Top 10 transfer portal impact players of Week 1

College football is officially back, and Week 1 was filled with its share of surprises. Mike Norvell dipped into the transfer portal again, adding 23 new players, following last year’s 2-10 season. The gamble paid off as Florida State stunned Alabama on Saturday.

In the new age of college football, the transfer portal has become a major piece of roster construction. Throughout the college football season, On3 is breaking down the top 10 transfer portal impact players based on weekly performances. Here are the most impactful transfer portal players from Week 1:

1. LSU CB Mansoor Delane

The LSU defense Saturday night at Clemson looked like the best version of an LSU defense yet under Brian Kelly. Blake Baker’s game plan shined. And arguably, no other player was as impactful on the defensive side of the ball as Virginia Tech transfer Mansoor Delane. The cornerback allowed just one catch on eight targets with two pass breakups. He also pulled in a key interception to go with in the second half.

Mansoor Delane could’ve been a day-two pick last year. Stock is trending 📈#RatedProspect

pic.twitter.com/LPDDOBhZYY — The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) August 31, 2025

2. TCU WR Jordan Dwyer

In a primetime setting on Monday night, Idaho transfer wide receiver emerged as TCU quarterback Josh Hoover’s top target. After so much hype around Bill Belichick’s North Carolina debut, Dwyer was one of the night’s stars. He pulled in nine catches for 136 yards and a touchdown, averaging 15.1 yards per catch.

3. Auburn CB Rayshawn Pleasant

Rayshawn Pleasant made a name for himself at Tulane for his speed, returning a 100-yard interception in 2024 and scoring two touchdowns on special teams. He picked up where he left off in 2024 in his debut at Auburn. Pleasant did not register a tackle, but he did return a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to put Auburn up 31-17 in the third quarter. He reached 20.9 MPH on the kickoff return.

What a Pleasant surprise 😏

A KICK RETURN TD TO THE HOUSE FOR @AuburnFootball 😱 pic.twitter.com/d9iZ4TfLgw — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 30, 2025

4. Georgia WR Zachariah Branch

The highest-graded SEC wide receiver in Week 1, according to Pro Football Focus, Zachariah Branch quickly made his presence known at Georgia over the weekend. The USC transfer wide receiver took a screen pass from Gunner Stockton for a 47-yard touchdown. Branch finished the day with three catches for 95 yards, averaging over 30 yards per catch.

5. Tennessee CB Colton Hood

Colton Hood starred in his Tennessee debut in Atlanta over the weekend. Stepping in for injured preseason first-team All-American selection Jermod McCoy, Hood posted four tackles, a fumble recovery for a touchdown and three pass breakups. The Colorado transfer had picked up buzz in fall camp and showed it off on Saturday.

6. Michigan RB Justice Haynes

A top priority in the winter transfer portal for Michigan, Justice Haynes proved his worth in Week 1. The Alabama transfer posted 16 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns. He clocked runs of 59 and 56 yards against New Mexico and showed off why he was the No. 2 running back in the nation when he enrolled at Alabama. He’ll face a stiffer test in Week 2 at Oklahoma.

7. Florida State OL Luke Petitbon

Florida State sources told On3 this spring and summer that they felt Luke Petitbon had a chance to be the most impactful transfer for the Seminoles in 2025. He immediately showed why he earned rave reviews against No. 8 Alabama, playing 63 snaps and anchoring an offensive line that did not allow a sack for the first time since September 2023. Florida State rushed for 230 yards and four touchdowns, as Petitbon registered seven knockdown blocks, with seven blocks leading to either a first down or a touchdown.

8. LSU OL Braelin Moore

The second LSU player to make the list, Braelin Moore, played all 70 snaps and helped protect quarterback Garrett Nussmeier all night. The LSU offensive line allowed only one sack against Clemson as the Tigers rushed for 108 yards and combined for 354 yards and 25 first downs.

9. Mississippi State LB Will Whitson

A Coastal Carolina transfer, Will Whitson, posted 2.5 tackles for loss and four tackles in his Mississippi State debut. His 2.5 tackles for loss were the most of any SEC defensive player in Week 1. He also generated five total pressures.

10. Texas A&M WR Mario Craver

Another transfer who had plenty of buzz in training camp, Mario Craver made a big-time debut on Saturday for Texas A&M. The former Mississippi State transfer emerged as quarterback Marcel Reed’s favorite target, pulling in eight catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Craver averaged 15.2 yards per catch, and his 122 receiving yards were the most in an A&M debut since Christian Kirk in 2015.

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