{"id":695903,"date":"2026-01-22T08:46:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/695903\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T08:46:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:46:28","slug":"fcs-transfers-who-could-impact-next-years-college-football-playoff-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/695903\/","title":{"rendered":"FCS transfers who could impact next year’s College Football Playoff race"},"content":{"rendered":"

The transfer portal gives, and the transfer portal takes. While we won\u2019t get to watch some of the top talent in the FCS compete at their former schools anymore, they could still lead their new FBS teams on postseason runs.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 former FCS players who transferred up to the FBS and could have an instant-impact.<\/p>\n

The secret to Indiana going back-to-back?<\/p>\n

\tCB Carson Williams \u2014 Montana State to Indiana<\/p>\n

We saw the impact a cornerback can have for an Indiana defense with D\u2019Angelo Ponds during 2025\u2019s championship run. With Ponds off to the NFL, in comes Carson Williams from defending FCS Champion Montana State. Williams was a freshman All-American for the Bobcats during their title run.<\/p>\n

Running back CharMar Brown went from winning a national title at NDSU to playing for a national title with Miami. Could Williams follow a similar path?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Full finish: CHAOTIC 4Q ending, FIRST-EVER FCS title game overtime<\/p>\n

Does Texas Tech\u2019s next star hail from an HBCU?<\/p>\n

\tWR Jalen Jones \u2014 Alabama State to Texas Tech<\/p>\n

Texas Tech will have to replace some key figures in the wide receiver room after a College Football Playoff run. Seniors Reggie Virgil and Caleb Douglas have gone to the NFL. Only Coy Eakin returns as a starter.<\/p>\n

Even if former five-star recruit Micah Hudson fills in as a starter, there\u2019s still one more opening at wide receiver.<\/p>\n

In comes Jalen Jones, the electrifying playmaker from Alabama State. Jones was the best receiver in all of HBCU football last year. He could take on a big role for the Red Raiders as they try to go back-to-back as Big 12 champions.<\/p>\n

The next Trinidad Chambliss?<\/p>\n

\tQB Landen Clark \u2014 Elon to LSU<\/p>\n

Lane Kiffin allowed a quarterback from a small school to take over for a presumed starter in 2025, and it led Ole Miss to a CFP berth. Now at LSU, Kiffin could be seeing deja vu with Landen Clark in town.<\/p>\n

While Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt is the expected starter in 2026, Landen Clark could see playing time. If Trinidad Chambliss proved anything under Kiffin, it\u2019s that he\u2019s going with the player that gives him the best shot to win.<\/p>\n

Clark finished 6th in Jerry Rice Award voting for national freshman of the year. He has the talent to step up at LSU.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Trinidad Chambliss highlights: All 18 TDs in Ferris State’s DII football title run<\/p>\n

The key to James Madison making consecutive CFP appearances?<\/p>\n

\tRB Nick Herman \u2014 Drake to James Madison<\/p>\n

James Madison made the College Football Playoff for the first time last year. Then, leading running back Wayne Knight entered the transfer portal,<\/p>\n

In comes Nick Herman from Drake. Herman earned Freshman All-American honors after rushing for over 1,000 yards.<\/p>\n

The next Cam Skattebo?<\/p>\n

\tRB Marquis Gillis \u2014 Delaware State to Arizona State
\n\tRB David Avit \u2014 Villanova to Arizona State<\/p>\n

Two years ago, Arizona State made the playoffs behind a former FCS running back in Cam Skattebo. It might be time for coach Kenny Dillingham to run it back.<\/p>\n

In comes Marquis Gillis and David Avit. Gillis led Delaware State to the nation\u2019s top rushing attack under first-time head coach DeSean Jackson. Avit has plenty of playoff experience in the backfield at Villanova.<\/p>\n

Whichever one gets the job is more than capable of having a Skattebo-like impact at Arizona State.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Cam Skattebo’s 193-yard day in 2022 FCS quarterfinals<\/p>\n

The next FCS QB superstar?<\/p>\n

\tQB Jaden Craig \u2014 Harvard to TCU<\/p>\n

Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders lit up college football after transferring from the FCS. Now it could be time for Jaden Craig to do the same.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Craig transfers to TCU from Harvard, turning down a likely selection in the NFL draft. With the Crimson, he was a top FCS quarterback leading Harvard to its first FCS playoff appearance.<\/p>\n

TCU hasn\u2019t been to the CFP since 2023. Jaden Craig could be the answer.<\/p>\n

The country\u2019s best running back committee?<\/p>\n

\tRB Joshua Dye \u2014 Southern Utah to Ole Miss
\n\tRB Xai\u2019Shaun Edwards \u2014 Houston Christian to Missouri<\/p>\n

Ole Miss has Kewan Lacy returning. Missouri has Ahmad Hardy returning. Both SEC programs return their top star running backs, but they brought in some good competition.<\/p>\n

Joshua Dye and Xai\u2019Shaun Edwards are two of the best in the FCS at the running back position. As Ole Miss and Missouri try to make postseason runs in 2026, Dye and Edwards could have some big-time moments.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t believe me? Ask Miami how important former FCS running back CharMar Brown was to its playoff run, even with Mark Fletcher Jr. already on the roster. You can never have too much depth in the backfield.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

CharMar Brown’s FCS playoff highlights at NDSU<\/p>\n

NDSU makes it to Nashville?<\/p>\n

\tOL Beau Johnson \u2014 North Dakota State to Vanderbilt<\/p>\n

If you would\u2019ve told Beau Johnson that he\u2019d be playing in Vanderbilt\u2019s stadium in 2026, he\u2019d probably assume you meant it would be for the FCS title.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny how life works. Johnson will still make it to Nashville, but instead, he\u2019ll be wearing a Vanderbilt jersey, trying to lead the Commodores to a national title.<\/p>\n

Johnson was one of the best offensive linemen in the FCS last season, earning FCS All-American honors. North Dakota State has a long history of NFL-quality offensive linemen. The Commodores will hope Johnson brings that pedigree to the Music City.
\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The transfer portal gives, and the transfer portal takes. While we won\u2019t get to watch some of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":695904,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[1336,1680,1343,995,28545,7,976,347,63389,932,944,978,1684,2806,49,48,2807,899,1710,6129,2299,2286,5947],"class_list":["post-695903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ncaa-football","tag-alabama-st","tag-arizona-st","tag-delaware-st","tag-drake","tag-elon","tag-football","tag-harvard","tag-homepage","tag-houston-christian","tag-indiana","tag-james-madison","tag-lsu","tag-missouri","tag-montana-st","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-football","tag-north-dakota-st","tag-ole-miss","tag-southern-utah","tag-tcu","tag-texas-tech","tag-vanderbilt","tag-villanova"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115937883545039002","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/695903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=695903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/695903\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/695904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=695903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=695903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=695903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}