The 2024 college football Spring Transfer Portal opened for underclassmen on April 16, 2024, and closed on April 30, 2024. As the spring transfer portal loomed, a contentious debate unfolded regarding athlete mobility. Last December, the NCAA grappled with a rule change in court, contesting what it viewed as a disruptive “perpetual and unchecked” free-agency model, which could potentially compromise athletes’ academic pursuits. The NCAA aimed to maintain the previous rule, permitting athletes to transfer only once without penalty, citing concerns over graduation rates.
Following lawsuits from multiple states, a federal court injunction compelled the NCAA to reluctantly embrace the transfer rule change. This shift was propelled by arguments emphasizing fairness, particularly in light of athletes gaining the ability to profit from their names, images, and likenesses starting in 2021.
A Power Four AD, speaking anonymously, expressed a sentiment prevailing among many. “Quite frankly, they don’t care,” one Power Four AD said non-specifically. “They care, but [athlete] mobility and money is more important than graduation right now.”
The activity within the December Transfer Portal had set high expectations for the Spring window, but it turned out to be more proactive than profound. While big names and teams made significant moves in December, the recent window saw a different trend. Rather than major splashes, many teams focused on optimizing their rosters by shedding third and fourth-string players. Only a handful of prominent players made moves, indicating a more subdued transfer period than expectations.
Spring Transfer Portal: More Provocative Than Profound
Let’s look at the winners and losers with the portal closed.
Spring Transfer Portal Winners
The SEC had two of the three biggest winners of the Spring Transfer Portal.
Kaydn Proctor, OL, Alabama (Iowa)
Kaydn Proctor stayed at Iowa long enough to catch Caitlin Clark’s historic run for the women’s basketball team. Proctor made news in the December window when he left Alabama after starting at left tackle as a freshman and went back home to Iowa. Whether it was the cold or the after-effects of Brian Ferentz’s offense, Proctor returned to Tuscaloosa. Proctor started at left tackle in all 14 games as a true freshman and was selected to the All-SEC Freshman Team by the conference coaches.
Jaden Rashada, QB, Georgia (Arizona State)
Rashada adds valuable starting experience to Georgia, having started three games for the Sun Devils last season. He completed 44 of 82 pass attempts, amassing 485 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. Rashada made news last season after backing out of his commitment to Florida, where he was a highly regarded recruit in the 2023 cycle, ranked as the No. 73 overall prospect. However, Rashada ultimately landed at Arizona State due to an alleged failed NIL deal.
Damien Martinez, RB, Miami (Oregon State)
Damien Martinez, an All-Pac-12 First Team member and semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, made his mark in the 2023 season. In 12 games, he showcased his talent by rushing for an impressive total of 1,185 yards on 194 carries, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Adding to his prowess, Martinez scored nine touchdowns on the ground and caught 11 passes for 126 yards.
Spring Transfer Portal Losers
While Colorado may not be Last Chance U, it is undoubtedly a revolving door. Deion Sanders has drawn plenty of eyeballs and scrutiny since taking over Colorado last December. He has greatly advocated using the Transfer Portal to rebuild and shape his roster. “Coach Prime” has quickly leveraged social media to continue building and shaping its brands. Sander’s sons play for the Buffaloes and took a page out of Dad’s playbook when the Spring Transfer Portal opened. Defensive back Shilo Sanders took to Instagram a call to prospective players looking to switch to a new team. He urged defenders to contact him and offensive players to contact his brother, quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Colorado is a prime example of the challenges and frustrations the Transfer Portal poses in college football. Coach Prime’s memorable introduction to his team, referencing “bringing his Louis,” captured attention and media scrutiny. Last year, Coach Prime significantly bolstered the team’s roster by recruiting 47 scholarship transfers from other four-year colleges. Colorado’s transfer recruiting class was ranked the best in the nation by 247Sports. Despite these efforts, the Buffaloes only managed a 4-8 record in Sanders’ debut season.
Looking ahead to 2024, Colorado has welcomed 33 new incoming football transfers. This count excludes one player who is already transferring out after previously joining from Cincinnati in January. However, the Buffaloes are also experiencing departures, with at least 31 scholarship players leaving for the transfer portal from last year’s team. Notably, among these departures are at least 13 players who had transferred in as undergraduates from other four-year colleges the previous year.
While Colorado and Coach Prime make for a provocative headline and clicks, the real story is that college football is all right.
