Week 2 of the college football spring transfer portal has come and gone, and another large number of players have found new homes. Which programs and players came out on top?
Biggest Winners After Week 2 of Spring Transfer Portal Window
Penn State Nittany Lions Address Major Need at WR
Vying for a national championship after falling in the College Football Playoff semifinals a season ago, the Nittany Lions headed into the offseason needing to shore up their receiving core.
Their top two WRs in 2024, Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans, disappointed on the field and promptly entered the transfer portal at the conclusion of the season. That left a major question mark out wide, which head coach James Franklin filled by adding a pair of Trojans in USC’s Kyron Hudson and Troy’s Devonte Ross. That looked to be it in terms of additions.
Then, Syracuse Orange WR Trebor Pena—who registered 84 catches, 941 yards, and nine touchdowns last season—abruptly entered the portal, reportedly seeking more NIL money.
Franklin and his staff swooped in, recruiting Pena as the final piece to the pass-catching puzzle and secured his commitment on Saturday with the WR in attendance for Penn State’s Blue-White spring game.
Already heading into the season with QB Drew Allar and the running back duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, adding Pena into the mix heightens the Nittany Lions’ chances of competing for a national title come 2026.
Sacramento State Secures Commitment From Former Four-Star QB
The Hornets of Sacramento State have made a lot of noise lately, specifically in their quest to jump from the FCS ranks to an independent position at the FBS level. With that, more resources have been poured into the football program, including a new stadium and increased NIL money.
On Friday, they helped the cause in adding former four-star passer Jaden Rashada from the Georgia Bulldogs. He didn’t see action in 2024.
Rashada began his career in 2023 with the Arizona State Sun Devils, where he started three games before suffering a season-ending injury. He threw for 485 yards and four touchdowns versus three interceptions.
College Football Transfer Portal Recap: Biggest Question Marks After Week 1 Include Nico Iamaleava-less Tennessee
A talented thrower who can evade rushers and make plays outside the pocket, Rashada joins FCS Freshman All-American QB Carson Conklin in the position, meaning it’s not a sure thing that Rashada will assume the starting position.
Regardless, the addition of a nationally known prospect bodes well for the Hornets’ goal of reaching the FBS level soon.
UCLA Adds Top Portal RB and Young QB in Late Haul
The news of former Tennessee Volunteers’ QB Nico Iamaleava abruptly entering the portal and landing with the Bruins has been highly publicized, but UCLA dipped back into the portal and landed their starting RB come 2025.
Jaivian Thomas entered the portal alongside four other fellow Cal Bears RBs after carrying the ball 100 times for 626 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He served as the team’s backup RB before starter Jaydn Ott suffered an injury. Thomas performed admirably well as the starter and will likely assume that role for the Bruins.
Iamaleava’s younger brother, Madden, is a four-star prospect and was previously committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks — until he announced his intentions of joining his older brother at UCLA.
In addition to Thomas and the younger Iamaleava, the Bruins also welcomed former Oregon Duck and four-star cornerback Rodrick Pleasant into the fold defensively. He’s an absolute speedster, as he was on the Oregon Track & Field team. He saw limited action in his two seasons with the Ducks but will add talent to the UCLA secondary.
Head coach DeShaun Foster and the Bruins went 5-7 in his first season at the helm; his first full offseason in Los Angeles resulted in major additions as the program hopes to contend in the Big Ten.
Tennessee’s QB Rebound
Relative to the immense uncertainty of what the Vols’ QB situation looked to be when Iamaleava entered the portal earlier this month, Tennessee heads into 2025 with an accomplished starter.
Tennessee and UCLA executed a de-facto QB trade, as former Bruin Joey Aguilar is set to fill Iamaleava’s position as the starter in Knoxville.
Aguilar never took a snap in LA, as he joined the program after the 2024 season with his sights set on using his final season of eligibility as UCLA’s starting QB. Now, the former App State Mountaineers signal-caller — who threw for 3,003 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions a season ago — will lead Tennessee fresh off a CFP appearance.
Chalk it up as a win for the Vols, as they were looking at a QB competition between two inexperienced passers and now find their guy ahead of 2025.
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