Ranking the top transfers in the College Football Playoff era reveals the significant impact these players have had on their new teams. Just over four years ago, Quinn Ewers made headlines when he decommitted from his hometown Texas Longhorns to join Ohio State, shaking the college football landscape.
Ewers, a standout quarterback and the top-ranked recruit in the 2022 class, made the bold choice to skip his senior year of high school, reclassify to the 2021 class, and enroll early at Ohio State. This decision allowed him to participate in preseason practice, setting the stage for his collegiate journey.
Upon arriving in Columbus in August 2021, Ewers faced challenges as he found himself lower on the Buckeyes’ depth chart during his freshman season. Ultimately, he chose to return home to Texas, joining Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns. Now a 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior from Southlake, Texas, Ewers has emerged as one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks. He will face his former team when the fifth-seeded Longhorns (13-2) take on the eighth-seeded Buckeyes (12-2) in the Cotton Bowl, a pivotal College Football Playoff semifinal.
Ewers is not alone in this high-stakes matchup; Ohio State’s roster features several notable players who have also transferred. Among them is All-American safety Caleb Downs, who has made a name for himself this season after transferring from Alabama.
Since the College Football Playoff’s inception in 2014, many standout transfers have left their mark. Who are some of the most impactful players to have participated in the CFP during this time?
Here’s a look at the top 10 transfers of the CFP era:
* This list includes only players who have participated in the College Football Playoff
10. Quinn Ewers: Ohio State to Texas
Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns holds the trophy after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
9. Dillon Gabriel: UCF to Oklahoma to Oregon
Dillon Gabriel of the Oregon Ducks celebrates winning the Big Ten Championship following the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Gabriel stands out as the only player on this list to have transferred twice. He began his college career at UCF in 2019, then moved to Oklahoma in 2022, and finally landed at Oregon in 2023. Gabriel’s impressive performance led the Ducks to an undefeated 13-0 season before they were eliminated by Ohio State in the CFP quarterfinals. In the last season, he threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns, achieving a remarkable 72.9% completion rate. This achievement also made him the all-time leader in career total touchdowns in FBS history, with 187. Gabriel earned first-team All-American honors and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.
8. Jameson Williams: Ohio State to Alabama
Jameson Williams of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after diving for a touchdown against the Arkansas Razorbacks. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Williams made a significant move from Ohio State to Alabama, where he had an exceptional season after transferring ahead of the 2021 season. During his time in Alabama, he recorded an impressive 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the SEC in all major receiving categories and earning first-team All-American recognition.
7. Caleb Downs: Alabama to Ohio State
6. Justin Fields: Georgia to Ohio State
Justin Fields of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on during the first quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
