Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program. Consistent College Football Playoff contenders such as Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State have shown the importance of elite high school talent that can be developed from within.
Not everyone can take the same path, though, and many roads can lead to success on the field. The transfer portal has changed how programs build rosters.
Some schools have gone all-in looking to overhaul and infuse their roster with experienced talented via transfers, while others lean more heavily on traditional prep recruiting using the portal more sparingly.
So we rank the top 25 groups of newcomers — recruits and transfers combined — based on who could see the most impactful immediate returns for 2023. Top impact newcomers: WR Zachariah Branch (No.