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The college football transfer portal is back in full swing now that the window has opened for the spring. The biggest addition recently has been former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava. He put his name in the portal under a "no contact" tag after reports surfaced that he was skipping meetings and practice due to wanting a renegotiated NIL deal.
It has been a plethora of reports claiming "he said, he said." While that gets battled out in a game of inside sources, the fact remains that Iamaleava has most recently been linked to the UCLA Bruins, where his younger brother is currently committed as well.
While a vast majority of the top 200 players have already committed and/or transferred to their new programs, there are nine players ranked among them who are looking for the next opportunity. These rankings are courtesy of the 247Sports composite rankings.
Nico Iamaleava might be the recipient of some really bad advice, but that doesn't change the fact that he is the No. 1-rated player in the 2025 transfer portal. The former five-star signee has recently been linked to the UCLA Bruins, but nothing is final until it is final. Iamaleava led the Vols to the College Football Playoff in his first season as a starter. He threw for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdowns to 5 interceptions in 13 games. Tennessee finished 10-3 and was knocked out in the first round of the CFP, 42-17 by Ohio State. The Vols will likely go with redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Merklinger, who appeared in two games last season and threw just nine total passes.
Meanwhile, it looks like UCLA or another suitor could luck out with the addition of Iamaleava.
The top-rated available pass rusher, Elo Modozie, might be ready to come into his own after entering the transfer portal. The Black Knights linebacker finished with 6.5 sacks last season and added 34 tackles and 8.0 TFLs. Modozie could be the next Georgia Bulldog as reports indicate he is set to visit Athens.
Texas Tech's highest-rated signee in school history entered the transfer portal after a subpar showing in 2024. He committed to Texas A&M and was quickly back in the transfer portal at the first opportunity. Hudson is reportedly set to visit the Utah Utes and could potentially end up back in Lubbock with the Red Raiders. It remains to be seen where he will head, but the Texas product has a lot of untapped potential.
Neal signed with the Fresno State Bulldogs in the 2021 recruiting class and remained with the team until entering the transfer portal this past December. Following the firing of head coach Troy Taylor and the announcement of Frank Reich as the interim, Neal has once again entered the transfer portal. The highest-rated cornerback available could be a nice late addition to a multitude of programs. He is coming off his best season with 35 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, and 2 interceptions.
There is no shortage of teams looking at South Dakota offensive tackle Joe Cotton. His interest list is who's who with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators, and South Carolina Gamecocks among them. The 6-foot-7-inch offensive tackle is a mountain of a man ready to protect his quarterback at all costs.
Trebor Pena is coming off his best season with 84 receptions for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns with Syracuse. He could be on his way to signing with the Penn State Nittany Lions, who Pena will meet with on Friday, according to multiple outlets. His transfer might stem from the fact that he was requesting $2 million in NIL, according to head coach Fran Brown. Either way, the Nittany Lions could be getting a solid weapon should he commit.
[IMG alt="TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 14: Hykeem Williams #8 of the Florida State Seminoles runs the ball during the second half of a game against the Syracuse Orangeat Doak Campbell Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Tallahassee, Florida.
(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/touchdow...es_829/a7ad9ed026e517a11e6f608f7e33f4e7[/IMG]
The lone five-star signee at Florida State under Mike Norvell recently entered the transfer portal. Williams should be a hot commodity based on his intangibles, but has yet to show them on the field. It could be the product around him in Tallahassee at that time. Whoever signs him will be getting a dynamic weapon at wideout; they just better have a plan to use him in the way the Seminoles failed to.
Atkinson has been a solid player for the Tar Heels over the past two seasons with 54 combined tackles, 17.0 TFLs, and 11.0 sacks during that time. Atkinson could be on his way to the Buckeye State to join Ohio State. Given the team is set to lose top-tier pass rushers off the national championship defense, he would be a plug-and-play guy for Ryan Day. Not that he should have any issue getting guys to come to Columbus.
After signing with the Florida Gators, transferring to Arizona State, and then to Georgia, Jaden Rashada is once again looking for a new home. Maybe the fourth time will be the charm for the former four-star recruit out of the 2023 class. Rashada is expected to visit UConn and Fresno State. He was also tied to two other programs but has yet to schedule visits with either one of them.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: College Football: Top nine available players in the transfer portal
Continue reading...
It has been a plethora of reports claiming "he said, he said." While that gets battled out in a game of inside sources, the fact remains that Iamaleava has most recently been linked to the UCLA Bruins, where his younger brother is currently committed as well.
While a vast majority of the top 200 players have already committed and/or transferred to their new programs, there are nine players ranked among them who are looking for the next opportunity. These rankings are courtesy of the 247Sports composite rankings.
1. Nico Imaleava, Quarterback
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Nico Iamaleava might be the recipient of some really bad advice, but that doesn't change the fact that he is the No. 1-rated player in the 2025 transfer portal. The former five-star signee has recently been linked to the UCLA Bruins, but nothing is final until it is final. Iamaleava led the Vols to the College Football Playoff in his first season as a starter. He threw for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdowns to 5 interceptions in 13 games. Tennessee finished 10-3 and was knocked out in the first round of the CFP, 42-17 by Ohio State. The Vols will likely go with redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Merklinger, who appeared in two games last season and threw just nine total passes.
Meanwhile, it looks like UCLA or another suitor could luck out with the addition of Iamaleava.
2. Elo Modozie, Edge
You must be registered for see images attach
The top-rated available pass rusher, Elo Modozie, might be ready to come into his own after entering the transfer portal. The Black Knights linebacker finished with 6.5 sacks last season and added 34 tackles and 8.0 TFLs. Modozie could be the next Georgia Bulldog as reports indicate he is set to visit Athens.
3. Micah Hudson, Wide Receiver
You must be registered for see images attach
Texas Tech's highest-rated signee in school history entered the transfer portal after a subpar showing in 2024. He committed to Texas A&M and was quickly back in the transfer portal at the first opportunity. Hudson is reportedly set to visit the Utah Utes and could potentially end up back in Lubbock with the Red Raiders. It remains to be seen where he will head, but the Texas product has a lot of untapped potential.
If you aren't familiar, get familiar with this Freshman .... the man in motion from Temple, Texas️
Micah Hudson#Big12FB | @TexasTechFBpic.twitter.com/VMG6cMyDd6
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 6, 2024
4. Julian Neal, Cornerback
You must be registered for see images
Neal signed with the Fresno State Bulldogs in the 2021 recruiting class and remained with the team until entering the transfer portal this past December. Following the firing of head coach Troy Taylor and the announcement of Frank Reich as the interim, Neal has once again entered the transfer portal. The highest-rated cornerback available could be a nice late addition to a multitude of programs. He is coming off his best season with 35 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, and 2 interceptions.
5. Joe Cotton, Offensive Tackle
You must be registered for see images
There is no shortage of teams looking at South Dakota offensive tackle Joe Cotton. His interest list is who's who with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators, and South Carolina Gamecocks among them. The 6-foot-7-inch offensive tackle is a mountain of a man ready to protect his quarterback at all costs.
6. Trebor Pena, Wide Receiver
Trebor Pena is coming off his best season with 84 receptions for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns with Syracuse. He could be on his way to signing with the Penn State Nittany Lions, who Pena will meet with on Friday, according to multiple outlets. His transfer might stem from the fact that he was requesting $2 million in NIL, according to head coach Fran Brown. Either way, the Nittany Lions could be getting a solid weapon should he commit.
7. Hykeem Williams, Wide Receiver
[IMG alt="TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 14: Hykeem Williams #8 of the Florida State Seminoles runs the ball during the second half of a game against the Syracuse Orangeat Doak Campbell Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Tallahassee, Florida.
(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/touchdow...es_829/a7ad9ed026e517a11e6f608f7e33f4e7[/IMG]
The lone five-star signee at Florida State under Mike Norvell recently entered the transfer portal. Williams should be a hot commodity based on his intangibles, but has yet to show them on the field. It could be the product around him in Tallahassee at that time. Whoever signs him will be getting a dynamic weapon at wideout; they just better have a plan to use him in the way the Seminoles failed to.
8. Beau Atkinson, Edge
You must be registered for see images attach
Atkinson has been a solid player for the Tar Heels over the past two seasons with 54 combined tackles, 17.0 TFLs, and 11.0 sacks during that time. Atkinson could be on his way to the Buckeye State to join Ohio State. Given the team is set to lose top-tier pass rushers off the national championship defense, he would be a plug-and-play guy for Ryan Day. Not that he should have any issue getting guys to come to Columbus.
9. Jaden Rashada, Quarterback
You must be registered for see images attach
After signing with the Florida Gators, transferring to Arizona State, and then to Georgia, Jaden Rashada is once again looking for a new home. Maybe the fourth time will be the charm for the former four-star recruit out of the 2023 class. Rashada is expected to visit UConn and Fresno State. He was also tied to two other programs but has yet to schedule visits with either one of them.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: College Football: Top nine available players in the transfer portal
Continue reading...
