10 transfers who will impact the Big 12 football race

There are more than 300 transfers spread over the 16 Big 12 rosters heading into the season, including a whopping 43 at Colorado, according to 247 Sports — a sign of the newest era of college football.

In a league where parity is expected to reign, these 10 transfers could help determine who wins the Big 12 this season and earns an automatic spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

Dorian Singer, Utah wide receiver

• Transferred from ➡️ USC

Utah, the preseason favorite to win the Big 12, hit the transfer portal hard looking for additional wide receiver help — three of the team’s 12 transfer additions this offseason are at receiver. Singer is the biggest name, and a four-star transfer, from a group that includes former Syracuse wideout Damien Alford and Washington’s Taeshaun Lyons.

The Utes have a plethora of receiving options now for star quarterback Cameron Rising, who, like tight end Brant Kuithe, is returning from injury.

Singer spent one year at USC, and before that the former walk-on had a breakout year at Arizona, catching 66 passes for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns in 2022.

If he can tap into that 2022 production, Singer could be the X factor who lifts Utah to a Big 12 championship in its first year in the league in a season where it’s College Football Playoff or bust.

Dylan Edwards, Kansas State running back

• Transferred from ➡️ Colorado

A cursory look at Edwards’ numbers from his true freshman season in Boulder — he had 321 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown to go with 299 receiving yards and four touchdowns — don’t tell the whole story.

The 5-foot-9 speedster had 135 receiving yards in the season-opening win over TCU and followed that with 112 rushing yards over the next two weeks, but on a Buffaloes team with an unreliable offensive line, his impact dwindled as the year went on.

Now, Edwards joins a Kansas State team that is primed to make a run at the Big 12 title. The Wildcats return leading rusher DJ Giddens, who started all 13 games and ran for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns last season when the Wildcats were No. 12 nationally in rushing yards per game (204.08).

Edwards appears to be a nice complement — and potentially a lethal weapon — on an offense led by promising young quarterback Avery Johnson.

KJ Jefferson, UCF quarterback

• Transferred from ➡️ Arkansas

Of all the new programs in the Big 12 last year, the Knights showed the most promise, even in a 6-7 season. Three of UCF’s losses came by a combined four points, and if the Knights can sort out some of the issues from last year, they could be a dark horse candidate to make a run at the league title.

Jefferson will play a big part in how serious the Knights can challenge their Big 12 counterparts. He was an accomplished quarterback at Arkansas, though last season was a struggle for the Razorbacks in the final year of his five seasons in SEC country.

The 6-foot-3 dual-threat quarterback has amassed more than 2,500 yards passing and running each of the past three seasons.

Tyler Foster, Oklahoma State tight end

• Transferred from ➡️ Ohio

While Oklahoma State has the nation’s top running back, 2023 Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II, the Cowboys ranked in the bottom half of the Big 12 in red zone touchdown percentage, reaching the end zone on 59.6% of their red zone attempts. That played a part in the Cowboys averaging 29.6 points per game, eighth in the league.

Foster could — emphasis on could — help remedy that issue. He comes to Stillwater as a raw, 6-foot-6 tight end who has caught 31 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns the past two seasons.

If the Cowboys find ways to utilize a big-bodied tight end and convert more red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, Oklahoma State should increase its chances at winning the Big 12.

Josh Kelly, Texas Tech wide receiver

• Transferred from ➡️ Washington State

The Red Raiders brought in a pair of four-star receiving options through the transfer portal, including former Arizona State tight end Jalin Conyers, who adds a nice dynamic at the position. It’s tempting to go here with Conyers, who’s had almost 800 receiving yards and five touchdowns the past two seasons, though his numbers dipped last year.

Kelly, meanwhile, is coming off a career year in his one season at Washington State after four years at Fresno State. He had 61 catches for 923 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cougars in 2023, and now will give quarterback Behren Morton an excellent deep threat to throw to.

Tre Smith, Arizona defensive tackle

• Transferred from ➡️ San Jose State

Smith is one of three transfers who followed new Wildcats coach Brent Brennan over from San Jose State after Jedd Fisch left to take over as head coach at Washington.

Smith is coming off a career year and is in position to have the biggest impact among the transfers who came along with Brennan. The Wildcats have some holes to fill on the defensive line, and Smith is coming off a career year.

He had career highs with 66 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2023 for San Jose State. Now, he’ll have the chance to show he can be as disruptive at the Power Four level.

Bryce Foster or Shane Bumgardner, Kansas center

• Transferred from ➡️ Texas A&M and Tiffin

One of the key position battles for Kansas this season is at center, where the Jayhawks are trying to replace former All-Big 12 performer Mike Novitsky.

It’s a critical position for a Kansas team that has two of the league’s — nay, the nation’s — top dynamic runners, quarterback Jalon Daniels and running back Devin Neal. Foster joined the team during the summer, while Bumgardner is a Division II transfer who was named the best center at that level.

The Jayhawks have one of the most favorable Big 12 schedules in the conference, and finding a reliable solution at center could play a big role in whether Kansas makes a run at the crown.

Jack Kelly, BYU linebacker

• Transferred from ➡️ Weber State

The Cougars didn’t hit the transfer portal too hard this offseason — bringing in 10 transfers in total — but adding Kelly from defensive coordinator Jay Hill’s old stomping grounds in Ogden addresses a major need.

BYU tied for last in sacks at the FBS level nationally last year with Virginia, as the Cougars only had 11 on the season.

Kelly, a Kearns High product who has two years of eligibility remaining, had 10.5 sacks by himself during the 2023 season, albeit at the FCS level.

If he can infuse some pressure along BYU’s defensive front, though, perhaps the Cougars can fare a bit better after going 2-7 in league play last year and play a bit of spoiler during the season.

BJ Green, Colorado edge rusher

• Transferred from ➡️ Arizona State

It’s tough to choose just one of the 43 transfers coming into Colorado when trying to decipher who might have the biggest impact.

Deion Sanders hit the portal particularly hard trying to bolster the trenches after a porous year both offensively and defensively, and the Buffaloes in particular added an intriguing amount of highly recruited defensive linemen.

Green gives Colorado someone who not only has upside but also some proven experience that generates optimism. Last year in Tempe, Green had a career-high 36 tackles, including 21 solo stops, while adding six sacks and forcing a fumble.

Dequan Finn, Baylor quarterback

• Transferred from ➡️ Toledo

When Baylor lost starting quarterback Blake Shapen to the transfer portal after last season, the Bears quickly transitioned and landed four-star talent Finn a couple weeks after Shapen committed to Mississippi State. It was a key move with coach Dave Aranda facing a lot of heat after two straight losing seasons.

There’s been a lot of overhaul for the Bears this offseason on offense, and that included bringing in a new offensive coordinator (Jake Spavital) while shipping out the old one (former BYU OC Jeff Grimes, who landed at Kansas).

Finn, a dual-threat quarterback, is the gem of Baylor’s transfer class after he threw for 2,657 yards, 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season at Toledo while adding 563 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.