Big 12 roster shuffle reset: Who's rising and falling after the winter portal window?

New York Times

06-02-2025

The first transfer portal window has closed, and schools soon will turn their attention to spring practice. Where do the Big 12 programs stand after the first wave of roster movement? Here's a look at the teams rising and falling, as well as those stuck in neutral.
(Note: All recruiting and transfer portal class rankings are per 247Sports and the 247Sports Composite)
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Portal class rank: 50th (12th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 44th (7th in Big 12)
The Sun Devils weren't heavily active in the portal because they didn't need to be — they didn't lose a transfer who started more than four games in 2024. Although stud running back Cam Skattebo is off to the NFL, quarterback Sam Leavitt, receiver Jordyn Tyson and multiple other key players return. To help ease the loss of Skattebo, Arizona State landed Army transfer running back Kanye Udoh, who ran for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. Texas State tackle transfer Jimeto Obigbo should round out an offensive line that returns four starters. And remember Kenny Dillingham looking for a kicker midseason? He found one in the portal in Eastern Michigan's Jesus Gomez, a three-year starter who is 46-of-58 on career field goal attempts.
Portal class rank: 42nd (8th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 36th (3rd in Big 12)
After a bounce-back season in 2024, Dave Aranda and his staff signed one of the Big 12's best recruiting classes and didn't need a heavy portal class because of retention. The Bears still picked up impact players. Baylor boosted its linebacker corps with a pair of productive Group of 5 products, Fresno State transfer Phoenix Jackson and FIU's Travion Barnes, who was the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. Texas A&M defensive tackle transfer Samu Taumanupepe should fill a need at nose tackle, and former Northwestern starting safety Devin Turner should provide an immediate impact in the secondary.
Portal class rank: 38th (7th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 53rd (10th in Big 12)
The Cougars needed a lot of offensive help after ranking second-to-last nationally in scoring last season, and they hammered the portal to get it. Texas A&M transfer quarterback Conner Weigman was a huge acquisition who should slide into the starting role immediately. Rice running back transfer Dean Connors is a do-everything back who adds electricity to a position where the Cougars return several contributors. Tulsa tight end Luke McGary is an underrated pickup who should fit nicely in offensive coordinator Slade Nagle's scheme. And the Cougars picked up five offensive linemen, including former Texas Tech starter Dalton Merryman and former Cal and Texas A&M starter Matthew Wykoff.
I'm coming home.Time to go to Work H-Town‼️#gocoogs @UHCougarFB pic.twitter.com/028DYM3XJ5
— Conner Weigman (@ConnerWeigman) December 12, 2024
Portal class rank: 58th (15th in Big 12)
Recruit class rank: 55th (12th in Big 12)
The Cyclones, coming off an 11-win season as Big 12 runner-up, have been one of the quieter teams in the portal, adding only six players. But the average player grade of those six ranks second in the conference behind Texas Tech, according to 247Sports. Iowa State lost defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim and linebacker Jacob Ellis but did deliver on its biggest area of need this offseason: wide receiver. With stars Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins off to the NFL — after combining for 167 catches, 2,377 yards and 17 touchdowns last season — the Cyclones added Chase Sowell (East Carolina) and Xavier Townsend (UCF) to help replenish the coffers. The team also added reinforcements on the edge defensively after finishing last in the Big 12 with only 16 sacks.
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Portal class rank: 24th (2nd in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 73rd (15th in Big 12)
The Jayhawks have been busy with 22 portal additions, a dozen coming from fellow power-conference programs. There are potentially valuable newcomers all over the depth chart, including linebacker Bangally Kamara (South Carolina) and defensive end Justice Finkley (Texas), but the passing game and secondary look to be the most supplemented positions. Offensively, tight end Keyan Burnett (Arizona) and receivers Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (Alabama) and Bryson Canty (Columbia) join a passing attack that returns quarterback Jalon Daniels but loses its top nine receiving targets from 2024. Safety Lyrik Rawls (Oklahoma State) and corner Jahlil Hurley (Alabama) will step into a defensive backfield that graduated all four regular starters. Kansas had a ton of holes from a senior-heavy 2024 roster but did well to fill in some gaps via the portal.
Portal class rank: 49th (11th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 24th (1st in Big 12)
The Horned Frogs lost only one full-time 2024 starter to the portal, center James Brockermeyer (Miami). They were more measured compared to recent years because they signed 30 high school recruits, including six four-star prospects. Of TCU's nine portal acquisitions, five were starters in 2024 and all of them were contributors at their previous stops. Returning starting quarterback Josh Hoover needed reinforcements at receiver with Jack Bech and Savion Williams heading to the pros, and TCU got some in Idaho's Jordan Dwyer (78 catches, 1,192 yards, 12 TDs in 2024) and Houston's Joseph Manjack IV (90 career catches for 1,153 yards and 10 TDs).
Portal class rank: 3rd (1st in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 48th (8th in Big 12)
The Red Raiders made a big splash in the winter portal window, spending profusely to stock up the roster for a run at the Big 12 title. The biggest reinforcements came where they were most needed: on the line of scrimmage, where Tech landed three offensive linemen (led by Illinois State's Hunter Zambrano and North Carolina's Howard Sampson) and four defensive linemen (led by Georgia Tech edge transfer Romello Height). Tech also loaded up in the secondary, adding four cornerbacks and one safety. Of their 17 transfers, 12 were starters at their previous schools. Six were ranked among the top 100 transfers by 247Sports and four were in the top 50.
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Portal class rank: 35th (6th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 40th (5th in Big 12)
Coming off a disappointing 5-7 record in 2024, the Utes brought in notable players at offensive skill positions. The most significant is likely to be quarterback Devon Dampier, who followed new offensive coordinator Jason Beck from New Mexico, where Dampier threw for 2,768 yards and ran for another 1,166 yards last season with 31 total touchdowns. Running back NaQuari Rogers also came over from New Mexico — where the Lobos were fourth in the FBS at 6.9 yards per play in 2024 — and will pair in the backfield with Wayshawn Parker (Washington State), who had 735 rushing yards as a true freshman. Defensively, Utah lost cornerback Cam Calhoun to Alabama, but the addition of Blake Cotton (UC Davis) should help mitigate that for a program looking to bounce back in its second season in the Big 12.
Portal class rank: 51st (13th Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 61st (14th in Big 12)
The Bearcats, coming off a 5-7 record in Year 2 in the Big 12 and under Scott Satterfield, addressed two major areas of need through the portal: wide receiver and secondary. Cornerback Matthew McDoom (Coastal Carolina) and safety Christian Harrison (Tennessee) should be plug-and-play starters for second-year defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt. On the other side of the ball, Cincinnati added a quartet of wideouts to a position group that struggled with separation and big-play capability in 2024. The Bearcats do lose running back Corey Kiner and some offensive linemen to the NFL but also filled a few other needs — running back, edge rushers, kicker — and didn't see a ton of production exit via the portal. The program also retained starting quarterback Brendan Sorsby, defensive tackle Dontay Corleone and tight end Joe Royer.
Portal class rank: 26th (3rd in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 37th (4th in Big 12)
Losing a Heisman Trophy winner (Travis Hunter) and probable first-round quarterback (Shedeur Sanders) puts a ceiling on this offseason because comparable players just aren't out there in the portal. The top four receivers — Hunter, LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard and Jimmy Horn Jr. — are all gone. But give Deion Sanders and his staff some credit: Their maneuvering in the portal remains solid. Only two of the 21 portal departures started more than half of Colorado's 2024 season while 10 of the 18 portal newcomers hit that mark at their previous school. Liberty quarterback transfer Kaidon Salter is a great bridge option this year while 2025 signee Julian Lewis, a top-50 recruit, develops. Alabama defensive line transfer Jaheim Oatis is also an intriguing addition.
Portal class rank: 53rd (14th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 35th (2nd in Big 12)
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The Wildcats brought in 14 transfers, addressing key departures in the secondary and at receiver in particular. Amarion Fortenberry (South Alabama), Gunner Maldonado (Arizona) and Jayden Rowe (Oklahoma) should help the defensive backfield while receivers Jerand Bradley (Boston College) and Caleb Medford (New Mexico) give returning quarterback Avery Johnson some new weapons on offense. Arguably the biggest splash was landing edge rusher Jayshawn Ross (Alabama), a former four-star, top-200 prospect in the 2024 class from Kansas City whom K-State previously recruited out of high school. The program struck on a couple of late-cycle additions, as well, with Ohio State transfers Gabe Powers at linebacker and George Fitzpatrick on the offensive line.
Portal class rank: 43rd (9th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 54th (11th in Big 12)
After a surprising 3-9 season, the Cowboys needed to do a lot of work on the roster. A large senior class has moved on. So have a few starters via the portal, most notably receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss). The biggest question is at quarterback, where the Cowboys brought in TCU transfer Hauss Hejny, a former Elite 11 Finalist who played sparingly last year but knows new offensive coordinator Doug Meacham, who also arrived from Fort Worth. Hejny will battle with returnees Garret Rangel, Zane Flores and Maealiuaki Smith. Mike Gundy and his staff found some gems in the Group of 5 ranks like UTEP edge rusher Kyran Duhon (seven sacks as a true freshman) and second-team All-MAC linebacker Bryan McCoy (Akron).
Back in that Orange and Black. Cowboys let's ride. 🟠⚫️ #saddleup @CowboyFB @CoachGundy @kjfbcoach @doug_meacham @KWright_7 @DStanfieldIAM @RecruitAledo @ocrobbyjones @Joe_Dickinson pic.twitter.com/lpgmeOM0tf
— Hauss Hejny (Hoss HAY-nee) (@HaussHejny) January 4, 2025
Portal class rank: 28th (4th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 77th (16th in Big 12)
It's a complete roster overhaul in Orlando with the return of head coach Scott Frost, with more than two dozen transfers incoming. The Knights lost some high-end talent to the portal, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines, but have done what looks to be a commendable restock. The headliners are edge Sincere Edwards (Pitt), tight end/receiver Dylan Wade (Maryland) and offensive lineman Carter Miller (Louisiana Monroe). The quarterback battle should be a fascinating one, as well, bringing in Tayven Jackson — a former four-star prospect from Tennessee and Indiana — and Cam Fancher, a three-year starter with stops at Marshall and Florida Atlantic. Credit Frost for holding onto a number of players who initially entered the portal and also for bringing home a few in-state natives, something that UCF capitalized on during Frost's first tenure.
Portal class rank: 46th (10th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 51st (9th in Big 12)
There was high attrition after a 4-8 season with 29 players departing via the portal, including All-Big 12 cornerback Tacario Davis. Notably, only seven of the Wildcats' departures have ended up at Power 4 programs. Most of the 26 transfers Arizona signed have come from the G5 or FCS levels, but they found good ones like Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi, a first-team All-Sun Belt pick who should give the running game a boost. Former New Mexico receiver Luke Wysong (69 catches, 840 yards in 2024) and former Washington State receiver Kris Hutson (54 catches, 683 yards) can't be expected to replace future first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, but they bring production and experience that should ease the blow.
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Portal class rank: 81st (16th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 59th (13th in Big 12)
The portal recruiting rankings have not been kind to the Cougars after an 11-win season. BYU, which lost a few potential contributors via the portal, brought in only eight newcomers and has the lowest average grade in the league. The good news is there weren't a ton of holes to fill: Jake Retzlaff returns at quarterback and LJ Martin at running back, and most of the top receivers are back — maybe all, if Darius Lassiter secures another year of eligibility. Defensively, a stellar trio of linebackers remain in the fold. The biggest needs are on the offensive and defensive lines, where offensive tackle Andrew Gentry (Michigan) and defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa (Utah), among others, will look to claim starting roles and make an immediate impact.
Portal class rank: 29th (5th in Big 12)
Recruiting class rank: 42nd (6th in Big 12)
Another head-coaching change/reunion and another roster overhaul, with 30-plus portal additions. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, they watched a lot of talent and production exit via the portal, as well, including running back CJ Donaldson (Ohio State) and receivers Traylon Ray (Ole Miss) and Hudson Clement (Illinois). Rich Rodriguez focused on bolstering the trenches upon his return to Morgantown and will look to replicate the ground attack he had at Jacksonville State by bringing back leading rusher Jahiem White and adding Tye Edwards, who ran for 1,000-plus yards at Northern Iowa in 2024. Nicco Marchiol is back at quarterback, though WVU brought in dual-threat Jaylen Henderson (Texas A&M) to add some competition to the position.
(Photo of Devon Dampier: Michael Chang / Getty Images)