The college football transfer portal has been busier than I-95, and wide receiver transfers have dominated some of the most significant moves this offseason. Ahead of spring practices, we take a look at some top wide receivers that could make an instant impact on their new teams in the 2023 season.
Wide Receiver Transfers To Have the Most Impact in 2023
Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The top wide receiver transfers don’t come much bigger than a two-time national champion switching to one of the most storied programs in college football history.
While Adonai Mitchell has only tallied 38 receptions for 560 yards and seven touchdowns in the last two seasons, injury deprived us of seeing more of the young pass catcher in a Bulldogs uniform last fall.
Don’t let the meager statistics mislead you. Mitchell is one of the top pass catchers in the nation. His ability to embarrass defensive backs with route running and deceitful direction changes is up there with the very best.
Although Texas already boasts Xavier Worthy in their WR room, Mitchell gives Quinn Ewers (or Arch Manning) a dangerous pass-catching outlet.
Eddie Lewis, South Carolina
With Spencer Rattler returning to South Carolina for another season, the Gamecocks were an enticing destination for wide receivers in the CFB transfer portal window. For my money, they landed one of the most underrated transfer wide receivers in former Rutgers and Memphis playmaker Eddie Lewis.
MORE: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker
Lewis heads to Columbia, South Carolina, off the back of a career year for Memphis. Sharing targets with Gabriel Rogers and Caden Prieskorn, Lewis led the team with 603 yards and seven touchdowns. His straight-line speed, agility, and toughness over the middle of the field should translate effortlessly to the SEC.
J. Michael Sturdivant, UCLA
A former four-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class, J. Michael-Sturdivant had a breakout year for Cal in 2022 after redshirting his first season. Snagging seven touchdowns, Michael-Sturdivant led the Cal wide receivers in scores and receptions while securing 755 receiving yards.
He entered the portal as one of the top WR transfers and quickly found a new home at UCLA.
In a post-Dorian Thompson-Robinson landscape, Michael-Sturdivant offers freshman quarterback Dante Moore a 6’3″, 200-pound target, whose athletic ability and ball-tracking skills have led to some ludicrous catches during his career.
Expect to see more of them this year.
Tyrone Broden, Arkansas
You only have to look at the laundry list of Power Five programs that were scrambling to secure his signature to know that Tyrone Broden is one of the top wide receiver transfers ahead of the 2023 college football season.
Arkansas had to fight off Penn State, Oklahoma, and Deion Sanders’ Colorado to land the former Bowling Green standout.
Standout is used with purpose, because at 6’7″, 210 pounds, Broden literally stands out in a crowd. With his size, Broden is a natural go-to threat in the red zone.
However, his physicality and deceptive speed make him a dangerous after-the-catch threat too. With KJ Jefferson returning for the 2023 college campaign, the Razorbacks should have a dangerous air attack.
Kaden Prather, Maryland
Maryland likes to spread the ball around to their wide receivers, which might not make the Terrapins seem like the destination for a pass catcher through the transfer portal looking to make an instant impact.
Yet, with multiple players departing to the NFL draft, there is the opportunity for a receiver to come in and be instantly productive with returning quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa.
The Terps have been extremely busy luring WR transfers to College Park, including former FIU standout Tyrese Chambers. Yet, their 6’4″, 210-pound pass catcher Kaden Prather could emerge as a weapon in the Big Ten.
Prather’s size, route-running capability, explosion, and speed, should see him lead Maryland in receiving yards this season.
Freddie Roberson, Mississippi State
The jump up from the FCS to the FBS level is well documented. However, Mississippi State went fishing in the portal pool and reeled in one of the top FCS wide receiver transfers to bolster their passing attack.
Former Eastern Washington WR Freddie Roberson has the skill set to emerge as a genuine receiving threat for Will Rogers during his first year in the SEC.
With the appointment of OC Kevin Barbay, the Bulldogs’ offense might look a little different in 2023, but it’s still a major opportunity for Roberson to put up some impressive numbers. The 6’2″, 195-pound WR uses his size and basketball experience to dominate the catch point but is also physical and elusive in the open field.
Furthermore, he’s already had experience against Power Five opposition. He scored a touchdown against Oregon last season while putting up 62 yards from four receptions against Florida.
Dante Cephas, Penn State
After tallying over 2,000 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns in the last two years for Kent State, Dante Cephas emerged as one of the top transfer wide receivers when he entered his name into the portal at the conclusion of the 2022 college campaign.
Highly sought after, Cephas ultimately chose to suit up for Penn State, with an opportunity to become a star for the Nittany Lions in 2023.
Although Penn State’s offense features two of the best running backs in the nation in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, the transition to Drew Allar under center makes the passing attack alluring for Cephas.
He’s an explosive, speedy, physical, ball-tracking beast who also boasts decent size at 6’1″.
Dont’e Thornton, Tennessee
Through two seasons with Oregon, former four-star WR Dont’e Thornton caught only 18 passes, totaling just 541 yards and three touchdowns.
However, in his limited opportunity, Thornton averaged 20.8 yards per catch, showcasing the big-play potential that he possesses. Entering the transfer portal following the season, he was pursued by multiple Power Five programs before committing to Tennessee.
Even with Hendon Hooker heading to the NFL, the Vols’ high-powered passing offense is alluring for any of the top WR transfers. Joe Milton showcased his arm talent against Clemson, and with Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman NFL-bound, Thornton has the opportunity to be the guy on the end of those downfield bombs.
At 6’5″, Thornton boasts the size and an exciting catch radius to be a genuine threat at any level of the field. He has the speed to take the top off a defense as a go-to weapon in the deep third and has shown to shake off tackles to add yardage after the catch. Don’t rule out a 1,000-plus-yard campaign this season.
Ryan O’Keefe, Boston College
With national attention currently focused on Zay Flowers and his rapid ascension as one of the best WRs in the NFL draft class, Boston College found a replacement in one of the top transfer wide receivers.
Replacing Flowers won’t be easy, but former UCF star Ryan O’Keefe has some similar attributes and has the opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Eagles.
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The 5’10”, 175-pound (sound roughly familiar?) WR has been a dangerous multi-use weapon for UCF over the past two seasons. O’Keefe has averaged over 1,000 scrimmage yards during that time. He’s a genuine speedster who also wins with burst and agility in the short and intermediate passing game.
Meanwhile, the new Boston College WR has strong hands and toughness that belies his diminutive frame. Once again, does that sound familiar, Eagles fans?
Dorian Singer, USC
For some people, we might have saved the very best of the wide receiver transfers for the very last. Last season, Dorian Singer produced a highlight reel of catches and explosive plays on his way to 1,105 receiving yards and six touchdowns for Arizona.
It was a remarkable sophomore season that saw him become the main target for multiple teams, with USC securing his signature.
I mean, why wouldn’t you want to go to the Trojans and play with Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams? Even with Jordan Addison departing, there’s plenty of competing talent in USC’s WR room.
However, Singer has the skill set to emerge as Williams’ main target this season. Singer wins with explosion on release, speed along the route, body control, eye-popping elevation capacity, and strong hands at the catch point.
