This College Football offseason has felt like NFL free agency, witnessing many star players transferring to different schools and schools heavily recruiting as much transfer talent as possible to join their programs. This football season, dozens of familiar names will be shown in unfamiliar places. Even though this is something that has skyrocketed out of control, this isn't something brand new. This encourages this list of the top 10 best college football transfers dating back to 2010 to come into creation from best to worst, beginning from one to ten. This list features the most dominant, successful transfers that became solid decisions for their schools, bringing them to their campuses. Players greatly impacted the football programs they transferred to through their skills, dominance, and the power to inspire the rest of the team.
No. 1 Cam Newton
The greatest Heisman season of the 21st century is, without a doubt, worthy of the number one spot on this list. Cam Newton being kicked out of the University of Florida, playing at Blinn College, transferring back to the Sec, playing for the Tigers of Auburn, and leading them to a national championship title is beyond amazing. A talentless Auburn Tigers squad he carried to a 12-0 season with convincing victories over 6th-ranked LSU, 11th-ranked Alabama, 19th-ranked South Carolina in the SEC title game, and the championship win over a superior Oregon Ducks squad with one of the most supersonic offenses that college football has ever seen and will ever see. Auburn rode on his back through his two thousand yards passing and one thousand yards rushing, becoming the first player in SEC football history to do that in the same season.
If any performance greatly defined his Heisman worthiness and value to the team, it's the 28-27 comeback win in the Iron Bowl over arch-rival Alabama. Down 24-0 midway through the second quarter to an Alabama team with at least eight future NFL first-round draft picks, including Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Dont'a Hightower, C.J. Mosely, and Trent Richardson. The only other future first-round draft pick Auburn had at the time was defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Cam Newton would fire back at the Crimson Tide with three touchdown passes and an additional one on the ground. His touchdown run would cut Alabama's lead to three points, and his third touchdown pass, tight end Phillip Lutzenkirchen would win the game for the Auburn Tigers. That was the day when Auburn became the team of destiny, and the rest of the football world knew Cam Newton.
No. 2 Joe Burrow
The conductor of the greatest offense in college football history began his rise to stardom in 2018 when he came from Ohio State, where he sat behind J.T. Barrett and Dwayne Haskins. In his first season with LSU, Burrow won the 2018 SEC Offensive Play of the Year with 16 touchdown passes, seven rushing touchdowns, and 2,894 passing yards. His most memorable performance that season was in the Fiesta Bowl between his 11th-ranked LSU Tigers and 8th-ranked UCF Knights. Down 14-3 after Burrow threw a pick-six and took a blindside block from UCF defensive lineman Joey Connors that knocked the wind out of him, Burrow came back from that hit and would bring the Tigers back from behind by throwing four touchdowns to clinch a Fiesta Bowl victory for the Tigers 40-32 over the Knights.
It sparked a resurgence for LSU Tigers football for the following season, as Joe Burrow became Joe Burreaux, leading them to wins over Texas, Alabama, and the SEC title over Georgia. He and the Tigers breezed Oklahoma in the CFP semi-finals and Clemson in the national championship to clinch the school's first national title since 2007 and the school's first undefeated season ever. His three touchdown passes, 393 passing yards, and 31 completions of 39 pass attempts against Alabama reserved him for the greatest trophy in college football. Joe would win the Heisman Trophy by a landslide with his NCAA record 65 total touchdowns in a season and 5,671 passing yards, tied for the fourth-highest total in NCAA football history.
No. 3 Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield came to Texas Tech in 2013 as a true freshman and had a decent stint with the Red Raiders. He transferred to Oklahoma in January 2014 but couldn't play until 2015 due to eligibility issues. But when he did play for the Sooners, he strung together one of the most memorable careers in college football history. He went from being a conservative passer at Texas Tech to a fierce gunslinger at Oklahoma. During 2015-17, he would be selected as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy three years in a row and finally won the award in 2017. At the same time, he was leading the Sooners back to the college football playoff for the second time in three seasons. The Sooners produced a 33-6 record during Baker's time starting under center for Oklahoma.
His valiant performance against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2017 College Football semi-finals showed how much he meant to Oklahoma Sooners football and how much he has elevated the program. The game became a shootout, with Mayfield throwing 287 yards and two touchdowns and catching one himself while helping the Sooners' offense generate 531 yards of total offense and 48 points against the sixth-ranked defense in the nation for points allowed. The game took two overtime periods to conclude when Georgia's running back Sony Michel ended it with 27 yards to glory and a Bulldogs' win 54-48. Despite the loss, there was without doubt that Baker Mayfield was the best player on that field that night at the Rose Bowl. His impact on the program would carry on to this and turn Oklahoma's program into an excellent place for quarterbacks to become great.
No. 4 J.J. Watt
Long before J.J. Watt became one of the most dominant defenders in football, he started his collegiate career as a tight end at Central Michigan University in 2007. Justin James Watt played 14 games during his freshman season and didn't score a single touchdown while only catching eight passes and failing to eclipse 100 receiving yards. Before beginning his sophomore season, head coach Butch Jones wanted to move him to offensive tackle. Watt transferred to the University of Wisconsin as a walk-on to play defensive end. Working as a delivery guy for Pizza Hut to pay off tuition and redshirting while being on the scout team during the 2008 season gave off one intangible hint of the J.J. Watt that we would soon witness: passion.
Converting to the other side of the ball, J.J. started defensive end for the next 26 games, including two bowl games and the following two seasons. During that period, he railed in 11.5 career sacks, 36.5 tackles for loss, and one interception. 2010 would be his finest season as he earned an AP 1st-team All-American selection and the Ronnie Lott award given to the defensive impact player of the year. He finished the season with 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. His game against the undefeated number one-ranked Buckeyes in Columbus, where he racked in two sacks and three tackles for loss, ensured his draft stock going high. The Badgers finished the season as the 5th-ranked team in the nation and an invitation to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2000. J.J. Watt would go on to the Pros and was drafted by the Houston Texans, number 11th overall in the 2011 NFL draft, and produced a Hall of Fame-worthy career.
No. 5 Michael Penix Jr.
Leaving the Indiana Hoosiers with an injury history turned into a massive concern for his capability to keep playing football and bring impact on the Washington Huskies. Suffering three season-ending injuries that included tearing his ACL twice during his time at Indiana. He had a tremendous impact on the team in just a little time as he once led the Hoosiers to a 4-0 start in 2020 and was ranked inside the top 10 at number nine in the nation for the first time since week 2 of the 1969 season. Despite his season being cut short by an ACL injury, Penix would be named second-team All-Big Ten with his 14:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio in just the first six games while leading the Hoosiers to a 5-1 start. Michael Penix Jr. would transfer to Washington before the 2022 season after another season-shortening injury in 2021.
It wasn't until the third game of the 2022 season that Michael Penix Jr. and the Washington Huskies stepped into national exposure when they beat the 11th-ranked Michigan State Spartans 39-28. Penix would lead the Huskies to eleven wins and a top 25 ranking at number tw12 in the nation at the end of the season. He would also lead the FBS in passing yards per game with a 357 average while throwing 31 touchdowns to 8 interceptions. The next season, he bettered those numbers with 36 touchdown passes to 11 interceptions on 4,903 passing yards, 262 more than the season before. The Washington Huskies had their first undefeated regular season and national championship birth since 1991. They would eventually lose to Michigan in the big game. Still, nobody ever thought about the Washington Huskies being a college football power for the past two seasons before the arrival of Michael Penix.
No. 6 Kyler Murray
After Baker Mayfield in 2017 came Kyler Murray, who started for the Sooners in 2018, the former 5-star recruit at Texas A&M in 2015. He transferred to Oklahoma in 2016, having to sit that season, and became Baker Mayfield's backup for the 2017 season. With just a few snaps during garbage time that season, signs of continued success for the program with Kyler were spotted. His mobility, agility, and speed were seen in a few other quarterbacks before and after him. It's watching Barry Sanders play quarterback when watching Kyler Murray tuck and run the ball every time. 2018 Would give Oklahoma back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners from Mayfield to Murray.
Kyler Murray would account for 55 total touchdowns and 5,362 yards of offense for the Sooners in 2018. He would lead them back to a fourth consecutive Big 12 title with a revenge victory over the Texas Longhorns and a second straight appearance in the college football playoffs. In the Orange Bowl, for a chance to get to the national championship, they had to face the number one-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Behind in the second half, Kyler finished the game with 308 passing yards and two touchdowns to make the score more respectable to a 45-34 defeat. With the help of Marquise Brown and CeeDee Lamb, Murray conducted one of the best offenses in school history. He helped continue the success of Oklahoma football, making it officially a football powerhouse once again.
No. 7 Justin Fields
The second of four highly recruited players coming out of high school on this list is Justin Fields. The other three are Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams, and Jayden Daniels. Fields came to Georgia expected to become the heir apparent to then-starting quarterback Jake Frohm. He would be utilized as a mobile for read-option plays during red zone scenarios in the game. The only other time he would take regular snaps was during garbage time. With Jake Frohm staying at Georgia for another year and Justin Fields not wanting to sit on the bench for another year, he decides to transfer to Ohio State before his sophomore season. From there, He would quickly establish himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the country and the toughest ever to wear the scarlet and gray of the Buckeyes.
In 2019, Justin Fields led the Buckeyes to an undefeated regular season and won another Big Ten championship. Behind his 41 touchdown passes, he was third in all of college football. He finished third for the Heisman Trophy and won the first of two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards. The following year, he led the Buckeyes back to the college football playoffs for the second straight season. In the semi-finals, he and the Buckeyes had their revenge win over the Clemson Tigers for their previous defeat in college football playoffs the year before. In the second quarter, while ahead 21-14, Justin took a hit to his ribs from Clemson linebacker James Skalski, leaving him down on the turf for a minute. Once he got back up, he and Ohio State's offense routed the Clemson Tigers with four more touchdown passes to conclude their bid to the national championship game, 49-28.
No. 8 Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams was expected to continue the great tradition of Oklahoma Sooner quarterbacks. He came to the University of Oklahoma as a true freshman and quickly displayed skills few other quarterbacks could match. Along with his ability to be a true game-changer, it was first seen in his first game playing against Texas after Spencer Rattler was benched while being behind 35-17. The leader's side flipped instantly to 55-48 after Caleb's five total touchdowns and 295 passing yards, with an additional 66 using his legs in three and a half quarters. He finished the rest of the season as the starter with 21 touchdown passes, four interceptions, and six rushing touchdowns in just seven games. Despite a spectacular freshman season, he entered the transfer portal before his sophomore season.
Caleb grew increasingly as the ultimate touchdown maker with the USC Trojans and eventually the eighth Heisman Trophy winner in USC history. Talk about the Lincoln Riley system all you want; Caleb Williams could do unearthly things at the quarterback position that would make Patrick Mahomes slightly envious. While throwing a nation-leading 42 touchdowns in 2022, he guided the Trojans back to national prominence with a new year six bowl appearance in the Cotton Bowl and a top 10 ranking finish, both being the first for USC since 2017. Caleb's 11 wins in 2022 were also the best for the Trojans since 2017. During his two seasons with the Trojans, he produced 72 passing touchdowns, 21 rushing touchdowns, only 14 interceptions, and a 23-10 record.
No. 9 Quinn Ewers
When you play quarterback in Texas, you are automatically one of the most important people in the United States of America. Quinn Ewers isn't only the starting quarterback for the Longhorns; he is perhaps up for dispute for the best quarterback in Texas. Yes, even in debate with Houston's C.J. Stroud and Dallas' Dak Prescott for that title. His play and commanding leadership instantly raised the Longhorns program back to the national prominence that they were used to during the 1960s to the days of Vince Young and then Colt McCoy.
Just look at his victorious 2-TD day against the Crimson Tide in Alabama in game two of last season, eventually leading the Longhorns to a Big 12 title, delivering his best performance by throwing for 452 yards and four touchdowns against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship. He also put in a valiant effort in the college football playoff against Washington, throwing for 318 yards and a touchdown, nearly bringing Texas to a comeback win for their first national championship appearance since 2009. From being a backup star recruit at Ohio State to becoming the savior of Texas Longhorns football. They are national championship contenders once again this year, and Ewers is a Heisman candidate, College Football 25 cover boy, and is expected to go first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
No. 10 Jayden Daniels
He is probably the most shocking Heisman Trophy winner of them all, but to put Jayden Daniels' 2023 season into perspective, along with his impact on the program. Jayden Daniels became the first player in FBS history to throw for over 350 yards and rush for over 200 yards in the same game. He did that in a game against SEC foe Florida. He also led the nation in total yards with 3,812 passing plus 1,134 rushing while setting a new NCAA record for the highest passer rating in a season with 208.0. His team only won 9 times during the regular season but had one of the toughest schedules that included Alabama, Ole Miss, Missouri, Florida State, Auburn, and Texas A&M. As talented as he already was at Arizona State, he grew more into being a true gamechanger once he came to LSU.
Daniels became a more disciplined and decisive passer for the Tigers, orchestrating game-winning drives with so much confidence and ease. Under head coach Brian Kelly, he learned how to match his football intelligence and instincts with his skills. It showed in an upset win over Alabama in overtime, 32-31, with a game-winning two-point conversion to tight end Mason Taylor on November 5, 2022. Daniels threw for 182 yards, 22 completions out of 32 attempts, and two touchdowns while rushing for 95 yards and another touchdown against the Crimson Tide. He also had a 5-touchdown performance against 7th-ranked Ole Miss the previous week. He would finish the rest of 2022 with 28 total touchdowns and 3,798 yards passing and rushing. The following season, his 4,946 yards passing and rushing boosted him into sixth place of all-time FBS leaders for most total yards gained in a career. What is more impressive is his interception total in two seasons and 26 starts with LSU; only 7 of Jayden Daniels' passes have been intercepted compared to his 13 interceptions at Arizona State in three seasons and 29 starts for the Sun Devils. Besides his statistics, his dominance brought LSU Tigers football back from the dead after three consecutive losing seasons to being ranked in the top 25 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2017-18 when Joe Burrow was there. His impact on the team should be able to sustain a winning foundation for the program once again.
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