1. Carson Steele (Ball State to UCLA)
The skinny: Once the transfer portal window opened, replacing Zach Charbonnet was a huge priority for the Bruins. They accomplished their task extremely well by adding Steele, who did not receive the national attention that some of the other portal running backs did but excelled at Ball State with 1,556 and 14 touchdowns during the 2022 season. He also proved reliable in the passing game with 29 receptions. Look for him to become an immediate weapon in Chip Kelly’s offense.
2. Treshaun Ward (Florida State to Kansas State)
The skinny: Replacing dynamic back Deuce Vaughn with one player will be nearly impossible for the Wildcats, but they took their shot by adding Ward. Sharing carries the last two seasons, he still totaled 1,143 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. He also had 28 receptions during this time. Ward will be given every opportunity to become an integral part of the Kansas State offense this fall.
3. Dillon Johnson (Mississippi State to Washington)
The skinny: The Huskies will have a few realistic options in the backfield, but the addition of Johnson likely shoots him to the top. A 20-game starter with the Bulldogs, he totaled 1,198 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, and also impressed in the passing game with 149 receptions for 864 yards. His arrival is hoped to soften the loss of Wayne Taulapapa, who became a pivotal part of the Huskies offense in 2022 after his transfer in from Virginia.
4. Sean Tyler (Western Michigan to Minnesota)
The skinny: Tyler is the second MAC running back transfer on this list who has the potential to make an important impact this fall at the P5 level. While smaller in stature than Steele, Tyler excelled at Western Michigan with 2,177 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns during the last two seasons. However, even with the departure of star running back Mohamed Ibrahim, the cupboard isn’t bare in Minneapolis, as both Trey Potts and Bryce Williams will return. Despite the competition, Tyler, who flipped his commitment from Oklahoma State to Minnesota, is too dynamic of a player to keep off the field, so look for him to steadily become an integral part of the Gophers offense this fall.
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5. MarShawn Lloyd (South Carolina to USC)
The skinny: This move might be equally important and interesting. While Lloyd’s addition to the Trojans is a big one, he also joins a backfield that is far from empty on talent. Austin Jones recently announced that he would return for the 2023 seasons after rushing for 705 yards and five touchdowns, while Raleek Brown, a true freshman, flashed his star potential in limited action. Lloyd does have the talent to earn his way to the top of this group, so it will be interesting to watch this trifecta during the spring and summer.
