Multiple former 5-star recruits expected to hit the NCAA Transfer Portal

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The NCAA Transfer Portal is set to open officially in less than 72 hours, with more than 1,300 players already making their plans to take part in college football free agency.

Among those are hundreds of Group of Five prospects looking to take the next step up, as well players from Power 4 teams looking for a fresh start. But the group also includes a handful of players that fans and coaches will be particularly enamored with: former five-star recruits.

Initially ranked among the nation’s best high school prospects, these one-time elite players are looking for a new home for one reason or another. For some, it’s to reboot a career that hasn’t started how they’d hoped. While for others, they’re looking to parlay a strong start at the college level into more revenue-sharing money and a better chance at the NFL Draft.

As it stands today, six former five-stars are expected to hit the portal when it opens on January 2. And we’re likely to see even more in the coming weeks:

WR Cam Coleman – Auburn

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 1

Coleman was the crown jewel of Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class after he flipped late in the cycle from Texas A&M. The 6-foot-3, near 200-pounder was an athletic specimen as a high schooler and only blossomed more in that regard at the college level. However, he was held back by the Tigers’ lackluster quarterback play in both 2024 and 2025 with Payton Thorne and Jackson Arnold at the helm.

Still, he managed to haul in 84 passes for 1,215 yards and 12 touchdowns across his two seasons and is currently the No. 1-ranked player in the portal.

Soon after Coleman entered, On3’s Pete Nakos named a handful of schools to keep an eye on with him.

QB Dylan Raiola – Nebraska

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 9

Few, if any, quarterbacks in recent memory had higher expectations put on their shoulders than Raiola did at Nebraska. Seen by many as the program’s next superstar and the kind of player who could get the Huskers back to championship-level heights, he started as a true freshman in 2024.

His first campaign was cut short by injury, but he showed plenty of promise in Matt Rhule’s offense despite issues with turnovers and sacks. Raiola returned in 2025 with even higher aspirations and helped lead NU to a 5-1 start and a top-25 ranking. Nebraska lost two of its next three though, and he ultimately suffered his second season-ending injury in two years against USC. His uncle, Donovan Raiola, was dismissed as the team’s offensive line coach. And Dylan ultimately announced his intentions to enter the portal.

Another high-upside quarterback, he’ll be one of the more interesting portal prospects to follow in the coming weeks.

QB DJ Lagway – Florida

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 13

Like Raiola, DJ Lagway signed with Florida in the Class of 2024 and had massive expectations thrust upon him. After a few years of lackluster quarterback play, Gators fans were ready for Lagway to take them back to championship contention in the SEC.

Those dreams never panned out though, despite a strong finish to the 2024 season where he helped get the Gators bowl-eligible after an injury to starter Graham Mertz. Lagway was on everyone’s preseason Heisman list heading into 2025, but UF’s offense was downright abysmal at times. And the uber-athletic gunslinging Lagway finished with a league-high 14 interceptions and only 16 touchdown passes. Of the players in the portal — particularly quarterbacks — he possesses elite upside and will still be one of the most sought-after players in the country. But he’ll need some serious reclamation to reach the levels that scouts thought he would coming out of high school.

QB Deuce Knight – Auburn

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 20

Despite lackluster on-field results, Auburn fans kept hoping things would turn around under Hugh Freeze — in part because of his recruiting. Knight, a five-star out of Lucedale (Miss.), was a big reason for that hope. He signed with the Tigers over Ole Miss, Notre Dame and dozens of other programs and was very much seen as the future of the program.

He made one start in his lone year on The Plains — a Nov. 22 matchup vs. Mercer. Knight finished the game 15-for-20 passing for 239 yards, while also running for 162 yards during the contest. He accounted for six touchdowns in that game, but that was the extent of his significant playing time. Instead, he sat on the bench as transfers Jackson Arnold and Ashton Daniels struggled before Freeze was ultimately fired.

The Tigers’ new staff worked hard to keep him, but he will enter the portal in a few days looking to take the next step at another school.

QB Jackson Arnold – Auburn

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 66

Three years ago, Arnold was the toast of the 2023 recruiting class alongside Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava. Signed with Oklahoma, he was looked upon to be the future of the Sooners’ program for Brent Venables — at least after he waited for a season behind Dillon Gabriel. Despite Gabriel’s fantastic statistical season in 2023, OU chose to move forward with Arnold as its future.

Unfortunately for both sides, that backfired in a major way with OU’s offense sputtering in 2024 and Arnold dealing with injuries along the offensive line and wide receiver group. He opted to enter the portal last offseason when it became the clear the Sooners were the favorites for Washington State transfer John Mateer. Arnold ended up at Auburn, hoping to revive his career under Freeze’s tutelage. That didn’t go as planned either, though. The Tigers’ offense was among the worst in the SEC, and Arnold struggled mightily despite one of the SEC’s premier receiver groups.

Earlier this month, it was reported he would enter the portal again after the Tigers hired Alex Golesh from USF to replace Freeze.

RB CJ Baxter – Texas

On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking: No. 89

Landing Baxter out of Florida — and beating out Miami, Florida State and others — was a huge win for Steve Sarkisian a few years ago. He was a rare five-star running back, and was viewed as a player who would be able to step in and contribute immediately. The Orlando native did exactly that as a freshman, rushing for 659 yards and five touchdowns in his first season on the Forty Acres.

He returned in 2024 as the expected feature back in Texas’ offense, but missed nearly the entire season after tearing his ACL in the team’s season opener. Returned from a yearlong absence due to that injury, Baxter finished with just 196 rushing yards and no touchdowns in 2025, unable to reclaim the role many envisioned when he committed to the Longhorns.

He’ll now look to reboot what started as a highly promising career elsewhere.

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