In the modern era of college football, the transfer portal can make or break a team. The top programs have found a way to balance talent development and supplementing the roster via the portal while ensuring that it retains its top players.
It’s a lot for a coach to worry about, but plenty have started to hit their stride as transfers become the norm. The ACC is no exception.
Just look at Miami, which hitched its wagon to Washington State transfer quarterback Cam Ward last season. The bet payoff — Ward led the Hurricanes to their first 10-win season under coach Mario Cristobal and played his way into being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Miami’s Mario Cristobal compares Carson Beck to No. 1 NFL Draft pick Cam Ward: ‘There’s a ton of similarity’
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Miami continues to lean on the transfer portal as heavily as any team in the nation. The Hurricanes’ 19-player 2025 transfer haul landed at No. 3 in 247Sports’ Team Transfer Rankings.
But Miami isn’t the only ACC school to take a big swing in the portal. Here’s a look at the transfers most likely to make an immediate impact on the ACC in 2025.
Previous school: Georgia
Beck is stepping into some really big shoes. Ward put the Hurricanes on his back last season and made it to New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist after throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns. Miami is going to miss his playmaking ability.
Regardless of the inherent expectations that come with replacing a QB of Ward’s caliber, Beck has plenty to prove. After an impressive debut as Georgia’s starter in 2023, he saw a statistical drop in almost every major passing category last season while tying for the SEC’s lead in interceptions with 12. Some of Beck’s struggles can be attributed to Georgia’s lackluster wide receiver play, but he’ll have to be better if the Hurricanes want to finally break into the College Football Playoff. Miami (+430) currently holds the second-best odds to win the ACC, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Previous school: USC
Ja’Khi Douglas was the only Florida State receiver to log at least 500 yards last season, and he’s out of eligibility. Second leading receiver Malik Benson transferred to Oregon and FSU’s third leading receiver was a running back, so the Seminoles hit the transfer portal hard for some help out wide. Landing Robinson was huge, both literally and metaphorically.
The 6-foot-6 and 220-pound Robinson had 23 catches for 396 yards and five touchdowns last season. Those numbers should balloon as a focal point in Florida State’s offense, especially given the program’s success with big-bodied wideouts under Mike Norvell. Keon Coleman (6-foot-3) and Johnny Wilson (6-foot-6) were both taken in the 2024 NFL Draft after standout campaigns in Tallahassee. Robinson could follow a similar path.
Previous school: USC
Moss had some hype entering the 2024 season after he was named Offensive MVP of USC’s 2023 Holiday Bowl win against — ironically — Louisville. But he failed to live up to expectations in his first year as the Trojans starter. He only played in nine games and was eventually benched in favor of Jayden Maiava after completing 233 passes for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns to nine interceptions.
Now he gets to play for quarterback guru Jeff Brohm, who loves a reclamation project. Talent isn’t the question with Moss; in fact, as the No. 112 prospect nationally in the class of 2021, he may be the most talented starter Brohm has had. Brohm turned former college journeyman Tyler Shough into a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. His other recent success stories include Jack Plummer and Aidan O’Connell. Moss should flourish under Brohm’s guidance.
Previous school: Purdue
Welcome to the modern world, Dabo Swinney. Clemson’s coach, normally rooted in tradition, actually used the transfer portal to bolster his roster ahead of what should be a big season for the Tigers. Sure, Clemson only made three additions, but it’s progress.
Heldt was a really good get. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors last season after logging 56 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks, and there’s the sense that his best football is still ahead of him. He’ll have every opportunity to stand out alongside a pair of potential first-round picks in Peter Woods and T.J. Parker.
Previous school: Washington
New North Carolina coach Bill Belichick understands that he desperately needs to upgrade the Tar Heel defense, especially against the pass. The Tar Heels have allowed an average of 243.12 yards passing per game over the past two seasons and they haven’t had a defensive back drafted since M.J. Stewart in 2018. Dixon may change that.
He has familiarity with UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick from their time together at Washington in 2024. At 6-foot-1, he has the frame to stand up against high-level wide receivers and also has nice short-area quickness. Though he has just two interceptions in two years at the Power Four level, he has deflected 18 passes, so he’s around the ball plenty.
Bill Belichick accepts ACC ‘rookie’ status, welcomes learning opportunities from Clemson’s Dabo Swinney
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Top transfers for remaining ACC teams
Boston College OL Tommy Matheson
Previous school: Princeton
Boston College lost three offensive line starters, so Matheson’s experience and versatility should be a big boon for the Eagles. He started every game for Princeton over the last two seasons while playing at guard and center.
Cal RB Kendrick Raphael
Previous school: NC State
Cal got decimated by the transfer portal and sustained heavy losses at running back, where it lost its two top rushers from the 2024 season. Raphael brings proven ACC production to the Golden Bear backfield after rushing for 425 yards and three touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry last season.
Duke QB Darian Mensah
Previous school: Tulane
Duke reportedly paid a king’s ransom to land Mensah, who does upgrade Duke’s quarterback situation. He had 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns with the Green Wave in 2024.
Georgia Tech WR Eric Rivers
Previous school: Florida International
Georgia Tech has the pieces to push for the ACC in 2025, but it did need another standout receiver after losing top option Eric Singleton Jr. Enter Rivers, who should be a reliable target for quarterback Haynes King fresh off a 1,000-yard receiving season at Florida International.
NC State DB Jeremiah Johnson
Previous school: Georgia State
NC State lost two projected starting safeties to the transfer portal and another veteran, DK Kaufman, exhausted his eligibility. That means Johnson, a two-time All-Sun Belt selection at Georgia State, should transition into a starting role seamlessly.
Pittsburgh EDGE Blaine Spires
Previous school: Utah State
A lot of Pittsburgh’s pass-rushing came from its linebackers last season. The line of scrimmage was not nearly as disruptive as we’re used to seeing from the Panthers. Though Spires missed most of the 2024 season due to injury, he did have 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks as a junior in 2023.
SMU DL Jeffrey M’Ba
Previous school: Purdue
SMU lost three of its most productive defensive lineman — Elijah Roberts, Jahfari Harvey and Jared Harrison-Hunte — to the NFL. That leaves plenty of snaps for M’Ba who, at 6-foot-6 and 302 pounds, should be an imposing force for the Mustangs.
Stanford WR David Pantelis
Previous school: Yale
Stanford had to overhaul its roster through the transfer portal. Though Pantelis is taking a major leap from the FCS to the FBS, he’ll be a solid playmaker out of the slot after catching 61 passes for 901 yards and eight touchdowns last year.
Syracuse QB Steve Angeli
Previous school: Notre Dame
Angeli didn’t play much at Notre Dame, but he did flash whenever he touched the field. He provided valuable minutes when Riley Leonard briefly exited the Fighting Irish’s College Football Playoff game against Penn State by throwing for 44 yards and engineering a field goal drive at the end of the first half. He will have to beat Rickie Collins for Syracuse’s starting job.
Virginia QB Chandler Morris
Previous school: North Texas
Morris has been around the block. He initially signed with Oklahoma in 2020, transferred to TCU in 2021 and then landed at North Texas, where he enjoyed the best year of his career, in 2024. Morris was a second-team All-AAC selection after throwing for 3,774 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Virginia Tech EDGE Ben Bell
Previous school: Texas State
Bell consistently graded out as one of the best pass rushers in the Group of Five at Texas State. He only played in four games before sustaining a season-ending injury last year but still managed six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and six quarterback pressures in that short span.
Wake Forest OL Fa’alili Fa’amoe
Previous school: Washington State
Fa’amoe was on the preseason watchlist for every major offensive line award entering the 2024 season and started seven games at right tackle for the Cougars. He’ll be the cornerstone on a rebuilt offensive line for Wake Forest in its first year under new coach Jake Dickert, who coached Fa’amoe at Washington State from 2022-24.
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