Week 2 of the college football transfer portal has come to a close, seeing a large number of players land with new programs.
While some teams and players came out with the upper hand, others felt the brunt of talent walking out the door — or a questionable portal entry by a talented pass-catcher — and face questions before the 2025 season.
Which programs and players fit that bill from Week 2 of the spring transfer portal period?
Biggest Questions After Week 2 of Spring Transfer Portal
Oklahoma State’s QB Room
The Cowboys disappointed greatly last season, stumbling to a 3-9 record just a year removed from a Big 12 title game appearance. One of the reasons for the fall, albeit amongst a slew of other issues, was objectively atrocious quarterback play.
Seventh-year senior Alan Bowman began the season as the starter before being benched for sophomore backup Garret Rangel. After he struggled, third-stringer Maealiuaki Smith got reps. He showed promise, completing 26 of 35 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns (he also ran one in) in leading Oklahoma State to 48 points. Representative of their season, they lost that game.
Heading into 2025 with Bowman gone, those two passers were expected to be in a two-man race to start. But they each entered the portal within two days of each other this past week, clouding the Cowboys’ QB room and raising questions over who will start.
This may mean that one of Zane Flores or TCU transfer Hauss Hejny has emerged as the top options — but even so, neither one has thrown a pass at the college level.
Both Smith and Rangel have, but both have departed from Stillwater.
Micah Hudson, WR, Texas Tech
Hudson, a former five-star wide receiver in the 2024 recruiting class, has had a curious career to date, most recently known for his strange maneuvers over the past two transfer portal cycles.
The fifth-highest rated WR in his class, Hudson began his career with the Texas Tech Red Raiders and had eight catches for 123 yards as a true freshman in 2024. Then, the 6-foot-0, 195-pound product decided to enter the transfer portal and promptly landed with the Texas A&M Aggies in December of 2024.
After spending the winter and spring with the Aggies, he’s now decided to rejoin the Red Raiders ahead of 2025.
What made him do that? Did he find out that the grass wasn’t greener? Was there an off-the-field motivation, as sometimes happens with young college kids? NIL motivated?
The truth may never be publicized. And if Hudson reaches his potential, this whole thing will be swept under the rug. But it’s certainly a situation to keep tabs on, as Hudson’s indecisiveness and potential untrustworthiness may have cost him the ability to develop into an impact player for Texas Tech.
UCF Knights
Within the final four days of the spring portal being open, the Knights saw nine players aim to depart from the program.
Among those were three former four-star recruits, per 247 Sports.
That included interior offensive lineman Waltclaire Flynn Jr., who was a big pickup for the Knights. He departed to join the Georgia Bulldogs. Linebacker Andrew Harris and defensive back Brandon Jacob, each expected to contribute in 2025, hit the portal as well.
Offensive lineman Jakiah Leftwich, who appeared in games for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and North Carolina Tar Heels across his first four seasons, will now join a fourth program after being with UCF during the winter and spring.
Promising TE Elijah Brown, who stands 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, also decided to part ways with the Knights.
Their only addition of note was cornerback Jayden Williams, who joins them after four seasons with the FAU Owls and intercepted two passes a season ago.
Despite that, it’s been a rough week for a UCF program fresh off a 4-8 campaign and are enduring the loss of star running back R.J. Harvey to the NFL.
Tar Heels’ Defensive Line
The North Carolina Tar Heels were dealt a blow to their defensive line when standout defensive end Beau Atkinson entered the transfer portal last week. He is now an Ohio State Buckeye.
A four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, Atkinson registered 54 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and one forced fumble the past two seasons in Chapel Hill after redshirting in 2022.
He was highly-touted in the ACC and was expected to have a big season for the Bill Belichick-led Tar Heels. Now, in a blink, Belichick will be heading into 2025 without his top pass-rusher.
But that wasn’t the end of the blows to the defensive line group for UNC.
KEEP READING: College Football Transfer Portal Recap — Winners After Week 2
In addition to Atkinson, redshirt sophomore DL Joel Starlings, redshirt freshman DL Rodney Lora, freshman DL Terry Nwabiusi-Ezeala, and freshman EDGE Curtis Simpson all entered their names into the portal and won’t be back.
While none contributed on the field, one if not two were almost certainly a part of the depth now forced into action with the sudden absence of Atkinson.
Throughout his career, Belichick has been one of the best coaches at doing more with less — we’ll see how that holds up at the college level.
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