As has become tradition in the college football offseason, there isn't a busier place than the transfer portal.
Well over 1,000 players from Football Bowl Subdivision programs alone have entered the portal, hoping to find a better fit on the other side. Naturally, that moment is affecting several teams in a major way—both positively and negatively.
In the early stages of the 2022 transfer cycle, a few SEC schools and a Pac-12 squad have seemingly gained the most talent. Conversely—and not coincidentally—four programs that replaced their head coach are dealing with immense turnover.
Winner: Arkansas Razorbacks
Based on recruiting ratings, Arkansas easily has the highest-profile pair of incoming transfers.
Wide receiver Jadon Haselwood (Oklahoma) and edge-rusher Drew Sanders (Alabama) held 5-star billings as high schoolers. They're both expected to immediately earn key roles.
Arkansas also landed a pair of LSU players. The marquee addition was cornerback Dwight McGlothern, who started for the Tigers and posted 32 tackles last season. Edge-rusher Landon Jackson was a top-125 prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle.
Defensive backs Greg Brooks Jr. and Joe Foucha both left Fayetteville for LSU, so it's not a complete sweep for the Razorbacks. But the incoming talent is very strong.
Loser: Oklahoma Sooners
Lincoln Riley's departure to USC both hammered the recruiting class and sparked a wave of transfers.
Along with Haselwood's flight for Arkansas, breakout quarterback Caleb Williams entered the portal. Though it's still possible he returns to Oklahoma, the most likely outcome is he plays elsewhere in 2022. Even though OU swiped UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel from UCLA, Williams would be a significant loss.
And that's merely the beginning.
Former starting QB Spencer Rattler and tight end Austin Stogner both left for South Carolina. Longtime safety Patrick Fields went to Stanford, and two promising freshmen—wideout Mario Williams (USC) and cornerback Latrell McCutchin (undecided)—also decided to transfer.
Oklahoma picked up some impactful transfers, including Cal guard McKade Mettauer, Hawaii D-lineman Jonah La'ulu and Appalachian State linebacker T.D. Roof. But that's a long list of key departures.
Winner: Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss has nearly reached 20 outgoing transfers since the beginning of the 2021 season, which isn't necessarily a good thing. Still, while it's entirely likely some would've made a larger impact in future years, the number of past contributors is low.