College Football’s top transfers in 2024 includes Texas’ Isaiah Bond getting star receiver chance

As the transfer portal becomes more and more of a factor in college football, here’s a look at some of the top transfers entering the season:

WR Isaiah Bond

New school: Texas

Old school: Alabama

Alabama’s second-leading receiver joins the potent aerial attack at Texas. The speedy Bond, who caught 48 passes for 688 yards and four touchdowns last year, could become the go-to target for quarterback Quinn Ewers, who lost top receivers Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell to the professional ranks.

S Caleb Downs

New school: Ohio State

Old school: Alabama

Downs became the first freshman to lead Alabama in tackles, notching 107 last fall, and added two interceptions and 3.5 tackles for loss. Downs was the consensus best defensive player to enter the transfer portal last offseason and gives the Ohio State secondary a game changer in its defensive backfield.

QB Dillon Gabriel

New school: Oregon

Old school: Oklahoma

The experienced signal caller enjoyed the best season of his college career last fall for Oklahoma — he threw for 3,660 yards, completed 69.3 percent of his passes and accounted for 42 total touchdowns — and now Gabriel will be surrounded by even more talent at Oregon. Oddsmakers have installed him as the slight preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

RB Quinshon Judkins

New school: Ohio State

Old school: Ole Miss

There won’t be a better running back tandem nationally than Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Ole Miss, and Henderson has already established himself as one of the best all-around backs with 32 rushing touchdowns and 6.2 yards per carry average in three seasons.

QB Riley Leonard

New school: Notre Dame

Old school: Duke

Ankle injuries limited Leonard to seven games a year ago, but he’s healthy now and remains the same talented player who produced 31 total touchdowns, threw for 2,794 yards and ran for another 636 more in 2022. Notre Dame’s playoff hopes likely rest on Leonard rediscovering his form of two years ago.

DL Walter Nolen

New school: Ole Miss

Old school: Texas A&M

The Rebels are viewed as a championship sleeper, in part because of their improvement up front on both sides of the ball. The 305-pound Nolen is a big part of that. He’s a disruptive force and an All-SEC preseason first team selection.

DE Nic Scourton

New school: Texas A&M

Old school: Purdue

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound junior is a load to deal with, and will be a critical part of the Aggies defense. As a sophomore, he had 10 sacks and 42 quarterback pressures for Purdue to lead the Big Ten, the kind of an impact Texas A&M hopes continues in College Station.

WR Evan Stewart

New school: Oregon

Old school: Texas A&M

Stewart gives the Ducks a dynamite receiving tandem alongside returning star Tez Johnson. Despite shaky quarterback play at A&M, Stewart caught 38 passes for 514 yards and four touchdowns in eight games last year. Now, he will be playing with a Heisman Trophy contender.

OT Kadyn Proctor

New school: Alabama

Old school: Iowa

Technically, Proctor didn’t change teams, since he shined for Alabama last year, playing 13 games as a starter at left tackle and earning All-SEC freshman team honors. It was an eventful offseason for the massive 6-7, 360-pound sophomore. He transferred to his in-state school Iowa in January — he had committed to the Hawkeyes initially as a five-star high school recruit before flipping to Alabama — then went back to Alabama a few months later.

QB Cam Ward

New school: Miami

Old school: Washington State

Ward is part of an offensive overhaul through the transfer portal — coach Mario Cristobal also added running back Damien Martinez (Oregon State) and wide receiver Sam Brown (Houston) — that Miami hopes will lead to a bounce-back season. Ward brings 95 career touchdowns passes with him to Coral Gables.