Who Are The Most Expensive Players In The College Football Transfer Portal By Position?

Less than one week after opening, the 2026 transfer portal window in college football is already in full swing and we’ve seen several big names throw their names into the ring.

With multi-million dollar figures being thrown around for some of the sport’s top players, it’s no surprise to see so many players exploring the opportunity.

But some players have separated themselves from the pack, setting the market at their respective positions according to On3 Sports.

In this piece, we’re taking a look at the most expensive players in the portal (including a handful who have already found their new home) by position.

Quarterback: Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati > Texas Tech) –  $3.3M

While On3 values Sorsby, a rising senior who began his career at Indiana, at $3.3 million, Texas Tech is rumored to have paid a jaw-dropping $5 million to land their new signal caller.

Sorsby lit up the Big 12 with Cincinnati each of the past two seasons. He combined for 5,613 yards, 45 touchdowns, and just 12 interceptions in that span.

He also rushed for a further 1,027 yards and 18 scores. The Red Raiders’ defense was ferocious in 2025, but quarterback Behren Morton struggled to get them over the hill against Oregon in the Orange Bowl.

While a number of defensive stars are NFL-bound, head coach Joey McGuire will hope that landing Sorsby is enough to offset that and more in 2026.

Running Back: Caleb Hawkins (North Texas > Oklahoma State) –  $730,000

Hawkins was an absolute revelation for the Mean Green as a true freshman, compiling 1,432 rushing yards and a jaw-dropping 25 touchdowns in head coach Eric Morris’ high-flying offense that nearly led North Texas to an AAC Championship and an improbable spot in the playoffs.

He also added 32 receptions for 370 yards and four touchdowns in the pass game. Now, the Shawnee, Oklahoma native follows Morris and quarterback Drew Mestemaker to Oklahoma State, where the Cowboys could immediately become a player in the Big 12.

Wide Receiver: Cam Coleman (Auburn > TBD) –  $1.8M

It’s not hard to see how Coleman, a former five-star recruit out of high school, is the highest-valued non-quarterback in the portal, according to On3.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Alabama native is a physical specimen who made 57 catches for 708 yards and five touchdowns for Auburn in 2025 despite poor quarterback play throughout the season from the Tigers.

Coleman is both a vertical threat in the pass game and a red zone threat, who uses his big body well to wall off defenders. He’ll yet again have his pick of schools to choose from when it comes to landing spots. But don’t be surprised to see him back in the SEC in 2025.

Tight End: Ben Brahmer – (Iowa State > Penn State) –  $382,000

Brahmer, at 6-foot-7, 255 pounds, is just the latest big-time tight end to come out of the Iowa State program after Charlie Kolar was a three-time All-Big 12 selection for the Cyclones.

The Nebraska native caught 37 passes for 446 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, and now he’ll follow head coach Matt Campbell to yet another tight end factory, Penn State.

There, he’ll partner with redshirt sophomore tight end Rappleyea to form one of the top tight end duos in the nation, which is especially notable considering how often offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser likes to use two and three-tight-end sets.

Offensive Tackle: Jacarrius Peak – (NC State > TBD) – ~$1.5M

Big bodies with a lot of experience and great feet aren’t easy to find in the transfer portal, which makes former NC State right tackle Jacarrius Peak all the more valuable.

The rising senior played in nearly 40 games for the Wolfpack, and this past season, he allowed just two sacks in 486 pass blocking snaps. Peak can play either right tackle, which he did for NC State, or slide inside to guard, which many expect he’ll do at the next level.

While he hasn’t found a landing spot yet, the LSU Tigers have been heavily linked to the honorable mention All-ACC player.

Offensive Guard: Carius Curne (LSU > TBD) – $413,000

On the other side of that coin, the Tigers look set to lose Carius Curne, who is entering the portal after just one season in Baton Rouge, despite LSU’s best efforts to prevent him from doing so.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive linemen, who can play either tackle or guard, like Peak, had visits lined up to Arkansas and Georgia, although LSU has yet to process his paperwork allowing him to officially enter the portal and take visits.

Once he does, however, Curne will undoubtedly be one of the hottest commodities in the portal, especially given he has three years of eligibility remaining.

Defensive End: John Henry Daley – (Utah > TBD) – ~$1.2M

An injury cut John Henry Daley’s redshirt sophomore season short and kept him from playing in the Utes’ bowl game. But up until that point, he absolutely terrorized the Big 12.

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end out of Highland, Utah, began his career at BYU before joining the Utes in the portal in 2024. He then proceeded to rack up 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in just 11 games in 2025, earning him All-American honors and establishing himself as one of the nation’s top defensive ends.

Both Michigan and Notre Dame are among the top contenders in the portal for Daley, who could be a big-time NFL Draft prospect in 2027 with another strong season.

Defensive Tackle: Mateen Ibirogba – (Wake Forest > TBD) – $1M

Like on the offensive line, big bodies on the defensive line, particularly those who play with leverage and explosiveness, are highly coveted in the transfer portal.

Ibirogba started 12 games for Wake Forest in 2025 and recorded 21 tackles, 3.5 of which were for a loss, and a pair of sacks.

The redshirt junior began his career at FCS Georgetown and will have just one year of eligibility remaining. But that won’t keep him from being one of the most coveted defensive prospects in the portal regardless of position.

Linebacker: Rasheem Biles – (Pitt > TBD)  – ~$500,000

Biles initially had visits to both Miami and Ohio State lined up. But now it seems as if those visits have been placed on hold.

It’s not hard to see why the Hurricanes and Buckeyes would be interested in the second-team All-ACC selection. While he’s listed at just 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, the junior linebacker brings plenty of thump to his game and recorded 101 combined tackles in 2025, including 17 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Biles is also more than capable in pass defense, notching a pair of interceptions this past season.

Cornerback: Jontez Williams – (Iowa State > USC) – $518,000

On3 values Williams, a Florida native who played in just five games before suffering a season-ending injury in 2025, at $518,000. But it wouldn’t be surprising to find out that the top-rated cornerback in the portal landed a deal that exceeds that value when he committed to USC recently.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior is a physical corner who can also flip his hips and run with the best of them. In 14 games for Iowa State in 2024, he recorded 46 tackles and hauled in four interceptions, showing an eye for the ball while also adding a level of physicality you don’t always see at his position.

Safety: Koi Perich – (Minnesota > TBD) – $1M

Perich was a superstar for the in-state Gophers as a true freshman in 2024.

The former top-100 recruit stayed at home rather than heading out of state to any number of big-time programs, and showed exactly why he was highly coveted, hauling in five interceptions to go along with 46 tackles, 2.5 of which came for a loss.

This past season, Perich took on more of a two-way role for the Gophers, and while his ball-hawking abilities on defense may have taken a dip, he was still plenty active, making 86 combined tackles.

Now, he’s set to hit the opening market, and Miami, led by former Minnesota defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, sounds like the favored destination, although others, like Oregon, are making a play for the former freshman All-American.