Graham Mertz, Dasan McCullough Lead Top 5 Big Ten Transfer Portal Entries

The opening day of transfer portal season led to a litany of entries all across the country. Let's break down the top five players from the Big Ten who are looking for new homes.

#5: Michael Dixon

Safety, Minnesota

Dixon was a surprise entrance for head coach PJ Fleck in the transfer portal yesterday. "Flip" Dixon was expected to be a starting safety in Minnesota's 2023 defense, but it leaves a giant hole of who will be complementing all-conference safety Tyler Nubin. 

Dixon was one of six Gophers to enter the portal. The others are defensive linemen Austin Booker, Gage Keys, defensive backs Jalen Glaze and Steven Ortiz and offensive lineman Cameron James.

Potential Landing Spots

Dixon had two Power 5 offers during his recruitment: Minnesota and Syracuse. The Statesboro, GA native has a relationship with outgoing Minnesota linebacker Gage Keys, who recently picked up an official offer from Virginia Tech, who has a pair of starting safeties with senior experience. 

I would also look for Dixon to leave the league and potential seek suitors close to home and look at a Florida or Georgia Tech who are looking to add quality players.

#4: Jestin Jacobs

Linebacker, Iowa

Of the Top 5 listed here, Jacobs departure might have been the most shocking. 

“Once we get this thing figured out, we got to look at the future and what opportunities are there,” said Iowa linebackers coach Seth Wallace of Jacobs departure. “I don’t want to speak for Jestin, but I do expect him to stick around for another year and double down on his opportunity and help lead this team from a veteran standpoint. We’ll obviously have some fresh faces out there next year in the linebacker room. So, I think there’s a positive outlook on it.”

With Jack Campbell and Seth Benson heading the NFL, Iowa will be in the market for linebackers. 

Potential Landing Spots

Jacobs suffered an undisclosed injury against South Dakota State that required season-ending surgery earlier this year, so his first task is to be able to demonstrate that he won't have any long-term issues from the injury. The former four-star needs to demonstrate he still possesses that elite playmaking ability that earned him offers from powerhouses like Ohio State and Michigan State as a prep.

Kentucky might be a potential suitor and spot for Jacobs as they lose 2 linebackers from the strong and weak side in their two-deep and with how Mark Stoops develops pass rushing linebackers, it would be an ideal fit between the two.

#3: Erick All

Tight End, Michigan

It's odd that a team captain of an undefeated team in the College Football Playoff would enter the Transfer Portal. But that oddity became a reality when tight end Erick All entered the portal. 

All had an undisclosed season ending injury in September that has been reported by All as a "life changing" surgery in October that put him out indefinitely. 

Potential Landing Spots

As Cade McNamara hit the portal, so did all his roommates at Michigan as tight ends All and Louis Henson. And with McNamara heading to Iowa, it makes all the sense in the world for him to follow. He has rapport with McNamara and was an all-conference performer in Michigan's 2021 Big Ten Championship season with McNamara at quarterback. 

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Throw in Iowa's ability to develop tight ends in the Ferentz era, and it's a perfect match. All can be the next in a long line of NFL-ready tight ends after a year refining his skills in Iowa City.

#2: Graham Mertz

Quarterback, Wisconsin 

The much-maligned Mertz, a former five-star quarterback, sunset his tumultuous ride in Madison by entering the transfer portal. Despite the hype as Wisconsin's best ever recruit at the position, he did not quite live up to the expectations Badgers fans put on him.

With Paul Chryst unceremoniously fired during the season, how Wisconsin approached the coaching search, a potential uneasy relationship with Jim Leonhard, and now a new coach in Luke Fickell arriving, Mertz's exit demonstrates a desire to find a more stable situation and a fresh start.

Potential Landing Spot? 

As a prep, Mertz received offers from blue bloods Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee,  Oregon, and many others as one of the top three quarterbacks in the class of 2019, alongside Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels.

Notre Dame seems to be a spot former Wisconsin quarterbacks end up, and with an elite offensive line and running game present and truly missing a capable quarterback it might be a spot for Mertz to look. Illinois was also rumored to have had his family in town earlier in the week for a visit.

To me, however, he should look at three other spots if he wants to maximize potential as a passer.

Oklahoma State is another lead suitor with Spencer Sanders hitting the portal, Mike Gundy may look to upgrade the quarterback position with Mertz.

With former Oregon offensive coordinator taking the Arizona State job, and the work he did in molding Bo Nix into a hot commodity, Mertz may look to at the Sun Devils as a potential landing spot. 

Lastly, the Kansas native may look to go home again and compete against Jalon Daniels with the Jayhawks. For Lance Leipold, the depth behind Daniels is non-existent on the current roster and two years of eligibility remaining, he could be the missing link for Leipold.

#1: Dasan McCullough

Linebacker, Indiana

2020 seems to be a distant memory for Tom Allen, as his program continues to crater around him. The highest rated recruit in Indiana history is the latest death blow for the Hoosier program as former four-star edge rusher Dasan McCullough announced his departure yesterday. 

McCullough possesses a 6'5" frame with fantastic length, but still has the capacity to add more strength to make him an elite disruptor off the edge. McCullough has excellent burst and instincts to benefit where he is going. 

Potential Landing Spot? 

247's Crystal Ball is projecting McCullough will land with Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners. Venables was his primary recruiter when Clemson pursued him and the relationship makes sense for both sides. 

However, his younger brother, Daeh, a four-star safety in the current senior class is currently committed to Cincinnati. Rumors of the two of them as a package deal have been floated, and while it's unlikely that the younger McCullough stays committed to the Bearcats with the departure of Luke Fickell and the entire recruiting staff, there are sure to be other schools in the mix for both of them.