Predicting the Landing Spots for the Top 10 Players in the Transfer Portal

By Max Dorsey

The transfer portal officially opened on December 9th with talented players all over the country looking for a new home. Here are the Top 10 ranked players in the portal (according to 247 Sports) and where I think they wind up

10: Williams Nwaneri, EDGE, Missouri

Portal Prediction: Oregon

The Missouri native and former 5-star recruit played in only four games in his freshman season, registering two tackles and a sack. He enters the portal as a four-star prospect still highly touted despite his limited experience. In high school, he was heavily pursed by Dan Lanning at Oregon, and I think that’s where he winds up. Oregon needs help on the EDGE after this season and certainly has the NIL funding to afford him. 

9: KC Concepcion, WR, NC State

Portal Prediction: Alabama

Concepcion was a three-star recruit coming out of Julius L. Chambers High School in 2023. In two seasons he has racked up 124 catches, 1299 yards, and 13 TDs. He now enters the portal as a four-star prospect. Alabama has seen two WRs on their roster enter the portal and desperately will need help at the position. I see them grabbing Concepcion being a great fit for both parties

8: Jehiem Oatis, DL, Alabama

Portal Prediction: Ole Miss

Jaheim Otis enters the portal as 247’s number-one-ranked defensive lineman. The former four-star recruit redshirted himself after four games this season in October due to a lack of playing time. Otis has registered 57 total tackles, 3 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks over 29 career games. I Mississippi native returning to his home state to join the rebels in 2024

7: Nic Anderson, WR, Oklahoma

Portal Prediction: LSU

Anderson joined the Sooners as a three-star prospect in 2022. He exploded in his RS Freshman year in 2023 going for 38 catches, 798 yards, and 10 TDs. After tearing his quad before this season kicked off Anderson didn’t play a snap in 2024. He’s still highly coveted and has already been targeted by many schools. LSU makes a lot of sense as they are losing some key WR talent to the draft, and the Tigers are reportedly very high on Anderson.

6: Dane Key, WR, Kentucky

Portal Prediction: Nebraska

Key was the number-one ranked player in Kentucky back in the 2022 recruiting cycle. After a successful three years in Lexington, he is looking for a new home. In 38 games he’s logged, 126 catches, 1870 yards, and 14 TDs. I think Nebraska makes a ton of sense as a potential landing spot for Key, as it’s relatively close to his home state of Kentucky, and he’d know he’d be going somewhere where he’d be the top target with a high-caliber QB.

5: Patrick Kutas, OL, Alabama

Portal Prediction: Ole Miss

Kutas is a former four-star recruit who has been a starter for the razorback all three years of his career and is looking for a new home. Ole Miss coach, Lane Kiffin, is known for targeting and getting some of the best talent in the portal and I think that’s how the story goes here.

4: Hunter Zambrano, OL, Illinois State

Portal Prediction: Miami

Zambrano enters the portal as a grad transfer after missing most of the season due to injury. Coming into 2024 the Florida native was a Preseason All-American, and had NFL scouts looking at him. Zambrano enters the portal looking for a new home to showcase that talent on a national scale, and what better place to do that than Miami? It’s close to home, and head coach Mario Cristobal is known for developing offensive line talent. I think the Hurricanes are a perfect fit.

3: Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE, Nebraska

Portal Prediction: Ole Miss

Yes, yet another top 10 ranked player in the portal going to Ole Miss, but in reality, this makes a lot of sense. Umanmielen has racked up 35 tackles, 7 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks in his 23 games and one start at Nebraska. Last year, his older brother Princley transferred to Ole Miss and I see Princewell doing the same.

2: Luke Kromenhoek, QB, Florida State

Portal Prediction: Georgia

Kromenhoek enters the portal after one season at Florida State. He played in 5 total games, starting two of them in 2024 throwing for 502 yards and 3 TDs. He committed to the Noles as the 36th-ranked player in the 2024 class and is going to be getting offers from a lot of QB-needy teams. I see Kromenhoek going back home to Georgia, where he’s from, and joining the Bulldogs as their future QB.

1: Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Georgia Tech

Portal Prediction: Auburn

Eric Singleton was a relatively known three-star recruit coming out of HS. The Georgia native committed to Georgia Tech, and has made a name for himself now being ranked as the #1 transfer across all recruiting sites. Singleton has racked up 1468 receiving yards and 9 TDs in his two seasons at Tech. The head coach of Auburn, Hugh Freeze, has already been very active in the portal and has Singleton coming in on a visit this week. I see the Tigers wrapping up this recruitment soon, and landing Singleton

MAX DORSEY

CFB, NFL Draft Analyst

A Floridian, Max is a Broadcast Digital Journalism student at Syracuse University – where he has previously been a recruiting and scouting intern for The Orange. Follow him on Twitter @maxdorsey44

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