It’s been the wild, wild west in the transfer portal, with teams scrambling to find top talent thanks to coaching changes and lack of playing time. Some of the top teams in the Mountain West Conference have benefited from bolstering their rosters via the portal.
The Mountain West Transfer Portal Rankings examine the losses and gains for each team to determine who comes out on top.
2024 Mountain West Transfer Portal Team Rankings
12) Air Force Falcons
Total Transfers: 0
Top Offensive Player: N/A
Top Defensive Player: N/A
Nine players have flown from the Air Force Falcons during the offseason. Academic standards and service commitments limit Troy Calhoun’s team when making transfer portal additions. As such, they have no incoming players from the winter window.
Air Force’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- N/A
11) Wyoming Cowboys
Total Transfers: Two
Top Offensive Player: Tyler King, WR
Top Defensive Player: Evan Eller, LB
The Wyoming Cowboy winter transfer portal class is set, with just two players joining the Cowboys for the 2024 season. Former Texas Tech Red Raider Tyler King lands in Laramie after two seasons in Lubbock. The little-used wide receiver had one catch for six yards in 2022, with no statistics in the 2023 campaign.
MORE: 2024 Big 12 Transfer Portal Rankings
Evan Eller was a standout linebacker at VMI, dominating the box score through the last three seasons with the school. The new Wyoming defensive weapon racked up 106 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one interception during the 2023 season.
Wyoming’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Tyler King, WR, Texas Tech
- Evan Eller, LB, VMI
10) Colorado State Rams
Total Transfers: Two
Top Offensive Player: Donovan Ollie, WR
Top Defensive Player: Elias Larry, CB
Only two players joined the Colorado State Rams through the transfer portal, but the team found a playmaker on each side of the ball.
Wide receiver Donovan Ollie is entering his third school of his college career after three seasons at Washington State. He spent the 2023 campaign with the Cincinnati Bearcats, catching just two passes for 50 yards. Yet, Ollie is only one year removed from a career year where he tallied 43 receptions for 491 yards and three scores.
Former Navy Midshipmen cornerback Elias Larry spent three seasons in Annapolis, registering 40 tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions in his career.
Colorado State’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Elias Larry, CB, Navy
- Donovan Ollie, WR, Cincinnati
9) Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Total Transfers: Four
Top Offensive Player: Dekel Crowdus, WR
Top Defensive Player: Fabian Ross, CB
Hawaii was relatively quiet in the transfer portal, adding just four players. Former Kentucky Wildcat wide receiver Dekel Crowdus is a big-play threat who never got the playing time to showcase his talent in the SEC. As a result, he tallied just four receptions for 82 yards in three seasons, averaging 20.5 yards per catch.
Fabian Ross lands in Hawaii after spending two seasons with the USC Trojans. Ross didn’t get much playing time, however, appearing in just three games in that time. He’ll have a shot at being one of the top three corners on the Warriors, earning the opportunity for a significant playing time increase.
Hawaii’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Fabian Ross, CB, USC
- Dekel Crowdus, WR, Kentucky
- Dion Washington, EDGE, Nevada
- Cam Barfield, RB, Boston College
8) New Mexico Lobos
Total Transfers: Nine
Top Offensive Player: Eli Sanders, RB
Top Defensive Player: Noah Avinger, CB
The New Mexico Lobos got some talent from the portal, adding nine players, including their top player, Eli Sanders. Coming from Iowa State, Sanders showed flashes of greatness in 2023 following an uptick in carries. The third-year rusher tallied 477 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
Staying in the same conference as San Diego State, cornerback Noah Avinger was solid in the secondary for two seasons with the Aztecs. Entering his fourth year in college football, Avinger has logged two interceptions, five pass breakups, and 51 tackles, but missed the entire 2023 season due to injury.
New Mexico’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Isaiah Jones, WR, Syracuse
- Wallace Unamba, OT, FAU
- James Bailey, OL, Texas A&M
- Javen Jacobs, RB, Arizona State
- Okiki Olorunfunmi, EDGE, Weber State
- Eli Sanders, RB, Iowa State
- Shawn Miller, WR, Illinois
- Richard Pearce, OL, ECU
- Noah Avinger, CB, San Diego State
7) San Jose State Spartans
Total Transfers: Five
Top Offensive Player: Floyd Chalk IV, RB
Top Defensive Player: Larry Turner-Gooden, S
The San Jose State Spartans landed just five players from the transfer portal for 2024 amidst coaching changes. However, they did find impactful players to contribute immediately. Running back Floyd Chalk IV spent the last two seasons at Grambling State, rushing for 696 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023.
Texas transfer safety Larry Turner-Gooden joins the Spartans after seeing limited time in his two seasons with the Longhorns. Turner-Gooden was a top-300 high school player in the 2022 recruiting class.
San Jose State’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Larry Turner-Gooden, S, Texas
- Floyd Chalk IV, RB, Grambling State
- Robert Rahimi, S, Liberty
- Treyshun Hurry, WR, Weber State
- Emmett Brown, QB, Washington State
6) San Diego State Aztecs
Total Transfers: 15
Top Offensive Player: AJ Duffy, QB
Top Defensive Player: William Nimmo, S
The Aztecs added 15 players from the transfer portal, the second most in the conference. Former Florida State quarterback AJ Duffy might be the biggest name on the list, especially with the arrival of an offensive innovator like Sean Lewis as the head coach. He threw for a touchdown while serving as Jordan Travis’ backup during the 2022 college football season.
MORE: College Football’s Best Transfers of All Time
Entering his final season in college, former UCLA Bruin safety William Nimmo had a career year in 2023, posting 21 tackles with two for loss. With several DB departures, Nimmo should be a starter for the Aztecs season-opener as one of the top defensive backs on the San Diego State roster.
San Diego State’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Bennett Walker, CB, Eastern Michigan
- Jerry McClure, WR, UCLA
- Tanoai Letuli, LB, Army
- Louis Brown IV, WR, Colorado State
- Dalesean Staley, S, Northern Iowa
- William Nimmo, S, UCLA
- AJ Duffy, QB, Florida State
- Michael Harrison, TE, Colorado
- Bryce Phillips, CB, Tennessee State
- Ja’Shaun Poke, WR, West Virginia
- Owen Chambliss, LB, Utah
- Jude Wolfe, TE, USC
- Abraham Montano, K, Fresno State
- Nate Williams, OT, Akron
- Nate Bennett, WR, Portland State
5) Fresno State Bulldogs
Total Transfers: Two
Top Offensive Player: N/A
Top Defensive Player: Korey Foreman, EDGE
Only two players entered the Fresno State football program, both on defense. One player who should make an immediate impact is EDGE rusher Korey Foreman from USC, who struggled to stay on the field with injuries over the last three seasons. Foreman could be great off the edge for the Bulldogs if he remains healthy.
The only other arrival is defensive lineman Jairus Satele, who remains in-state and in-conference after playing with San Jose State last season. He finished with just three tackles for the Spartans in the 2023 campaign.
Fresno State’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Jairus Satele, DL, San Jose State
- Korey Foreman, EDGE, USC
4) Boise State Broncos
Total Transfers: Four
Top Offensive Player: Malachi Nelson, QB
Top Defensive Player: Jeremiah Eaby, CB
Boise State was less active in the transfer portal than some, only picking up four players. However, they earn their spot near the top of the Mountain West Transfer Portal Rankings after landing their quarterback of the future, Malachi Nelson.
Nelson spent one year with USC after his elite high school career earned him four-star status in the 2023 recruiting class. His arrival gives the Broncos a gunslinger to lead the program following the departure of starting QB Taylen Green.
Two intriguing defensive players head to the “Smurf Turf” with pass rusher Tavion Woodard and cornerback Jeremiah Earby bolstering the Broncos. Earby logged 61 tackles, 17 pass deflections, and two interceptions in two seasons with Cal. His talent and production should see him secure a starting role.
Boise State’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Tavion Woodard, EDGE, Ball State
- Malachi Nelson, QB, USC
- Cam Camper, WR, Indiana
- Jeremiah Earby, CB, Cal
3) Nevada Wolf Pack
Total Transfers: 16
Top Offensive Player: Chubba Purdy, QB
Top Defensive Player: Kaden Johnson, LB
The Nevada Wolf Pack found a new starting quarterback amongst their 16 transfers, adding Chubba Purdy — the brother of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. The younger Purdy started just four games in the last two seasons with the Nebraska Cornhuskers but should compete for the QB1 job.
Kaden Johnson is one player to watch out for on defense after playing three seasons in the Big Ten with the Wisconsin Badgers. The junior linebacker has the talent and experience to secure a starting role following several defensive departures.
Nevada’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Austin Harnetiaux, LB, Washington
- Kitan Crawford, S, Texas
- Kaden Johnson, LB, Wisconsin
- Spencer Lovell, OL, Kansas
- Keyshawn Cobb, S, West Virginia
- Chubba Purdy, QB, Nebraska
- Solomanie Bambara, EDGE, Buffalo
- Snoop Leota-Amaama, OT, Virginia
- Andrew Savalinaea, TE, Florida
- Nate Floyd, CB, Texas Tech
- Jakobus Seth, OT, Washington State
- Davis Mallinger, S, West Virginia
- Pat Garwo III, RB, Boston College
- Dariyan Wiley, WR, Louisiana-Monroe
- Cortez Braham, WR, West Virginia
- Luca Rodarte, LS, Washington State
2) Utah State Aggies
Total Transfers: 12
Top Offensive Player: Bryson Barnes, QB
Top Defensive Player: Ricky Lolohea, DL
The Utah State Aggies found a potential new starting quarterback after landing Bryson Barnes from the Utah Utes. Barnes helped steady the ship for the Utes following Cam Rising’s injury, throwing for 1,572 yards and 12 touchdowns while helping lead the team to wins over Florida, USC, and Arizona State.
MORE: 2023 All-Transfer Portal College Football Team
Although the Aggie’s class is offense-heavy, they did land some defensive reinforcements from the transfer portal. Ricky Lolohea redshirted his only season with the Oklahoma State Cowboys but has the talent to bolster the Utah State defensive front.
Utah State’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- Bryce Cage, EDGE, Texas State
- Macyo Williams, DL, Kent State
- Miguel Jackson, DL, Charlotte
- D.J. Graham II, WR, Oklahoma
- Bryson Barnes, QB, Utah
- Ricky Lolohea, DL, Oklahoma State
- George Maile, OL, Baylor
- Trey Andersen, OT, Pittsburgh
- Shaun Dolac, LB, Buffalo
- Spencer Petras, QB, Iowa
- Jadon Pearson, S, Utah
- Will Shaffer, LB, Arizona State
1) UNLV Rebels
Total Transfers: 12
Top Offensive Player: Michael Allen, RB
Top Defensive Player: Jalen Catalon, S
UNLV knocked it out of the park with the talent level they landed — particularly in the secondary — in a winter window raid that leads the Mountain West Transfer Portal Rankings.
Barry Odom’s team found five defensive backs who were ranked as three-star athletes, while Texas transfer safety Jalen Catalon leads the group as an instant-impact maker with Power Five experience.
There are two key offensive players to be aware of; NC State running back Michael Allen and Texas wide receiver Casey Cain. Allen was a four-star athlete coming out of high school and could be a high-level replacement for a team that lost two running backs to the transfer portal.
Highly productive FCS dual-threat Matthew Sluka softens the blow of losing CFN Freshman All-American Jayden Maiava to USC.
UNLV’s Transfer Portal Class, 2024
- LaDarrius Bishop, CB, Arkansas
- Tony Grimes, CB, Texas A&M
- Jeremiah Vessel, S, New Mexico State
- Antonio Doyle, EDGE, Jackson State
- Casey Cain, WR, Texas
- Malik Chavis, S, Arkansas
- Jalen Catalon, S, Texas
- Michael Allen, RB, N.C. State
- Hajj-Malik Williams, QB, Campbell
- Christian Moore, RB, Kansas State
- Clay Patterson, DL, Yale
- Matthew Sluka, QB, Holy Cross
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