Xoilac News - Latest Sports News & Updates

The 2026 transfer portal window opened Friday, Jan. 2, and the flurry of activity began quickly. Here are the top prospects looking for new homes.

Transfer portal rankings 2026: Updated list of top football players by position, from DJ Lagway to Dylan Raiola originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

College football recruiting never stops, and that's true even in 2026. One of the biggest tools coaches use to build their respective rosters is the transfer portal.

Thanks to players having immediate eligibility when entering the portal, football rosters are now built by utilizing both the portal and traditional recruiting classes.

This year's college football transfer portal is a bit different from last year's. Starting in 2026, the winter transfer portal window opens Jan. 2 and runs for two weeks through Jan. 16. That is a change from recent years, during which the portal window opened in early December. The move to January allows players to enroll in spring classes on time at their new schools.

Another change to the portal window is that there was previously a spring window, but the NCAA has done away with it entirely. So if players want to go to a new school, this window is their only opportunity to do so.

So who are the biggest names to enter the portal so far? Here's a look at the top players to enter the portal and a breakdown of the biggest names by position.

MORE: List of QBs headed to the portal in 2026

Transfer portal rankings 2026: Top players available

The transfer portal doesn't officially open until Jan. 2. All players listed reportedly plan to enter the portal once it opens.

Florida QB DJ Lagway

Although some suspected DJ Lagway would stay on with new head coach Jon Sumrall coming to Gainesville, he is expected to enter the portal. The former five-star quarterback prospect from Willis, Texas had a solid true freshman season in 2024, throwing for 1,915 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. But he regressed in 2025, throwing for 2,264 yards with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, which led the SEC.

With a fresh start elsewhere, he could immediately elevate a roster, assuming his turnover issues can be fixed. Expect some Texas schools to potentially be in the mix for Lagway.

Penn State QB Ethan Grunkemeyer

Ethan Grunkemeyer spent the 2024 season backing up Drew Allar, and started his 2025 season doing the same. But Allar tore his ACL midseason, and Grunkemeyer threw for 1,339 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. As a redshirt sophomore in 2026, he will have at least three years of eligibility.

Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola

Nebraska signal-caller Dylan Raiola threw for 4,819 yards with 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions over two seasons. His 2025 season was cut short in early November after he suffered a broken fibula.

Raiola, the former five-star quarterback prospect from Buford, Georgia was a longtime UGA commit before flipping late to Nebraska. Raiola would have to compete for the starting job with Gunnar Stockton, in Athens, however.

JMU QB Alonza Barnett II

Alonza Barnett helped lead the James Madison Dukes to a historic CFP berth in 2025, helped by his 2,806 yards passing with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He added another 589 yards with 15 touchdowns on the ground.

Barnett, from Greensboro, N.C., will be a welcomed addition to a power-conference school in need of a dual-threat quarterback.

North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker

Mestemaker was arguably the best non–Power Conference signal-caller, leading North Texas to an 11-2 season that ended with a loss to Tulane in the American Athletic Conference championship game. He was tied for second in the AAC with 31 passing touchdowns and never threw for fewer than 200 yards in a game.

He immediately becomes not only one of the top quarterbacks, but one of the top targets, in the transfer portal. Keep an eye on Oklahoma State, as such a move would allow him to follow his former Mean Green head coach, Eric Morris.

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt

This is Sam Leavitt's second time in the portal, transferring from Michigan State to ASU before the 2024 season. Although he helped lead the Sun Devils to a first-ever CFP berth last season, his numbers regressed in 2025, as he dealt with injuries. His season was ultimately cut short after a season-ending foot injury in late October.

MORE: Explaining the sometimes strange bond linking Dylan Raiola to Patrick Mahomes

Transfer portal rankings 2026 by position

Other notable names expected to enter the portal include Texas running back CJ Baxter, Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards, Auburn receiver Cam Coleman, Colorado receiver Omarion Miller, and Louisville defensive lineman AJ Green.

Quarterback