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Big Ten newcomers who will make the biggest impact, ranked.
The transfer portal has once again shaken up college football, and this year it’s bigger than ever. At the beginning of May, there were 3,843 names in the FBS transfer portal, a record by a mile margin in the transfer portal era. New faces are in new places and in the Big Ten, this could be the moves that teams need to go from good to great, or from great to a championship contender.
Here are the nine biggest impact transfers in the Big Ten, from Indiana all the way to Ohio State, plus the newcomers as well.
1 . Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
Howard makes the move over to Columbus from Kansas State, where he has to be the piece that elevates the Buckeyes from contender for the title to overwhelming favorite. Howard is a big, strong QB who can be a plus one in the run game, something that new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is going to enjoy. As a passer, Howard is simply fine and is prone to some ball placement dips, but his dual threat ability should unlock something that the Buckeyes didn’t have last year. In order for Ohio State to reach the heights they want to with their uber talented roster, Howard needs to play well in his lone year as a Buckeye.
2. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Downs was arguably the biggest transfer of the portal period, going from being a freshman All-American at Alabama to Ohio State after Nick Saban’s retirement. Downs is an instant-impact player with the range, instincts and versatility to be a star in Columbus. Ohio State had problems with its’ safety play, but with Downs on the back end they have a force multiplier who is a known winner at every level.
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3. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
Oregon once again goes to the experienced QB in the portal, nabbing Gabriel away from Oklahoma to take over the reins in Eugene. There are a few similarities between Gabriel and former QB Bo Nix, in both their experience and overall style of play. Gabriel might be a little bit more reckless with his body as a runner and a passer, but if OC Will Stein is still calling the shots then he can more than likely get that dialed down with Gabriel. Oregon is another contender for the national title, with impact players coming in on both sides of the ball. If Gabriel can keep the offense humming, they’ll have something special in Eugene.
4. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Among the big impact players on the Ohio State roster is Judkins, who transferred in from Ole Miss to be a part of a room that also has RB Treyveon Henderson returning. Judkins is an incredible back when it comes to making people miss in tight areas and the ability to make breakaway plays. How Kelly rotates between Judkins and Henderson is going to be fun to watch throughout the season as Ohio State tries to win a title.
5. Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
Sensing a trend here? Ohio State and Oreon were very busy in the portal this offseason, and the Ducks grabbed an instant-impact receiver in Stewart. While he dealt with inconsistent QB play at Texas A&M, Stewart still produced, leading the Aggies in receiving as a freshman and scoring four touchdowns last year as a sophomore. Stewart is an easy separator and a big play waiting to happen, something that should mesh well with QB Dillon Gabriel.
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6. Jabbar Muhammad, CB, Oregon
Muhammad goes from Washington to Oregon, and with it goes to a defense that’s ready to win a national title. Muhammad is a feisty, aggressive corner with nice footwork and the ability to stick in man coverage. He should fit in right away in Oregon, where they play a lot of Cover 3 and Cover 1. Muhammad should slide right into the spot where Khyree Jackson left and keep the Ducks’ high level of play up.
7. Will Rogers, QB, Washington
Another new B1G team trying to replace a QB, the Washington Huskies are entering the Jedd Fisch era with a new QB under center in Mississippi State transfer Will Rogers. Rogers is experienced and has acuracy on underneath throws, but coming from a super Air Raid system that hid his lack of arm strength, the questions about his fit in Fisch’s offense are going to be sustained until we see him in the regular season, but a QB with experience and accuracy plays in the Big Ten.
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8. Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana
I’ve been a fan of Rourke since he was at Ohio, a big, strong armed QB who can get the ball to his receivers at every level. He dealt with some injuries while playing for the Bobcats, but now he’s at Indiana with first-year HC Curt Cignetti where he can put his skills on display at the Power Five (Four?) level. He’s an incredibly productive player, making this a safe bet to at least provide solid QB play at Indiana.
9. Aidan Chiles, QB, Michigan State
Chiles followed former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith to East Lansing, where if he can put together all the tools he has, it could result in something big. Chiles is an extremely talented passer, with easy zip on his passes and the ability to be super effective as a runner. After being stuck behind QB DJ Uiagalelei at Oregon State, he gets the chance to be the guy at Michigan State, and I’m excited to see how it works out.
