
“It hasn’t so far, no major offensive tackles have come into South Carolina so far. We have a transfer coming in at center, that will be a good addition to the team. That will help in a positive way.”
*****
“Georgia isn’t in the transfer portal and that obviously says something. The transfer portal didn’t play a big part. Georgia doesn’t have too many people transferring away and I think that says something to the whole college football world.”
*****
“Yes and no. I didn’t really pay much attention to the transfer portal. My main focus was getting on the field and playing as a freshman, that was all that really mattered to me.”
*****
“Yeah, for sure, it played a huge factor. A lot of these coaches would rather take a chance on a kid that has been through a college scheme in the transfer portal over a kid fresh out of high school. It definitely did play a role, but it didn’t play too much where I wouldn’t commit. I will never shy down from work, or anything. If there are a lot of transfers in there, I will just have to fight for my spot. It is what it is, those are the cards I was dealt.”
*****
“Early it did, but as I got further in the recruiting process I thought about it as if you are a dog, you will be a dog no matter where you go.”
*****
“I feel like it didn’t because I am not scared of competition. They might have more experience than me but I feel that I can come in and learn and beat them out.”
*****
“No, because I believe in myself, and I believe in my talents that I can beat out anyone that tries to take my spot. I like when the portal guys come in because that will make me work harder and make everyone work harder. The best comes out of you when you are in competition. I truly believe that.”
