As the transfer decisions continue to roll in, I wanted to keep the Devy community updated on those big-name players who will have a change of scenery in college football for 2024 and discuss how I value them in my Devy leagues. If you missed my prior articles on the subject, you can check out my QB transfer article here and my skill position transfer article here. These covered those top players who had announced their decisions back in December. We have several more names to discuss from January, so let’s get started!
Evan Stewart | WR | Oregon
(Transfer from Texas A&M)
Evan Stewart is undoubtedly one of the most electric wide receivers in this 2025 draft class. After an impressive freshman campaign with a 29.8% target share, Stewart appeared in just eight contests for the Aggies in 2023. Unfortunately, Evan dealt with a leg injury that sidelined him for the latter part of the year. On top of this, QB Conner Weigman suffered a fractured foot in September, only appearing in four games. The odds were stacked against Jimbo Fisher pretty early on, as his Aggies finished 7-6 on the year, and Fisher found himself without a job (but with a fat paycheck, so I doubt he’s complaining).
Stewart elected to head out west and signed with the Oregon Ducks this month. He’ll be teaming up with Dillon Gabriel, the Oklahoma transfer, using his 6th season of eligibility. Gabriel is a seasoned veteran who knows how to feed his receivers, and I expect some big numbers from both young men in 2024. With Troy Franklin opting to forego his senior year and enter the NFL Draft, Stewart’s only real competition is Tez Johnson. Stewart is the superior athlete and prospect. If he can stay healthy (he’s only played in 18 games through two seasons), I think we can expect to see Stewart’s name amongst leaders in the Power 5 in all receiving categories. I’d put him right there with Luther Burden, Tetairoa McMillan, and Emeka Egbuka in the top tier of 2025 WR prospects.
Quinshon Judkins | RB | Ohio State
(Transfer from Ole Miss)
One of the biggest names in college football has finally made his transfer decision, as RB Quinshon Judkins announced he will play for the Buckeyes in 2024. Many assumed this meant TreVeyon Henderson would try his luck in the NFL Draft this April. However, the junior standout elected to stay in Columbus for his senior season and pair up with Judkins as they look to bring Buckeye Nation their first national championship since 2014.
This should be the scariest backfield in college football by a large margin next season. Quinshon is more of that grinder back, while TreVeyon utilizes the sidelines more frequently. Put these two together, and I don’t know if anyone will stop this run game. Add Kansas State QB transfer Will Howard, Emeka Egbuka returning, and freshman phenom Carnell Tate, and Ohio State suddenly has all the pieces needed to win it all in 2024.
Expect Judkins’s overall numbers to drop slightly from his first two seasons, but don’t let this deter you from buying him in your Devy leagues. Judkins and Henderson will inevitably have a reduced workload as they share this backfield, but if anything, the reduced touches could improve their efficiency and increase their NFL stock further. There’s a legitimate chance that these two are the RB1 and RB2 in 2025 rookie drafts when the time comes. I’m excited to watch these guys compete.
Cameron Ward | QB | Miami
(Transfer from Washington St.)
I’ll keep this one brief, as I recently covered Cam Ward in detail in a prior Devy article (you can check that out here). Initially, Ward put his name in the hat for the 2024 NFL Draft but has since changed his mind and signed with the Miami Hurricanes for his fifth season. I think this was a smart move on Ward’s part, as this 2024 QB class appears to be pretty strong, and he likely wasn’t projected to go until Day 3 for this draft class.
Ward has the raw skills to be an NFL quarterback one day, but he needs to improve his processing and decision-making skills in the pocket if he wants to have a chance on Sundays. With QB Tyler Van Dyke transferring to Wisconsin, Miami was in desperate need of an experienced QB to remain competitive in the ACC, and Ward gave them that chance. With names like Quinn Ewers, Drew Allar, D.J. Uiagalelei, Conner Weigman, and Shedeur Sanders, Ward could likely find himself buried at the bottom of the rankings again in 2025. I’m not giving up anything of value for Ward in Devy leagues, but his odds are better now that he’s staying one more year in college.
Isaiah Bond | WR | Texas
(Transfer from Alabama)
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! All jokes aside, I like this move for Isaiah Bond. I think he has a real chance to break out as a junior and see his Devy stock skyrocket with Quinn Ewers at the helm for the Longhorns.
Bond had a nice sophomore season with 668 receiving yards, four touchdowns, and leading the Crimson Tide in receptions with 48. According to Fantrax, Bond had 78 targets, which was good for a 24% target share. Not too shabby for an underclassman on one of the best football programs in the nation. With Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell declaring for the NFL Draft, Bond is stepping into that unquestioned Alpha WR1 role. He’s not in the same tier as Stewart, Burden, McMillan, and Egbuka right now, but this is a player who could find himself projected as a Round 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with a promising junior season. He’s walking into the perfect situation; trade for this man aggressively in your Devy leagues while he’s still relatively cheap.
Will Howard | QB | Ohio State
(Transfer from Kansas State)
We already touched on Howard in the Quinshon Judkins section, so I won’t dive too deeply, but this is an excellent pickup for the Buckeyes. I believe Howard is a clear upgrade from former QB Kyle McCord (who has transferred to Syracuse). Will enters his fifth collegiate season, playing his first four years for the Wildcats of Kansas State. He has over 5,700 pass yards and 48 passing touchdowns to his name, and while he’s never put up gaudy numbers in any particular season, he has the experience needed to lead this Buckeyes team. Ryan Day really just needs a confident game manager out there; he doesn’t need C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields under center. This defense and run game can carry the load while Howard ensures the ship is headed in the right direction.
While I like this signing for Ohio State, I don’t think Will Howard has any real Devy Value. He’ll be a backup QB in the NFL if he’s lucky, so there’s no need to go out and give up any real value for him in your leagues.
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
