The college football transfer portal has completely changed the landscape of the sport. The 2022 College Football Bowl Season may be just around the corner, but plenty of players across the country are already in search of a new school and team for next year. Several talented running backs are among the players that have already entered the college football transfer portal. Regardless of how one feels about the portal itself, there's no denying that it has added a new layer of drama to the sport's offseason.
Photo byMaria Lysaker - USA TODAY Sports
Top RBs in the College Football Transfer Portal
After the first official day of the college football transfer portal cycle, more than 1,000 student-athletes had officially entered their names. Plenty of highly-touted running backs are among the group of players in search of a new home for the 2023 season.
Age: N/A Class: Redshirt Freshman Years of Eligibility Remaining: 4
Ranked as a top-5 running back in the 2021 recruiting class, LJ Johnson failed to make much of an impact in his two seasons with Texas A&M. After redshirting in 2021, Johnson missed the majority of spring ball this past year with a hamstring injury. As such, he spent the 2022 campaign buried on the Aggies' depth chart. If the recruiting offers he received out of high school are any indication, Johnson will most certainly land on his feet at another prominent program.
Ray Davis, Vanderbilt
Age: N/A Class: Senior Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2
After finishing fourth in the SEC with 1,042 rushing yards this past season, Ray Davis will be one of the most highly sought-after RBs in the college football transfer portal. Davis is set to graduate from Vanderbilt in December and thus will classify as a graduate transfer. However, thanks to the COVID year, he still has two full years of eligibility remaining. This isn't Davis' first foray into the transfer portal either. He joined the Commodores in 2021 after starting his collegiate career at Temple.
Dominic Richardson, Oklahoma State
Age: 21 Class: Fifth-Year Senior Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2
Much like senior quarterback Spencer Sanders, running back Dominic Richardson is also set to leave Oklahoma State via the transfer portal. Although he may not be the most physically imposing RB, Richardson can certainly contribute to a Power 5 backfield. He overcame nagging injuries to tally 543 rushing yards and eight touchdowns this past season. Thanks to the COVID year, Richardson will have up to two years of eligibility at his new school.
Trey Sanders, Alabama
Age: 23 Class: Senior Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2
A 5-star recruit out of high school, Trey Sanders was used sparingly during his time at Alabama. After garnering 72 carries in 2021, he took a back seat to incoming transfer, Jahmyr Gibbs, this past season. However, he has averaged at least 4.4 yards per carry in each of the last three years. Sanders has two years of eligibility remaining and is reportedly interested in playing for new Colorado coach, Deion Sanders.
Carson Steele, Ball State
Age: 20 Class: Third-Year Sophomore Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2
Carson Steele will hope to capitalize on a phenomenal 2022 campaign in the college football transfer portal. Steele is hard to miss on the field thanks to his flowing mane of hair. He also stood out in the box score for Ball State on numerous occasions this past season. Steele led the MAC in rushing yards with 1,556 on his way to earning First Team All-League honors. That yardage total also ranked sixth in the entire FBS overall. Steele will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next stop.
Marquez Cooper, Kent State
Age: 21 Class: Senior Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2
Another RB from the MAC who is bound to draw plenty of interest in the transfer portal is Marquez Cooper. He was the only one to finish in the same zip code as Steele in terms of rushing yardage this past season. As the focal point of Kent State's offense in league play, Cooper piled up 1,331 yards and scored 13 rushing touchdowns. He earned All-MAC honors in each of the last two seasons and will bring two years of eligibility to his new school.
Sean Dollars, Oregon
Age: 20 Class: Sophomore Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2
After failing to find a new home via the college football transfer portal last year, Sean Dollars is back to try again for the 2023 season. His playing time has been limited during his first three collegiate seasons at Oregon, but Dollars possesses tremendous upside as a pass-catching RB. The California native had his 2021 campaign wiped out entirely due to injury. This past season, Dollars was limited to just 50 total touches as the new Oregon coaching staff prioritized other backfield options.
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