Five takeaways from the first week of transfer portal action

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

The college football transfer portal has officially been open for one week. The 2025 season is not over, with a semifinal and championship game to go, but teams have already started assembling their 2026 rosters. That goes for the teams still in it, too.

Indiana and Oregon meet in a semifinal on Friday night — both teams have had to balance working the transfer portal alongside preparing for a monumental playoff game.

As for Lane Kiffin and LSU, the Tigers have the No. 3-ranked transfer portal class according to 247Sports. Kiffin and the Tigers were expected to be top players, and they've lived up to that billing so far. Though LSU has yet to add a quarterback to the fold.

The action isn't done. Players still have a few more days to enter the portal, and top prospects remain on the board.

Transfer news can be a lot to keep up with at this time of year. We have you covered. Here are the takeaways from the first week of transfer action as it relates to LSU and the rest of the SEC.

1. LSU rebuilds wide receiver room

LSU entered the transfer portal window needing to build a wide receiver room from scratch. Practically, LSU's entire receiver core either entered the portal or declared for the NFL Draft.

So far, Kiffin and Co. have signed four wideouts. The headliner is ex-Kansas State pass catcher Jayce Brown. In three years with the Wildcats, Brown caught 115 passes for 1,969 yards. That's good for 17.1 yards per catch — making Brown one of the most explosive players in the country.

Joining Brown are Florida transfer Eugene Wilson, Hawai'i transfer Jackson Harris, and Old Dominion transfer Tre Brown. The four wideouts combined for 2,679 yards at their previous schools in 2025. That puts LSU No. 2 nationally in 2025 receiving production added from the portal.

LSU needs depth, and the Tigers are still looking to add a couple of younger receivers with several years of eligibility remaining.

2. Ole Miss is reloading on defense

Lane Kiffin is no longer in Oxford, but new head coach Pete Golding is continuing the Rebels' strong transfer portal tradition, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Incoming Ole Miss transfers combined for 269 tackles in 2025 — that ranks No. 3 among portal classes. The Rebels transfer class ranks No. 2 in sacks and No. 4 in stops.

At defensive tackle, Ole Miss signed ex-Florida DL Michai Boireau. Jeheim Oatis and Jonothan Maldonado also look ready to compete in the SEC.

In the secondary, Ole Miss signed former Auburn CB Jay Crawford. Crawford was among the most proven and talented corners available.

3. Ups and downs for Auburn

It's been a roller coaster week for Auburn and new head coach Alex Golesh.

Golesh's staff did a good job securing the best players from their USF squad, including quarterback Byrum Brown. But Auburn also watched Deuce Knight and Came Coleman walk out the door. Knight and Coleman are both five-star talents, and Coleman is ranked as the best player in the portal, according to On3. Auburn has lost over 6,000 snaps in the portal, one of the highest totals in the SEC.

Auburn will miss Coleman, but the Tigers should get consistent QB play for the first time in a long time. Brown was one of the top quarterbacks in the country, and he'll be working with the same coaching staff that made him a success at USF.

In the portal era, coaches gain a lot when bringing a handful of players from their previous stop.

4. Texas A&M secures reinforcements on offensive line, defense

Texas A&M has been active thus far, making significant additions across the defense and beefing up the offensive line.

A&M signed two former LSU offensive linemen: Tyree Adams and Coen Echols. Neither player was that impressive with the Tigers in 2025, but both have talent and displayed potential.

On defense, few schools have added as much proven talent as Texas A&M. In 2025, the Aggies' transfer class combined for 127 stops, 15 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles.

A&M signed former Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka and in the secondary, signed ex-Tennessee CB Rickey Gibson. Both could be key for the Aggies' defense next year.

5. Florida gets a makeover, retains top talent

New Florida head coach Jon Sumrall is making a strong first impression. The Gators haven't been immune to transfer portal losses, but they have added good players while retaining a couple of key pieces, too.

New Florida OC brought talented QB Aaron Philo from Georgia Tech, replacing DJ Lagway.

Up front, Florida added Georgia Tech's Harrison Moore, Stanford's Emeka Ugorji, and Penn State's TJ Shannahan. Those three signings give Sumrall the chance to build a competent offensive line in year one.

Florida retained RB Jaydan Baugh, who ran for 1,168 yards in 2025. On defense, the Gators convinced Jayden Woods to withdraw from the transfer portal and return to Gainesville.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Five takeaways from the first week of transfer portal action

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos