College Football

Travis Hunter, Cade McNamara highlight Joel Klatt's most interesting transfers

Updated Jan. 24, 2023 12:36 p.m. ET

This past Thursday marked a monumental day in the college football offseason as the inaugural transfer portal window came to a close after a 45-day open period.

During that time period, more than 3,000 players entered the transfer portal, according to ESPN.

Standouts across the country found new destinations to call home. But of those 3,000-plus players, which ones stood out above the rest?

FOX Sports' Joel Klatt shared his five most interesting transfers on the latest episode of his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show."

5. Dorian Singer, WR, USC

Previous team: Arizona

2022 stats: 66 receptions, 1,015 receiving yards, six touchdowns

Klatt's thoughts: "When you're replacing Jordan Addison, this makes you interesting because USC doesn't seem to have improved themselves all that dramatically through recruiting or in the transfer portal on the defensive side. What does that mean? It means that [Jordan] Addison needs to be replaced on the outside, and it looks like that replacement is Dorian Singer, an excellent player from Arizona. It makes him incredibly important for the incumbent Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams. He's a guy that’s gonna have to have a big year if USC wants to go where they wanna go."

4. Cade McNamara, QB, Iowa

Previous team: Michigan

2022 stats: 56% completion percentage, 180 passing yards, one passing touchdown, one interception

Klatt's thoughts: "If they get just average QB play at some point … they are immediately a top-15 team in college football. And this is a conference that is going to be sticking with divisions for at least another year, which means that Iowa lands themselves on the much easier side of the bracket. They could easily find themselves competing for a Big Ten championship against the winner of the East. And it starts with, do you get some quality QB play? Cade McNamara is so interesting to me because of what Iowa does defensively. This is one of the best defenses in the country every single year, and if he can play well at all, Iowa is gonna be a really good team."

Joel Klatt's five most interesting transfers

Joel Klatt beaks down the five most interesting players to enter college football's transfer portal during the first open window.

3. Dasan McCullough, LB, Oklahoma

Previous team: Indiana

2022 stats: 48 tackles, three passes defended, four sacks

Klatt's thoughts: "He was Indiana's highest-rated recruit that ever signed with them. He is a legacy guy. This dude can absolutely play. I was thoroughly impressed with him. Now he's going to Oklahoma … a team that I think can really flip next year. All the close losses that they had … well, what do you need to flip close losses into wins? Better health, but it's usually just stealing a possession here or there. Rush the QB a little better. This guy can rush the quarterback. He might be able to steal a possession by getting a turnover."

2. Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame

Previous team: Wake Forest

2022 stats: 63.1% completion percentage, 3,701 passing yards, 38 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions

Klatt's thoughts: "He is one of the most productive players in the history of college football, certainly in the ACC. He is now headed over to Notre Dame. That’s interesting to me because Notre Dame was similar to Iowa because I felt, if they got any quality QB play, then they were going to be in games and possibly winning games. This is a team that I think has been built really well at the line of scrimmage. So if you can get a guy like Hartman, he might very well be the transfer QB of this class and could turn Notre Dame around. Think of Caleb Williams at USC and Michael Penix at Washington. Maybe [Sam] Hartman can be that type of catalyst for Notre Dame next season."

1. Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado

Previous team: Jackson State

2022 stats: 19 tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions

Klatt's thoughts: "He was the first domino. What Deion [Sanders] is building at Colorado could pay dividends way quicker than all of us expect. As soon as he committed, everyone around the country realized, ‘OK, this is real. Alright, Deion is real at Colorado. This is gonna be something we have to contend with. This is gonna be a team that can be very good.’ Other players thought to themselves, ‘OK I want to go there.’ So now, Travis Hunter is going to be on one side and Cormani McClain is gonna be on the other. This is going to be considered one of the best cornerback duos in all of college football, playing in a conference that is the best quarterback conference in all of college football next year."

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