As the 12-team College Football Playoff gets underway this weekend, transfer portal developments are also picking up steam among players who aren’t competing in the CFP.
While the transfer portal doesn’t open until early next month, running from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16, college players are announcing their plans to enter the portal when it does open.
Understandably, quarterbacks get a lot of the headlines, but there are other talented — and highly ranked — players who plan to enter the portal and play positions other than QB.
In alphabetical order, here are the top five players who intend to enter the transfer portal next month and aren’t signal-callers.
Boo Carter, sophomore defensive back at Tennessee
2025 statistics: 16 solo tackles, 25 total tackles, one sack, three forced fumbles and three pass breakups
247Sports transfer rankings: Four stars, No. 10 overall and No. 1 at safety
Schools to watch for, per On3: Alabama, Louisville, Miami, Nebraska, Texas Tech
A member of the Southeastern Conference’s All-Freshman team last year, Carter was electric in a September win over UAB. He tallied an impressive nine total tackles, 3.0 tackles for a loss, one sack and two forced fumbles.
Carius Curne, freshman offensive lineman at LSU
247Sports transfer rankings: Four stars, No. 5 overall and No. 1 at OT
Interested teams, per On3: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss. Texas A&M
As a true freshman in 2025, Curne appeared in seven games for the Tigers, and he started five contests at both left and right tackle. Vital experience for a young player, and Curne would have been a key cog for the LSU offensive line in 2026. A big blow for the Tigers.
Mateen Ibirogba, redshirt junior defensive lineman at Wake Forest
2025 statistics: Seven solo tackles, 21 total tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble
247Sports transfer rankings: Four stars, No. 2 overall and No. 1 at DL
Ibirogba is a talented pass-rusher who could garner buzz for the NFL Draft in the future. He started his college career at Georgetown. Ibirogba appeared in four games at Wake Forest in 2024, but that increased to 10 contests this past season.
Omarion Miller, junior wide receiver at Colorado
2025 statistics: 45 catches for 808 yards with eight touchdowns
247Sports transfer rankings: Four stars, No. 7 overall and No. 1 at WR
Teams to watch, per On3: Arizona State and Texas Tech
Miller’s plan to enter the portal stings for Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and his program. The wide receiver had a breakout 2025 campaign with 45 receptions for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. Miller is a dynamic receiver with good size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) who was known this past season for his ability to make huge, explosive plays at wideout.
Devan Thompkins, redshirt junior defensive lineman at Southern California
2025 statistics: 18 solo tackles, 31 total tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble and two pass breakups
247Sports transfer rankings: Four stars, No. 6 overall and No. 2 at DL
Teams to watch for Thompkins, per On3: Alabama, Georgia, Oregon
Thompkins, in 2025, was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten performer. This past season, he was one of the top options for USC on the defensive line, if not the top overall option. Durable and reliable, his Trojans teammates praise Thompkins for his leadership qualities. This is a tough loss for Southern Cal.
