With the offseason basically wrapped up, it\u2019s a good time to look back at the personnel across the college football landscape. I scoured the rosters and selected my favorite move by each Power 4 team.<\/p>\n
This is not limited to a transfer addition or a hot recruit. Retention is also a critical part of roster management, so that, too, was fair game. As were the hiring of assistant coaches.<\/p>\n
ACCBoston College: Bill O\u2019Brien taking over play calling<\/p>\n
Finding a move I liked for BC was a tough assignment. The Eagles lost six starters to the portal and their offensive coordinator to the NFL following a 2-10 season. The good news is O\u2019Brien was a pretty good play caller at Alabama under Nick Saban and in New England when Tom Brady was his quarterback. Of course, there\u2019s a bit of a talent difference between those places and Chestnut Hill.<\/p>\n
Cal: Bolstering JKS\u2019s supporting cast<\/p>\n
New coach Tosh Lupoi and general manager Ron Rivera feel like a dangerous combination in Berkeley<\/a>. Keeping QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was an obvious victory. Bringing in running back Adam Mohammed (Washington), receivers Ian Strong (Rutgers) and Chase Hendricks (Ohio) and tight end Dorian Thomas (New Mexico) will pay immediate dividends.<\/p>\n Clemson: Adding speedy Chris Johnson to the backfield<\/p>\n Dabo Swinney is recycling his former offensive coordinator Chad Morris after the Garrett Riley hire didn\u2019t pan out. Johnson, a former Miami signee, has track speed and averaged 7.1 yards per rushing attempt at SMU in 2026. Will he solve all of Clemson\u2019s woes? No. But he\u2019ll help.<\/p>\n Play of the Day No. 321: More of new Clemson Tigers RB Chris Johnson Jr. This time, it’s a 54-yard sprint for a touchdown (SMU vs. Cal, 2025). #POTD<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/AJH3zEtULT<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sam Teets (@Sam_Teets33) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Duke: Signing veteran QB Walker Eget<\/p>\n There\u2019s no doubt the defending ACC champions were put in a terrible position when quarterback Darian Mensah and 1,000-yard receiver Cooper Barkate bolted for Miami late in the portal window. But Manny Diaz and staff responded by landing a veteran FBS starting quarterback in Eget, who threw for 5,555 yards and 30 touchdowns in his two seasons as a starter at San Jose State.<\/p>\n Florida State: Retaining key members of the 2025 class<\/p>\n Someone, please hand me a fishing rod as I search for a compliment for the Seminoles\u2019 offseason. Mike Norvell is showing all the signs of a coach likely on the way out, but at least Florida State was able to hang onto a handful of key young players, including running back Ousmane Kromah, receiver Jayvan Boggs, and defensive linemen Mandrell Desir and Darryll Desir.<\/p>\n Georgia Tech: Signing RB Justice Haynes<\/p>\n The Yellow Jackets lost several key players and both coordinators from last year\u2019s 9-4 team. Haynes, who ran for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns at Michigan before his season was cut short by a foot injury in late October, has star potential. The offense will likely be in transition this year with a new quarterback and play caller.<\/p>\n Louisville: Retaining star RB Isaac Brown<\/p>\n Jeff Brohm is always looking for upgrades in the portal, and he found some again. But his top accomplishment was keeping Brown around for another year. Brown, who has rushed for 2,057 yards and 18 touchdowns in two seasons, initially entered the portal but opted to stay at Louisville after the Cardinals ponied up.<\/p>\n Miami: Plucking Darian Mensah from Duke<\/p>\n Mario Cristobal is often criticized for failing to develop quarterbacks. But you don\u2019t have to develop them if they come ready-made, and Miami has been on a nice run of finding arms via the portal. Cam Ward, Carson Beck and Mensah make it three fantastic transfer signings in a row. Throw in the fact that Mensah brought 1,000-yard receiver Cooper Barkate with him from Duke, and it shouldn\u2019t surprise anyone that the Canes\u2019 new QB is a viable Heisman Trophy candidate.<\/p>\n NC State: Keeping CJ Bailey<\/p>\n Dave Doeren has a lot of key players to replace, but he managed to bring back the most important one \u2014 his quarterback. New supporting cast members, like Bailey\u2019s old high school teammate Jojo Trader (a transfer from Miami), will have to step up. But Bailey will keep NC State in most games by himself.<\/p>\n North Carolina: Signing a top-20 recruiting class<\/p>\n It took some digging to find a positive nugget for Bill Belichick\u2019s team, which lost most of its best defensive players to the portal and\/or graduation. So, we\u2019ll give some credit to the staff for signing 12 blue-chip prospects as part of the Tar Heels\u2019 19th-ranked recruiting class.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh: Adding WR Malik Knight<\/p>\n Pat Narduzzi is adept at finding under-the-radar reinforcements. Knight, who averaged 16.5 yards per reception at Western Carolina last season, appears to be the best of the offseason\u2019s 16 pickups. He\u2019ll team with holdover Cataurus Hicks to give quarterback Mason Heintschel explosive weapons in the passing game.<\/p>\n SMU: Signing RB Kendrick Raphael<\/p>\n Rhett Lashlee had to replace both coordinators and several veteran players after a 9-4 season. Raphael, who led the ACC with 232 carries and finished fifth in the league with 943 rushing yards last season at Cal, gives returning starting quarterback Kevin Jennings a workhorse running back to complement the passing attack.<\/p>\n Stanford: Signing a top-40 recruiting class<\/p>\n General manager Andrew Luck and new coach Tavita Pritchard kept some key pieces like second-team All-ACC linebacker Matt Rose around. The better news is they were able to sign a handful of blue-chip recruits in the 2026 class, including four-star receiver Zion Robinson \u2014 a top-200 prospect who flipped from Michigan.<\/p>\n Syracuse: Hiring Vince Kehres as DC<\/p>\n The Orange fielded one of the worst P4 defenses in the country last season. Coach Fran Brown addressed the situation by hiring Kehres, a two-time Division III national championship-winning coach (at Mount Union) who had the best Group of 6 defense last season at Toledo. Between the coaching change and the additions of defensive tackles Dillan Fontus (Maryland) and Tunmise Adeleye (UNLV), the Orange should see immediate improvement on that side of the ball.<\/p>\n Virginia: Bolstering the backfield<\/p>\n Tony Elliott guided the Cavaliers to the ACC Championship Game last season thanks in large part to a successful run on transfers, and he is trying to do it again with a large portal class that includes 13 starters from other FBS programs. Are any of them stars? Not necessarily. But the trio of running backs \u2014 Jekail Middlebrook (Middle Tennessee), Peyton Lewis (Tennessee) and Solomon Beebe (UAB) \u2014 should be able to take advantage of the team\u2019s biggest strength: the offensive line.<\/p>\n Virginia Tech: Swiping 11 former Penn State commits<\/p>\n James Franklin did more than bring a bunch of former Penn State players and coaches with him to Blacksburg. He also convinced 11 of his former commitments to sign with the Hokies. The best of the bunch is going to be running back Messiah Mickens. Check back in 2027.<\/p>\n Wake Forest: Reuniting QB Gio Lopez with his former coordinator<\/p>\n Jake Dickert had a terrific 9-4 opening season in Winston-Salem, then signed 13 transfers who had started at other FBS schools to fill gaps. The smartest move was reuniting Lopez \u2014 who spent last season at North Carolina \u2014 with Rob Ezell, his coordinator at South Alabama in 2024, when Lopez ranked second in the Sun Belt with 274.7 total yards per game.<\/p>\n Big 12Arizona: Retaining Noah Fifita<\/p>\n Brent Brennan made a significant improvement from Year 1 to Year 2, but the Wildcats lost 14 starters from last year\u2019s 9-4 team and need a lot of new faces to step up to contend in the Big 12. The best news this offseason is that Fifita, the first-team all-conference quarterback in 2025, is staying put. Think about how often a three-year starter bolts town to play his final season elsewhere.<\/p>\n Arizona State: Adding two transfer WRs<\/p>\n The Sun Devils lost their quarterback and top three pass catchers. The new QB \u2014 likely Kentucky transfer Cutter Boley \u2014 will have a pair of talented transfer receivers at his disposal\u00a0in 6-5, 217-pound Reed Harris (Boston College) and 6-2, 210-pound Omarion Miller (Colorado).<\/p>\n Baylor: Hiring veteran DC Joe Klanderman<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure how many lifelines Dave Aranda has left, but if he\u2019s going to survive the 2026 season, the defense must improve dramatically. Klanderman, who was the DC for Chris Klieman at Kansas State the last six years, inherits a unit that slipped to 15th in the Big 12 last season in scoring defense and 13th in yards per play allowed.<\/p>\n BYU: Adding Cade Uluave via the portal<\/p>\n Uluave, the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2023, started 26 games for Cal and led the Bears last season with 100 tackles, including 12 for loss. He\u2019ll help fill the void left by Jack Kelly, a first-team All-Big 12 selection last season who was picked in the sixth round of the NFL Draft.<\/p>\n Cincinnati: Retaining three starters on the OL<\/p>\n General manager Zach Grant has done a stellar job of finding under-the-radar talent, but he and coach Scott Satterfield have to replace 19 starters from last year\u2019s 7-6 team, including six who entered the portal. The good news? Left tackle Joe Cotton, left guard Evan Tengesdahl and right guard Taran Tyo are back and were a big reason the Bearcats allowed only eight sacks and ranked eighth nationally in yards per play last season.<\/p>\n Colorado: Hiring Brennan Marion as OC<\/p>\n Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes needed some juice following a depressing 3-9 season in the post-Shedeur Sanders\/Travis Hunter era. In comes Marion, who was the head coach at Sacramento State in 2025, and his potent and creative \u201cGo-Go offense.\u201d Colorado also signed two quality receivers in the portal \u2014 Danny Scudero (San Jose State) and DeAndre Moore (Texas) \u2014 to work with promising young QB Julian Lewis.<\/p>\n Go-Go Offense Triple Option pic.twitter.com\/XfDpEXPNW1<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Firstdown_XO\u2019s (@FirstdownX__Os) June 1, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n Houston: Signing 5-star QB Keisean Henderson<\/p>\n Willie Fritz has created real momentum and will once again have a good team after winning 10 games in Year 2. The Cougars are set at QB in 2026 with the return of Conner Weigman, but signing Henderson \u2014 a hometown product who was the No. 1 prospect in the class in the 247Sports Composite \u2014 is a sign that this program can be a contender in the Big 12 for years to come.<\/p>\n Iowa State: Making strong coordinator hires<\/p>\n Jimmy Rogers has a tough job maintaining the standard Matt Campbell set in Ames, but at least he\u2019s surrounded himself with veteran assistants familiar with the area. Tyler Roehl (OC) and Jesse Bobbitt (DC) used to go head-to-head in the North Dakota State-South Dakota State rivalry and can build winning units with lower-level recruits. That\u2019s the kind of tonic Iowa State needs after its roster was fleeced by its former coach.<\/p>\n Kansas: Upgrading the defensive front<\/p>\n The Jayhawks finished 12th in the Big 12 in scoring defense and 13th in yards per carry allowed. Lance Leipold and his staff hope they\u2019ve addressed that by signing edge rusher David Santiago from Michigan State and three former Group of 6 starters \u2014 defensive linemen Tre\u2019Von McAlpine (Tulane) and Eamon Smalls (UAB) and linebacker Jibreel Al-Amin (Marshall).<\/p>\n Kansas State: Signing the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year<\/p>\n Sure, it\u2019s going to be nice to have new coach Collin Klein working with quarterback Avery Johnson. But the Wildcats needed a frontline star on the other side of the ball to help move the program back in the right direction. Landing Wendell Gregory from Oklahoma State is a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n Oklahoma State: Signing QB Drew Mestemaker<\/p>\n Mestemaker led the nation with 4,379 passing yards as a redshirt freshman at North Texas. He had many suitors when he entered the portal, but he opted to follow his coach, Eric Morris, to Oklahoma State. He wasn\u2019t alone. Standout running back Caleb Hawkins and receiver Wyatt Young were also among the 17 players who moved from Denton to Stillwater.<\/p>\n TCU: Signing QB Jaden Craig<\/p>\n Sonny Dykes decided to dump the Air Raid offense for a more run-dependent, pro-style attack and hired Gordon Sammis from UConn as a coordinator to execute it. The better move was signing a veteran like Craig, who turned the ball over only 16 times while going 19-5 as a starter for the Crimson.<\/p>\n Texas Tech: Signing edge rushers Trey White and Adam Trick<\/p>\n Brendan Sorby\u2019s recent win<\/a> in court didn\u2019t change my mind about the best signings general manager James Blanchard made this offseason. Texas Tech was good last year because it overwhelmed opponents with its defensive line. White, a transfer from San Diego State, and Trick, from Miami (Ohio), may not be on the elite level first-round pick David Bailey and third-round pick Romello Height were, but they\u2019re close.<\/p>\n UCF: Signing QB Alonzo Barnett<\/p>\n There\u2019s plenty of work for first-year Scott Frost (in his second stint at UCF), but the arrival of Barnett at least brings stability to the team\u2019s most important position. He went 21-6 as the starter at James Madison and was the 2025 Sun Belt Player of the Year en route to leading the Dukes to the CFP.<\/p>\n Utah: Signing OT Kelvin Obot<\/p>\n Morgan Scalley lost several key players who followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan, but he kept quarterback Devon Dampier and running back Wayshawn Parker and did decent work in the portal. The best move, though, was keeping Obot in the recruiting class. Utah lost a lot on its offensive line, and the five-star prospect from Idaho will have a chance to play right away.<\/p>\n West Virginia: Signing FBS leading rusher Cam Cook<\/p>\n Rich Rodriguez is flipping his roster yet again following a 4-8 season in his return to Morgantown, with more than 80 newcomers on the roster between the portal and his recruiting class. With Cook, at least, the Mountaineers have a true No. 1 running back. Also watch out for four-star freshman Amari Latimer to bloom and become Cook\u2019s eventual replacement.<\/p>\n Big TenIllinois: Signing QB Katin Houser<\/p>\n Bret Bielema had to replace 16 starters from a team that won nine games in 2025, most notably quarterback Luke Altmyer. Houser, who began his career at Michigan State, threw for 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions at East Carolina last season. Ohio State\u2019s Julian Sayin, Oregon\u2019s Dante Moore and USC\u2019s Jayden Maiava are the only returning Big Ten quarterbacks with better efficiency numbers in 2025.<\/p>\n Indiana: Reloading on defense<\/p>\n Everything is rolling in the right direction for Curt Cignetti. His coordinators stayed put, and strong reinforcements arrived across the board via the portal. The better haul, to me, is on defense where Bryant Haines\u2019 unit shouldn\u2019t take a step back despite significant losses to the draft. Chiddi Obiazor (Kansas State), Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State), Josh Burnham (Notre Dame), A.J. Harris (Penn State), Jiquan Sanks (Cincinnati) and Preston Zachman (Wisconsin) will all play huge roles in 2026.<\/p>\n Iowa: Retaining key O-linemen<\/p>\n Kirk Ferentz brought in some solid offensive skill pieces from the FCS level in running back L.J. Phillips (South Dakota) and receiver Tony Diaz (Texas-Rio Grande Valley). Iowa also signed a really good safety in Tyler Brown from James Madison. But the top move was retaining right guard Kade Pieper and left tackle Trevor Lauck, two key pieces of an offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award in 2025.<\/p>\n Maryland: Holding onto Malik Washington<\/p>\n Maryland is 2-16 in the Big Ten the last two seasons. The good news? The Terrapins managed to hold onto their top young players, none more important than rising sophomore quarterback Malik Washington. Throw in the fact that Maryland signed the No. 1 edge rusher in the 2026 cycle in Zion Elee, a Baltimore native, and coach Mike Locksley is at least providing hope for a brighter future.<\/p>\n Michigan: Hiring Jason Beck as OC<\/p>\n The Wolverines held onto their top-15 recruiting class, including five-star running back Savion Hiter, during the tumultuous Sherrone Moore situation and ensuing coaching change. That was obviously important, but Beck\u2019s decision to follow Kyle Whittingham to Michigan is a bigger deal. Beck did a very good job last year with QB Devon Dampier at Utah, and I\u2019m betting he\u2019s going to unlock all of Bryce Underwood\u2019s talents.<\/p>\n Michigan State: Signing RB Cam Edwards<\/p>\n Pat Fitzgerald is taking over a complete rebuild, and the addition of Edwards, who runs angry at 5-11 and 210 pounds, will add some physicality to the ground game. He ran for 1,226 yards and 15 touchdowns at UConn last season and averaged 3.7 yards per carry after contact, which ranked in the top 25 in the country according to TruMedia.<\/p>\n TOUCHDOWN\u203c\ufe0f<\/p>\n Cam Edwards takes it 50-yards to the house \ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/KKL5vjRaCS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 UConn Football (@UConnFootball) September 7, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n Minnesota: Retaining the Big Ten leader in sacks<\/p>\n Defensive end Anthony Smith, an All-Big Ten pick who recorded 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, could have been a top-100 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he decided to return for his final season. P.J. Fleck won\u2019t likely get Minnesota to the top of the Big Ten, but he continues to field a consistent winner.<\/p>\n Nebraska: Hiring Rob Aurich as DC<\/p>\n Landing Anthony Colandrea, the 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, was a pretty good consolation prize after Kenny Minchey flipped his commitment to Kentucky. But the best move of the offseason by Matt Rhule was hiring Aurich to run the defense. San Diego State ranked fifth nationally in yards per play allowed in Aurich\u2019s lone season as the Aztecs\u2019 DC.<\/p>\n Northwestern: Hiring Chip Kelly as OC<\/p>\n Kelly has proven to be a much better play caller in college than in the pros. He may not have the personnel to turn the Wildcats into an elite offense overnight, but he\u2019s definitely going to make them more exciting to watch in their new $872 million stadium.<\/p>\n Ohio State: Signing 5-star WR Chris Henry Jr.<\/p>\n Ryan Day\u2019s staff did some solid portal work to replace a bunch of high-end defensive players, and I have confidence that Matt Patricia will have a top-15 unit in 2026. But this is the final year All-American Jeremiah Smith will be in Columbus, and the Buckeyes not only need someone to fill his shoes when he leaves but also a player who will prevent him from being triple-teamed this season.<\/p>\n Oregon: Plucking safety Koi Perich from Minnesota<\/p>\n We\u2019ll have to see how much losing both coordinators and a lot of the team\u2019s depth affects the Ducks in big-time matchups this fall, but the starting lineup remains top-notch. Perich, a two-time All-Big Ten safety, is a better talent than Dillon Thieneman, the first-round pick he\u2019s replacing.<\/p>\n Penn State: Hiring DC D\u2019Anton Lynn<\/p>\n Matt Campbell brought over 23 players and most of his coaching staff from Iowa State, which should help the Nittany Lions improve after a\u00a0middling 7-6 season. The best move he made, though, was bringing over Lynn, a Penn State grad, from USC. Lynn did terrific work at both UCLA and USC to improve bad defenses and will have more to work with in Happy Valley than he did out West.<\/p>\n Purdue: Hiring OL coach\u00a0 Zach Crabtree<\/p>\n Barry Odom\u2019s first year in West Lafayette wasn\u2019t much better than Ryan Walter\u2019s final season, but he\u2019s plugging away little by little. Crabtree, who spent last season at Fresno State, played for Purdue offensive coordinator Josh Henson at Oklahoma State and coached under him at USC. Staff cohesion is important.<\/p>\n Rutgers: Bolstering the front seven<\/p>\n Greg Schiano made changes to his defensive staff and did a fine job selecting former South Dakota head coach Travis Johansen as the DC. Johansen, though, needs better players to win in the Big Ten. Two portal additions \u2014 defensive end Malachi Davis (Toledo) and linebacker Ty Morris (Rice) \u2014 won\u2019t fix everything, but they\u2019ll help.<\/p>\n UCLA: Adding 10 Dukes<\/p>\n Will this have the same impact as the imports Curt Cignetti brought from James Madison to Indiana? Not likely, but seven starters and 10 players overall followed new coach Bob Chesney from JMU to UCLA. The most notable are\u00a0edge rusher Sahir West, running back Wayne Knight and offensive linemen Carter Sweazie and Riley Robell. Culture matters.<\/p>\n USC: Signing WR Trent Mosley<\/p>\n Last season we saw how much freshman Malachi Toney meant to Miami\u2019s run to the national championship game. Mosley, a similarly built 5-10, 180-pound freshman from Chicago, was among the early standouts in the spring and was a key member of USC\u2019s No. 1 recruiting class. Considering the talent USC has to replace at receiver, Mosley will have an opportunity to contribute right away.<\/p>\n Washington: Holding onto Demond Williams<\/p>\n All\u2019s well that ends well? That\u2019s what Williams and Washington are hoping is the case after the offseason drama that saw Williams announce<\/a> that he would enter the transfer portal four days after signing a revenue-sharing agreement to stay at Washington. The two sides made up, and Williams is back for his third season with the Huskies and figures to be one of the top QBs in the Big Ten.<\/p>\n Wisconsin: Signing QB Colton Joseph<\/p>\n Luke Fickell\u2019s tenure has been a disappointment due in large part to progressively worse quarterback play over the last three seasons. Joseph, the 2025 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year at Old Dominion, at least provides hope for a brighter future. He\u2019s one of 33 transfers Fickell is counting on to turn things around in Madison.<\/p>\n IndependentNotre Dame: Signing two big-time DTs in the portal<\/p>\n Marcus Freeman\u2019s decision to return to South Bend instead of potentially leaving for the NFL was the best offseason news in South Bend. From a personnel standpoint, signing Tionne Gray (Oregon) and Francis Brewu (Pittsburgh) will make the biggest impact on the field. Both should immediately help fill holes and support edge rusher Boubacar Traore in his pursuit of the quarterback. It\u2019s a deep defensive line group.<\/p>\n SECAlabama: Signing the SEC\u2019s top recruiting class<\/p>\n Kalen DeBoer\u2019s biggest accomplishment to this point has been maintaining the Crimson Tide\u2019s place atop the SEC\u2019s recruiting landscape. Only one recruit from Bama\u2019s 2025 signing class left after last season\u2019s College Football Playoff run, and the 2026 signing class \u2014 ranked No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the SEC \u2014 is loaded with bona fide stars. My favorite is five-star running back EJ Crowell, a 5-8, 221-pound Alabama native who should become one of the top offensive players in the country in the next few years.<\/p>\n Arkansas: Hiring Gaizka Crowley as GM<\/p>\n New coach Ryan Silverfield has his hands full trying to get the Razorbacks, who haven\u2019t had a winning SEC record since 2015, back on track. He made an astute GM hire, luring Crowley away from Arizona<\/a>. At a place like Arkansas, you need someone with experience finding under-the-radar prospects.<\/p>\n Auburn: Retaining DC DJ Durkin<\/p>\n There\u2019s no doubt in my mind that new coach Alex Golesh is going to improve the Tigers offense. What Auburn fans really should celebrate, though, is Golesh managing to retain Durkin, who has done a fine job building defenses in the SEC in recent years.<\/p>\n Florida: Hiring Phil Trautwein as OL coach<\/p>\n If the Gators are going to return to glory, it will need to start up front on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Trautwein, who coached 35 all-conference offensive linemen and three first-round picks in his time at Penn State and Boston College, has already started to pay dividends on the recruiting trail.<\/p>\n Georgia: Picking up Isiah Canion in the portal<\/p>\n Quarterback Gunner Stockton lost his top five pass catchers from last season, so landing Canion was pivotal for an offense searching for playmakers. The 6-4, 216-pound transfer from Georgia Tech caught 33 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns last season and is capable of playing a leading role for the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n Kentucky: Overhauling the O-line line<\/p>\n New coach Will Stein did well in swiping quarterback Kenny Minchey (Notre Dame) away from an initial commitment to Nebraska, but the Wildcats\u2019 best transfer additions were on the offensive line. Lance Heard (Tennessee), Coleton Price (Baylor) and Tegra Tshabola (Ohio State) were starters at P4 programs and will serve as catalysts for Kentucky\u2019s offensive improvement this fall.<\/p>\n LSU: Retaining DC Blake Baker<\/p>\n The Tigers spent boatloads of money to bring in Lane Kiffin and a colorful cast of assistant coaches \u2014 including Ed Orgeron \u2014 and then millions more to upgrade the roster via the portal. But you can make the case that the best thing Kiffin did was keep the defensive coordinator. Baker turned the LSU defense into a reliable unit after it had lost its way, and maintaining the same system will provide needed continuity.<\/p>\n Mississippi State: Bringing back DC Zach Arnett<\/p>\n Jeff Lebby has things headed in the right direction offensively but badly needed an upgrade on defense. Hiring Arnett, the former head coach at Mississippi State (for one season) who has been an analyst at Ole Miss and Florida State the last two years, was a great move. Mississippi State\u2019s defense ranked in the top five in the SEC in yards per play allowed in two of Arnett\u2019s three seasons as Mike Leach\u2019s DC.<\/p>\n Missouri: Upgrading the passing game<\/p>\n The Tigers have a terrific running game led by SEC rushing leader Ahmad Hardy \u2014 assuming he is ready to go<\/a> \u2014 but they badly needed to upgrade the passing attack. And they did so in the form of Ole Miss transfers Austin Simmons (quarterback) and Cayden Lee (receiver). Eli Drinkwitz still has to replace 11 starters on defense from last year\u2019s 8-5 team, but new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey has the type of talent on his side of the ball to keep the Tigers relevant in the SEC.<\/p>\n Oklahoma: Getting John Mateer some help<\/p>\n The offense improved in 2025 with John Mateer at QB, but the Sooners didn\u2019t have enough reliable pass catchers, and the offensive line wasn\u2019t elite. Signing receivers Trell Harris (Virginia) and Parker Livingstone (Texas) along with right tackle E\u2019Marion Harris (Arkansas) and pairing them with a talented cast of returnees should help Mateer and the offense take a step forward.<\/p>\n Ole Miss: Adding reinforcements at LB, DB<\/p>\n Pete Golding\u2019s defense finished ninth in the SEC in both yards per play allowed and scoring defense and needed some upgrades after last year\u2019s run to the CFP semifinals. The additions of Edwin Joseph (Florida State), Jay Crawford (Auburn), Joenel Aguero (Georgia) and Sharif Denson (Florida) instantly make the Rebels better in the secondary. Keaton Thomas (Baylor) and Luke Ferrelli (Cal) are also upgrades at linebacker.<\/p>\n South Carolina: Bolstering the OL<\/p>\n Shane Beamer retooled his offensive staff \u2014 hiring Kendall Briles as his coordinator \u2014 and kept quarterback LaNorris Sellers from leaving. None of it will matter, though, if the Gamecocks don\u2019t get better play from the offensive line, which gave up 43 sacks last season. South Carolina signed six O-linemen who started at their previous schools, including tackle Jacarrius Peak (NC State) and guard Emmanuel Poku (ECU).<\/p>\n Tennessee: Signing the tandem of Xavier Gilliam and Amare Campbell<\/p>\n Josh Heupel will have a young, inexperienced starting quarterback trying to navigate the SEC this fall. At least, there are some veterans on the other side of the ball familiar with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles\u2019 system. Gilliam, a 6-2, 305-pound quick-footed defensive lineman, and Campbell, a 6-0, 230-pound linebacker who earned third-team All-Big Ten honors last season, both played for Knowles at Penn State last season.<\/p>\n Texas: Landing Cam Coleman<\/p>\n You could argue Arch Manning has the best set of pass catchers in college football, thanks to the arrival of Coleman, the top-ranked receiver in the 2024 recruiting cycle, who didn\u2019t get nearly enough balls thrown his way in two seasons at Auburn.<\/p>\n Most frightening thing about Top 10 pick Texas WR Cam Coleman?<\/p>\n Auburn transfer doesn\u2019t turn 20 until August pic.twitter.com\/tmZOw2joTw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Clint Goss (@NFLDraftDome) May 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Texas A&M: Raiding SEC schools for O-linemen<\/p>\n Mike Elko had to replace four offensive line starters from a CFP team and did so by plucking talent \u2014 four former starters, to be exact \u2014 off rosters of conference rivals. I\u2019m pretty sure nobody else in college football was able to pull that off. Quarterback Marcel Reed is the obvious beneficiary.<\/p>\n Vanderbilt: Flipping QB Jared Curtis<\/p>\n There are lots of holes to fill after the Commodores\u2019 first 10-win season, none more important than at quarterback following the departure of Diego Pavia. But Clark Lea has a budding star in Curtis, a five-star prospect who flipped from Georgia<\/a> and opted to sign with the hometown Commodores.<\/p>\n