Welcome back for part two of my mini-series, covering notable college football transfers and how the new scenery will affect their Devy stock. If you missed my first article, you can check it out here, where I discussed those elite-level QBs who have made their transfer decisions already. In this article, I will give you the big-name skill position transfers thus far. I will likely release a third part to this series, as many top-tier players are still in the portal but have yet to make their much-anticipated decision. Some of these names include Evan Stewart, Cameron Ward, Malachi Nelson, and Mario Williams. We have quite a few names to cover here, so let me catch you up with the latest transfer news!
Raheim Sanders | RB | South Carolina
(Transfer from Arkansas)
Raheim “Rocket” Sanders had some major hype coming into 2023 after a monster sophomore campaign, where he posted a ridiculous 1,714 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns on 6.5 YPC. Sanders was a consensus Top-3 RB in the 2024 draft class heading into the season, and many Devy players had him as their RB1 overall, ahead of guys like TreVeyon Henderson and Braelon Allen. Unfortunately, injuries hindered Sanders and the Razorbacks in 2023, as they finished at just 4-8 overall and were dead last in the SEC West. Rocket was dealing with a nagging knee injury earlier in the season, which limited his time on the field, as he was a shell of his former self when he was playing through the pain. Sanders returned in November but suffered a torn labrum just a few short weeks later, effectively ending his 2023 season as the injury would require surgery. Because of this, Sanders has elected to stay in college for his senior season and build his NFL stock back up.
With QB Spencer Rattler announcing he will forgo his COVID year of eligibility and begin training for the NFL Draft, the Gamecock quarterback room is wide open. With several experienced quarterbacks still in the transfer portal, it seems like a foregone conclusion that HC Shane Beamer will land himself a quality transfer quarterback for 2024. Reports say QB Robby Ashford is on Beamer’s radar, someone I’m not personally sold on, but the kid is a natural athlete and showed some promise as a freshman in 2022. Regardless of who is under center, if Sanders can stay healthy next season, expect him to have a big bounceback year and revive his NFL draft stock. With TreVeyon Henderson likely staying and other bruisers like Nicholas Singleton, Quinshon Judkins, and Trevor Etienne in this 2025 class, the competition is certainly not lacking. I think Rocket will end up being a Day 2 pick in 2025 and slot in around that RB5 spot for this draft class.
Antwane Wells Jr. | WR | Ole Miss
(Transfer from South Carolina)
Antwane Wells is another player who unfortunately ran into the injury bug in 2023. A left foot injury sidelined Wells for all but three games for the Gamecocks, ending the season with just three receptions, 37 yards, and one touchdown. Following the season, Wells announced his decision to sign with the Rebels of Ole Miss for his fifth season, hoping to earn the attention of NFL scouts.
Antwane has had an illustrious college career thus far, starting at James Madison, where he accumulated 116 receptions, 1,853 yards, and 21 touchdowns in two seasons. After showing out for the Dukes, Wells transferred to South Carolina in 2022, where he saw more of the same success, surpassing 900 receiving yards and hauling six touchdowns for the Gamecocks. Wells has the size, strength, and raw ability to play a future role for an NFL team. That said, he’ll be 24 years old before he hears his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft, so his Devy stock should not jump too much, even with a big 2024 season.
Ja’Corey Brooks | WR | Louisville
(Transfer from Alabama)
What happened to Ja’Corey Brooks? After posting 39 receptions, 674 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns as a sophomore for the Crimson Tide, many had high hopes for a Brooks breakout season in 2023, and Devy drafts reflected this. However, that breakout season never came to fruition under Nick Saban. In fact, I’m not sure Brooks could have had a more disappointing season from a fantasy standpoint. He appeared in just nine contests and finished the season with three receptions for 30 yards. Ouch.
Saban has said that Brooks’ lack of playing time has been due to him playing through a shoulder injury all season, limiting him primarily to a special teams role. Ja’Corey decided to try his luck elsewhere and announced his decision to transfer to Louisville shortly after the regular season. The Cardinals also have a hole to fill at QB, with Jack Plummer graduating. HC Jeff Brohm recently landed QB transfer Tyler Shough from Texas Tech, who will enter his 7th season. While Shough has plenty of experience, he’s likely not the guy who can bring Louisville to a CFB playoff berth in 2024. I expect Brohm to continue his efforts in the transfer portal this winter. Brooks is a name I’ll be following closely in 2024 and beyond. I’m not totally out on the guy, but this coming season will be pivotal in determining whether Brooks has what it takes to suit up on Sundays.
Trevor Etienne | RB | Georgia
(Transfer from Florida)
The younger brother of Jaguars’ RB Travis Etienne, Trevor has some big shoes to fill at the NFL level down the road. Standing at 5’9″ and 205 lbs, Trevor has more of a compact build than Travis but still has elite burst and explosive-play ability. Trevor’s elusiveness and natural ability to make the defender miss is precisely why he’s one of my favorite RB prospects in this 2025 draft class. Etienne has had a solid start to his college career, amassing 1,710 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns on an impressive 5.9 YPC.
Etienne has his fair share of competition in this Bulldog backfield, namely Branson Robinson, who missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon. That said, the move shows how confident Trevor is in his abilities, and I have no doubt he’ll be the clear workhorse in Athens next season. Etienne also has a quality college QB in Carson Beck, who is returning to play alongside him. I expect Trevor to continue flashing his elite receiving abilities and climb the 2025 NFL mock draft boards.
Beaux Collins | WR | Notre Dame
(Transfer from Clemson)
Beaux Collins has had a slightly underwhelming career thus far, never exceeding 40 receptions, 600 yards, or five touchdowns in any of his three seasons at Clemson. Collins has been a major target for Devy players over the past few years, as his size, build, and natural athleticism seem like they will transfer well to the NFL game. Collins can line up as the x-receiver or a slot guy and is effective at all levels of the field. His college numbers just haven’t accurately reflected the raw upside he possesses.
Collins transferred to Notre Dame for his senior year, pairing up with QB Riley Leonard, who transferred from Duke. It is worth noting that Leonard has never been a volume passer, and this Notre Dame offense was pretty run-heavy in 2023. However, OC Mike Denbrock is back at ND in his third stint, returning from LSU this past season. Denbrock helped to elevate Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers‘ games, as this Tigers’ offense led the nation in PPG and YPG. Hopefully, Denbrock can bring some of that magic to Notre Dame and help Collins further develop his game.
Deion Burks | WR | Oklahoma
(Transfer from Purdue)
Deion Burks is not on many Devy players’ radars, and being a Boilermaker fan, maybe I’m a bit biased. But in my opinion, Burks is one of the more explosive WRs in the nation and is set up for a breakout junior season for the Sooners.
With Dillon Gabriel transferring to Oregon, true freshman Jackson Arnold is set to take the reins in 2024, and Sooner fans are excited to see what the young man has to offer. Arnold is a dual-threat quarterback out of Denton, Texas, ranked as the top overall recruit in the 2023 class, according to ESPN. Burks has some fierce WR competition awaiting him at OU, but I genuinely think he will compete with Nic Anderson for that WR1 role. Burks has elite quickness, excellent body control, and soft hands. He can play the slot or on the outside and has the speed to stretch the defense. Burks is a guy you can probably get very late in Devy startups this offseason, and I suggest you consider picking him up before everyone else hops on the bandwagon.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
