Top 10 transfer portal impact players of Week 1

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

In the new era of college football, the transfer portal has become a significant component of roster construction. Throughout the 2026 college football season, On3 is breaking down the top 10 transfer portal impact players based on weekly performances. Here are the most impactful transfer portal players from Week 1:

1. Miami QB Darian Mensah

One of the biggest headlines of January’s transfer portal was Darian Mensah’s decision to leave Duke on the final day of free agency for Miami. The process was complicated, including a settlement reached between Mensah and the Blue Devils. But the move to bring in Mensah is already paying off for Miami. He opened his Heisman campaign in Week 1 with a five-touchdown performance against Stanford. He was 27 of 30 for 401 yards, connecting with receiver Malachi Toney on three touchdowns. Mensah did it all in three quarters.

2. LSU QB Sam Leavitt

The top-ranked transfer quarterback in the portal in January looked the part on Saturday night in Death Valley. The former Arizona State transfer threw for 230 yards and a score and added a career-high 113 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Leavitt looked comfortable in his first start in Charlie Weis Jr.’s offense, leading the Tigers to a 51-10 rout of Clemson in Baton Rouge to open the Lane Kiffin era.

3. LSU EDGE Jordan Ross

Tennessee EDGE Jordan Ross proved quickly on Saturday night he is going to be a difference-maker for LSU’s defense in 2026. The pass rusher picked off Clemson quarterback Christopher Vizzina late in the first quarter, returning it 30 yards for a touchdown and putting LSU up 17-3. At that point, the Tigers never looked back. Ross finished the night with two tackles for loss and a sack. He’s proving quickly that defensive coordinator Blake Baker can use him all over the front seven.

4. LSU OT Jordan Seaton

Colorado transfer offensive tackle Jordan Seaton anchored an LSU offensive line on Saturday night that did not allow a sack. Named the SEC offensive lineman of the week, the Tigers’ offensive line did not draw a penalty in the win over Clemson. LSU finished the night with 644 total yards of offense, with 309 coming in the ground game. LSU also picked up 37 first downs.

5. Texas LB Rasheem Biles

Throughout the summer, sources told On3 that Pitt transfer linebacker Rasheem Biles was going to be an instant impact player at Texas this fall. Biles did not waste any time in his debut with the Longhorns. He forced a fumble that resulted in a 59-yard touchdown return by defensive back Graceson Littleton. He also intercepted a pass, setting up a Texas touchdown. Biles finished with five tackles and a half tackle for loss in the season-opening win over Texas State.

6. Memphis RB Jaylin Carter

Southern Miss transfer running back Jaylin Carter rushed for 183 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-24 win over Arkansas State. Carter averaged nearly 10 yards per carry and also finished the game with over 200 all-purpose yards, hauling in an 18-yard reception to finish with exactly 201 total yards. The four touchdowns tied a Memphis record. He’s currently the FBS rushing leader through two games.

7. Tennessee DL Xavier Gilliam

Penn State transfer defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam announced his arrival at Tennessee on Saturday. Gilliam posted three sacks in a dominant performance for the Vols’ defense in a 56-9 win over Furman. He also matched linebacker Amare Campbell with a team-high six tackles on the day. Gilliam’s three sacks were the most by a Tennessee player since Darrell Taylor recorded four sacks in 2018 against Kentucky, and he became only the third SEC player since 2005 to record five tackles for loss and three sacks in a game.

8. Colorado EDGE Lamont Lester Jr.

Monmouth transfer EDGE Lamont Lester is already proving to be a top portal pickup for Colorado. Lester recorded all three of Colorado’s sacks (22 yards in losses) and 3.5 tackles for loss. He was also part of a Colorado defensive line that limited Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards on 30 carries. The defense did not surrender a touchdown, as Georgia Tech’s lone score came on a kickoff return and the rest on field goals.

9. Colorado State QB Hauss Hejny

Fully healthy after missing most of the 2025 season at Oklahoma State, Hauss Hejny opened up the Jim Mora era at Colorado State in style. The former TCU and Oklahoma State transfer threw for 214 yards and five touchdowns in his Colorado State debut, as the Rams brought home the Bronze Boot trophy as part of their Border War rivalry with Wyoming.

10. Arizona State QB Cutter Boley

The Kentucky transfer quarterback set a program record for passing yards in his debut with the Sun Devils — in the first half. Cutter Boley finished with 387 passing yards and six touchdowns in a 70-7 rout of Morgan State, becoming the first Sun Devil with a six-touchdown game since 2004.

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