Ranking the best players in the college football transfer portal - ESPN

After weeks of anticipation and early announcements, the NCAA transfer portal is now officially open for college football players.

The offseason transfer portal window for FBS and FCS players opened at midnight ET on Jan. 2 and extends through Jan. 16. There's no spring transfer period this year, so teams have one big chance to get their rosters right for 2026.

Which players are emerging as the most coveted and poised to make a major impact next season? Here are ESPN's rankings of the top players in the portal, along with scouting reports provided by Steve Muench and Tom Luginbill.

We'll update these rankings frequently throughout January as more high-profile players enter the portal and make commitments. These rankings are based on production, experience, potential, demand and feedback from coaches and general managers throughout the sport.

Transferring from: Cincinnati
Years remaining: 1
HT: 6-3 | WT: 235 | Class: Redshirt junior

Background: The former Indiana transfer developed into one of the top passers in college football at Cincinnati. He's a terrific dual-threat playmaker who produced 5,613 passing yards plus 1,027 rushing yards over his two seasons with the Bearcats, totaling 63 touchdowns and 16 turnovers. Sorsby was a top-10 QB this season in QBR and PFF grading and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches.

Sorsby led Cincinnati to a 7-1 start, climbing to No. 17 in the AP Top 25 and getting the Bearcats into the Big 12 title race entering November. He ranked third in the conference in total offense with 3,380 yards, 36 TDs and only five interceptions. Sorsby could enter the NFL draft if he receives first-round feedback, but this transfer should make him one of the highest-paid QBs in