The transfer portal has enabled struggling programs to build and competitive ones to reload, faster than ever. No matter where you find yourself on the totem pole, one strong transfer portal class can drastically alter your outlook for the upcoming season.
Last season, Vanderbilt put the league on notice with two transfers, Diego Pavia and Eli Stowers, and Kyle Kennard’s arrival at South Carolina helped turn the Gamecocks into one of the most feared defenses in the country. Lane Kiffin’s crop of defensive linemen, Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen (though both came from other SEC programs), did the same for Ole Miss.
Newcomer used to be a term mostly reserved for freshmen, but the transfer portal has changed that, with teams getting old and staying old. Though, a freshman can always super like Ryan Williams did last year.
Here’s a look at the five SEC newcomers who are most likely to become the biggest problem for the rest of the league in 2025.
In his first season as the starting quarterback at Washington State, John Mateer was prolific, throwing for 3,000+ yards and rushing for over 800 with 15 touchdowns on the ground. His athleticism and creative play style were a perfect fit for offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who preceded his arrival in Norman.
Arbuckle and Mateer will lead a new-look Sooners offense, and though his efficiency (No. 6 in the country in EPA/dropback) might wane against SEC competition, his playmaking ability will certainly translate. Brent Venables will always have a top-tier defense. If he got the quarterback position right, Oklahoma could be a dark horse College Football Playoff contender.
Hugh Freeze had every reason to rest on his laurels when it came to the wide receiver position. His loaded 2024 freshmen receiving group comprised of Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, and Malcolm Simmons, all impressed in Year 1, but with his seat warming, Freeze wasn’t complacent. Instead, he went out and got the top wide receiver in the transfer portal, a dynamic yards after the catch creator, who has cleared 700 yards in each of his two seasons in a run-heavy offense at Georgia Tech.
Singleton will complement Coleman nicely, allowing the former five-star to slide into his role as the X receiver and primary deep ball threat. While Coleman dominates with his size and physicality, Singleton will use his quickness and route-running to separate or make plays with the ball in his hands. Last season, 21 of his 56 catches came behind the line of scrimmage. A legitimate screen threat who will ease Jackson Arnold’s assimilation after his move from Oklahoma.
Two years ago, KC Concepcion was one of the most impactful freshmen in the country, catching 71 passes for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, shaky quarterback play and injuries led to a sophomore slump and ultimately led Concepcion to hit the trnasfer portal and leave NC State.
Now at Texas A&M, he will look to recapture his freshman season effectiveness. A true slot-first player, he does much of his damage underneath, but is tough to stick with one-and-one, and finds soft spots in zone coverage.
Patrick Payton’s move from FSU to LSU and Princewill Umanmielen’s transfer from Nebraska to Ole Miss both made bigger waves than Georgia adding an outside linebacker from Army. However, Elo Modozie may be the most impactful new pass rusher in the conference this season.
In his one year as a starter for the Black Knights, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound sophomore racked up 37 QB pressures and seven sacks, lining up almost exclusively on the edge. His 14 percent pass-rush win rate was far from elite, but bested Payton and narrowly trailed Umanmielen. He’s excellent at using his long arms to create leverage on large offensive tackles and keeping them off his body as he bends to turn the corner or dives inside to get to the quarterback. Production in Georgia depends greatly on Kirby Smart’s usage, and in a heavy rotation, Modozie may not lead the SEC in sacks, but he’ll be a major contributor for one of the conference favorites.
Jaydn Ott is another player, like Concepcion, who was at his best two seasons ago. The question for both is whether they’re able to recapture that form. Ott wasn’t beholden to QB woes at Cal last year, but injuries nearly robbed his entire season. He appeared in 10 games and played 440 snaps, but was far from 100 percent, finishing with 385 yards and four touchdowns on 3.3 yards per carry with only seven runs of 15 or more yards.
However, in 2023, Ott amassed 1,311 yards and 12 scores on the ground, averaging 5.3 yards per carry with 16 15+ yard runs. In his sophomore season, Ott averaged more yards after contact per carry (3.39) than he did yards per carry as a junior in 2024 (3.3). If the dynamic runner that Cal rode to a successful season in 2023 arrives in Norman, then Oklahoma got the steal of the spring transfer portal window.