College Football Transfer Portal: Big Names, Big Expectations, and the Moves That Didn’t Pan Out in 2025
The college football transfer portal has become one of the sport’s most fascinating off-field storylines-an annual reshuffling that gives players a second chance and programs a shot at quick fixes. Sometimes, it works out beautifully.
Other times, the hype doesn’t quite translate. And as we look back on the 2025 season, a handful of high-profile transfers didn’t deliver the impact fans and coaches were hoping for.
Let’s break down some of the most notable letdowns from this past portal cycle-players who came in with big expectations but struggled to find their footing in new surroundings.
Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA
When Nico Iamaleava made the move from Tennessee to UCLA, it was one of the headline-grabbing transfers of the offseason. A former five-star recruit, Iamaleava returned to the West Coast looking to reset his college career.
And while there were definitely some rough patches early on, he gave Bruins fans a glimpse of his upside-most notably when he led one of the biggest upsets of the 2025 season against Penn State. That game marked the best statistical performance of his career, a reminder of the talent that made him such a coveted prospect.
But consistency was hard to come by, and UCLA’s season didn’t quite take off the way some had hoped.
Jackson Arnold, QB, Auburn
Arnold’s move from Oklahoma to Auburn was supposed to be a fresh start. But by late October, the wheels had come off.
He was benched against Arkansas and saw limited action the rest of the year. Arnold flashed some promise early, especially in a season-opening win over Baylor where he ran for 137 yards and two scores.
But the momentum didn’t last. He finished with 1,309 passing yards on the season and never quite found a rhythm in Hugh Freeze’s offense.
As Freeze put it bluntly: “It didn’t work out to the level that he nor I both expected.”
Nic Anderson, WR, LSU
Anderson looked like a breakout star in 2023, racking up nearly 800 yards and 10 touchdowns. That production earned him a top-three spot in the transfer portal WR rankings and a new home at LSU.
But this season was a different story. Outside of a brief appearance against Tennessee, Anderson was largely sidelined.
He ended the year with just 12 catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns in seven games-a far cry from the impact LSU hoped for when they brought him on board.
Elo Modozie, EDGE, Georgia
Georgia added some serious firepower in the portal, and Modozie was expected to be a big piece of the puzzle. Coming off a 6.5-sack season at Army, he entered as the eighth-ranked edge rusher in the transfer class.
But his impact in Athens was minimal. Modozie didn’t record a sack all season, and in the SEC Championship Game against Alabama, he was on the field for just 12 snaps.
For a defense that prides itself on pressure, that’s a swing and a miss.
Rahsul Faison, RB, South Carolina
Faison’s eligibility was in question right up until the start of the season, but once he got the green light, expectations were high. Ranked as the No. 3 running back in the portal, he brought power and experience to South Carolina’s backfield.
His best outing came against Vanderbilt, where he ran for 74 yards and a touchdown. But over the course of 12 games, Faison totaled just 470 yards and three scores.
Solid, but not the game-changing presence many had envisioned.
Jaydn Ott, RB, Oklahoma
This one was puzzling. Ott had been one of the most productive backs in the country during his time at Cal, racking up over 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns across two seasons.
But at Oklahoma, his role evaporated. He saw just 21 carries all year, with 49 of his 68 total yards coming in a single game against Kent State.
After the Red River Rivalry clash with Texas, he didn’t record another stat. It was one of the more surprising drop-offs of the season.
Micah Hudson, WR, Texas Tech
Hudson’s journey was a bit of a rollercoaster. After originally committing to Texas Tech out of high school, he transferred to Texas A&M following the 2024 season-only to come back to Lubbock during the spring portal window.
A former five-star recruit, Hudson had the tools to be a difference-maker. But injuries and inconsistency limited him to just five games.
He finished with eight catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns-flashes of potential, but not the breakout year many anticipated.
Maalik Murphy, QB, Oregon State
Murphy’s path through college football has been winding-Texas, Duke, and now Oregon State. He entered the 2025 season as the Beavers’ starter, and while he had moments, it was a tough year overall.
Murphy threw for 1,805 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions, completing 58.1% of his passes. Oregon State stumbled to a 2-10 finish, and Murphy never quite found the consistency needed to stabilize the offense.
Gio Lopez, QB, North Carolina
Lopez transferred to North Carolina after a solid season at South Alabama and won the starting job over veteran Max Johnson. But in the opener against TCU, he left early with an injury after completing just four of 10 passes for 69 yards.
That tough start set the tone for a rocky season in Chapel Hill-Bill Belichick’s first as head coach. Lopez ended the year with 1,747 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five picks, completing 65.1% of his throws.
Not terrible numbers, but UNC sputtered to a 4-8 finish, and the quarterback play never quite lifted the team.
Zach Calzada, QB, Kentucky
Calzada’s journey through the college ranks has been well-traveled, with stops at Texas A&M and UIW before landing at Kentucky. The Wildcats reportedly shelled out $1.25 million to land him from the portal, expecting him to be the guy under center.
But after just two games, Calzada was benched. He finished with 238 passing yards and two interceptions-far from the return Kentucky hoped for on their investment.
Kaidon Salter, QB, Colorado
The post-Shedeur Sanders era at Colorado was always going to be intriguing, and Deion Sanders made waves by bringing in Kaidon Salter from Liberty. On paper, it looked like a strong fit-Salter had been a star at Liberty, and Colorado needed a new leader at quarterback.
But the position remained in flux all season. Salter, Julian Lewis, and Ryan Staub all saw significant time, and while Salter played the most, he never locked down the starting job.
It was a missed opportunity for both player and program to establish continuity.
Final Thoughts
The transfer portal offers hope. It offers opportunity.
But it’s no guarantee. For every breakout success story, there are players who struggle with new systems, new surroundings, or simply bad luck.
The 2025 season gave us plenty of both-but for this group, the year didn’t go as planned. And with the portal set to open again soon, the cycle starts all over.