BIG 12's Top Ten Portal Additions

Written by Carter Ball and Logan Rutter

Tracking the top 10 most impactful portal commitments of the BIG 12 offseason so far.

1. Kaidon Salter (Liberty → Colorado)

After the departure of Shedeur Sanders to the NFL, Colorado has a new face at the QB position: Kaidon Salter. Salter was ranked as a top ten QB in the '21 class out of high school, and after facing legal trouble shortly after his arrival at Tennessee, he made the decision to transfer to Liberty. Salter's 2023 season at Liberty was his breakout year. After putting up nearly 3,000 passing yards and over 1,000 rushing yards, Salter put his name in the portal following the 2023 season. However, he chose to withdraw his name and return for 2024 at Liberty. Salter's stats would regress significantly during the 2024 season, most notably his rushing stats dropping by more than 50% from 2023. Despite a statistical regression in 2024 while fighting injury, Salter provides a strong dual-threat option at QB for the Buffaloes and serves as the perfect bridge QB before Julian Lewis, the Buffs' 2025 QB recruit who reclassed from 2026, takes the reins. Look for Salter to become a top QB in next year's draft class.

2. Kanye Udoh (Army → ASU)

ASU returns two future first-rounders on offense: Sam Leavitt and Jordan Tyson. However, after losing the group's leader and focal point of the offense, Cam Skattebo, the Sun Devils have huge shoes to fill. After picking up Udoh, who put up 1,100+ rushing yards last year at Army, the Sun Devils believe they have filled these shoes perfectly and are positioned to defend their 2024 BIG 12 title. Expect Udoh to put up another 1,000+ yard season - 10/10 fit.

3. Connor Weigman (A&M → Houston)

While #3 may be a little high for a guy that has underperformed in his career to date, Weigman transferred from Texas A&M to Houston to show the world why he was a five-star out of high school. Despite being beat out by Marcel Reed and pushed to the portal in Aggieland, Weigman has shown signs of greatness, most notably his 18/22, 276-yard performance against then top ten Missouri. After leaving the pressure cooker the SEC is for so many top players, look for Weigman to revive his career in a Kyle McCord-esque manner and become a top statistical QB in the country next year.

4. David Bailey (Stanford → Texas Tech)

Texas Tech has had a huge offseason centered around the portal. The Red Raiders boast the conference's top ranked portal class and have even received allegations from sources such as Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti accusing the team of spending more than $20 million on their roster. The prized possession of this expensive class for Texas Tech is David Bailey. Bailey entered the portal shortly after the coaching change at Stanford and serves as an immediate starter at EDGE after boasting 111 tackles and 15 sacks in three years at Stanford. It is yet to be known if the team's expensive portal class will result in on-field success, but look for Bailey to put up double-digit sacks in Lubbock this season.

5. Jalen Moss (Fresno State → ASU)

Moss, a Bay Area native and alumnus of Menlo-Atherton, broke out in a huge way for the Bulldogs last season. With 100+ career catches and 1,000+ yards in two seasons for the Bulldogs, Moss received interest from a plethora of P4 programs. Jalen hauled in 6 catches for 97 yards in Week 1 against Michigan last season while lined up against Will Johnson and has proved himself against top competition whenever given the chance. Moss looks to complement projected first-round WR Jordan Tyson as one of the Sun Devils' top targets. Likely out of the slot, expect Moss to become a household name in Tempe this year as one of Sam Leavitt's top targets.

6. Walker White (Auburn → Baylor)

After one of the worst seasons from a QB in recent memory for Payton Thorne, Auburn's QB from last season, the refusal to give then true freshman Walker White a shot led to his portal entrance this winter. White, a top ten QB in the 2024 class, enters a Baylor team that has centered their offseason around offense. White is the favorite to start and prove why he was so highly ranked out of high school. While he is an unknown, expect White to prove himself this year and push Baylor to contend in a wide-open BIG 12.

7. Zaquan Patterson (Miami → Oklahoma State)

While I don't know if the decision to leave the U was great for Patterson personally, it is undeniable that the addition of one of the 2024 recruiting class's top ten safeties, who played in every game as a true freshman at Miami, is huge for an Oklahoma State defense that allowed nearly 30 points per game last year. Look for Patterson to become a top safety in the country this year.

8. Wayshawn Parker (Washington State → Utah)

Utah had a rough season last year behind then-true freshman QB Isaac Wilson. The team became one-dimensional and proved that relying on a true freshman QB to win games is not a winning formula. After retaining Wilson and adding portal reinforcements at WR, the Utes look to get back to the formula that cemented them as a top program in the Pac-12 before the destruction of the conference. The addition of Parker, who put up nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards as a true freshman at WSU, creates one of the youngest backfields in the country in Salt Lake City. Utah's elite coaching staff will always put the group in contention in a wide-open BIG 12, and if Wilson and Parker can deliver, expect the Utes to find themselves in the playoff hunt.

9. Luke Wysong (New Mexico → Arizona)

Following a rough year for the Wildcats, the departure of top ten WR Tetairoa McMillan puts the group in danger of an even rougher season. However, after returning Noah Fifita, who was once projected as a first-round QB, the Wildcats look to capitalize on second-year HC Brent Brennan's first full offseason in Tucson. Wysong hauled in 69 catches for 840 yards at New Mexico last season, and if he can duplicate these stats against P4 competition, Wysong will give the Wildcats a much-needed third-down receiving option out of the slot.

10. Kobe Prentice (Alabama → Baylor)

Prentice, who was limited statistically in 2024 following the breakout of Ryan Williams, established himself as a top deep threat in the country in 2023, when he averaged 17 yards per reception as Alabama's starting slot WR. Prentice's decision to transfer to Baylor is reminiscent of another past Alabama WR transfer, Ja'Corey Brooks, who transferred to Louisville from Bama after 2022 and became the Cardinals' WR1. I expect a similar jump for Prentice and for him to establish himself as new Bear QB Walker White's go-to option out of the slot.