ACC transfers to watch 2021

McKenzie Milton, QB, Florida State

Not very long ago, McKenzie Milton was the talk of college football. He burst onto the scene and led UCF to an undefeated season. He has also twice finished in the top 10 for Heisman voting and won two AAC Offensive Player of the Year Awards. He broke many school records, then suffered a career-threatening injury just as the NFL seemed to be loudly calling. Now at FSU, his health status is unknown. If he is healthy enough to play, the Seminoles have one of the steals from the transfer portal.

Garrett Shrader, QB, Syracuse

Syracuse needs a lot of help after last season, particularly on offense. Shrader will likely win the starting quarterback job as he is an upgrade over the incumbent Tommy DeVito. Shrader is well built for the quarterback position. He is tall at 6'4" and can excel as both a passer and a runner. Mississippi State even tried playing him as a receiver. As a freshman, Shrader played in ten games with four starts and was one of three freshmen quarterbacks to throw for 1,000 yards and run for 500 at the FBS level. Any semblance of that play will be a God-send for the Orange.

Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina

One way to replace two of your program's top 15 all-time leading rushers is to bring in a transfer who is in the top 20 in his old program's record books. That's exactly what UNC has pulled off here with Chandler, who ranks 17th all-time in rushing yards and 5th in all-purpose yards at Tennessee. It is not very often you get a player with that kind of pedigree to transfer into your program. Chandler is a great addition and should make a difference for the Tar Heels.

DJ Williams, RB, Florida State

Jashaun Corbin figures to be RB1 in Tallahassee, but the Seminoles also bring in a good player to be his No. 2. Williams played in 19 games at Auburn and tallied 599 yards and five touchdowns in a limited role. His role at Florida State should be more expansive than his previous role and allow him to make an impact.

Devin Darrington, RB, Virginia

Darrington comes to Charlottesville after an illustrious career at Harvard. Although it was a lower playing level, Darrington was an All-Ivy League player with over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns in 22 games. Starter Wayne Taulapapa does return, but don't be surprised if Darrington has a significant role by season's end.

Alec Sinkfield, RB, Boston College

Sinkfield was the primary backup at West Virginia and should play a similar role for Boston College. Senior Travis Levy will team with him to form a formidable duo for the Eagles. The Boston College scheme does involve more running than West Virginia, so look for Sinkfiled to improve his total yardage if he keeps up his 4.2 YPC.

Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami

Rambo was one of the leaders of the Oklahoma receiving corps and could have turned pro if he wanted to. Instead, he decided to transfer to Miami, which is quickly building up an offensive machine. Rambo already has 1,180 career receiving yards and brings a new dimension of speed to the Miami receivers. Attempting to account for both he and quarterback D'Eriq King could cause nightmares for opposing defenses.

Bryan Hudson, C/G, Louisville

Intra-conference transfer from Virginia Tech. Hudson started as a freshman for the Hokies and was a key player along the offensive front in 21 games over the course of two years. He's a former four-star recruit and college Freshman All-American. While Cole Bentley is returning as the starting center, Hudson has a chance to start at one of the guard spots and provides flexibility if injuries occur.

Johnny Jordan, C, Virginia Tech

With Hudson leaving, the Hokies are bringing in a veteran at the center spot. Johnny Jordan played a big role on the Maryland offensive line for four years and was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten for his play in 2020. He may be a better pass blocker than run blocker at this point, but he will definitely help VA Tech's offense.

Brian Foley, G, Duke

Another transfer from the FCS level who could make an impact. Foley is a grad transfer from Holy Cross, where he started for three years at left tackle. He is a three-time All-Patriot League player and earned All-American honors in the shortened 2020 season. He will be making the move to guard for the Blue Devils, which may cause some struggles with adjustments, but Duke is a great spot for a lower-level transfer to make a mark.

Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech

Transferring from Old Dominion with two years of eligibility remaining. White was a key player for the Monarchs. The team opted not to play in 2020, but White finished 2019 as an All-Conference USA player and was among the nation's leaders in TFL. Georgia Tech doesn't have a great defense and he will definitely get a chance to make an impact this season.

Jordan Williams, DT, Virginia Tech

Another intra-conference transfer and one of two experienced DTs to depart from the Clemson program this offseason. Williams should be an instant impact player for the Hokies. As a former linebacker, he has extreme athletic potential for the position. He has played in 38 games and had a key role on a National Championship team as part of the defensive line rotation and should be a standout for Virginia Tech.

Keir Thomas, DT, Florida State

Thomas is one of the more accomplished transfers in this cycle with five years of experience, 32 starts, and 142 career tackles. He'll be looking to take advantage of his sixth season. He is an underrated pass-rusher and excels at stopping plays in the backfield. It might be a difficult season for the Seminoles, but Thomas will be a bright spot.

Jermaine Johnson, LB, Florida State

Jermaine Johnson joined Georgia in 2019 as one of the top junior college recruits in the country. He played well in a limited role during that first season and became a key pass-rusher in 2020. That should be his calling card for FSU, and he could become a star if he continues his current progression rate.

Isaiah Graham-Mobley, LB, Boston College

Graham-Mobley is a great addition for Boston College. The Eagles lose a majority of last year's linebacker corps and add a guy who has been a productive college player. His best season was in 2019, but he is a tackling machine and should excel in this defense. He was one of the players to earn a single-digit number for Temple, which is something the team only gives to its best, most respected players. He's a guy who can take on a leadership role.

Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami

Stevenson has two years of eligibility left and has seen plenty of college action. He played in 24 games at Georgia with four starts and made 47 tackles along with 10 pass breakups. Adding a young player who played a key role for one of the SEC's best defenses so early in his career will be huge for the Hurricanes. He's already projected as a starter by Ourlads entering the season.

Ayinde Eley, LB, Georgia Tech

Eley is a graduate transfer who started sporadically at Maryland over the course of three years. He had a breakout season in 2019 that culminated in an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection. He didn't see the same amount of playing time in 2020, but a fresh start could be exactly what he needs. Could be an excellent addition next to Quez Jackson.

Kenderick Duncan, S, Louisville

All-Sun Belt Conference player transferring to a bigger program. Duncan started for two years at Georgia Southern and earned those honors in both seasons. Decent coverage skills with a willingness to play the run and sure tackling. Over 100 career tackles and six interceptions, which bodes well for the Cardinals' defense.

Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State

Robinson was part of a loaded secondary at South Carolina in 2020. He played a significant role immediately for the Gamecocks and became a Freshman All-American and All-SEC player. He's a tackling machine with a knack for breaking up passes and can play both safety and nickel positions. In a very inexperienced secondary, Robinson will be looked at as a leader, which is a role he hasn't had at the college level. Ourlads has him projected as the starter at the STUD --which is a combo safety/linebacker position.

Christian Turner, RB, Wake Forest

Turner could be a great complement to Christian Beal-Smith after the departure of Kenneth Walker. Turner wasn't a hugely coveted recruit out of high school, but he was still expected to produce more than he has. This is a classic case of a change of scenery possibly helping a player revive his career and Wake Forest has been pretty good at getting the most out of its running backs.

Kenyatta Watson II, CB, Georgia Tech

This one is all about potential. Watson was a highly recruited player out of high school but couldn't crack the lineup at Texas. He was a top 200 player coming out of high school and is instantly one of the most talented players to join the Yellow Jackets in recent seasons. He is battling for a starting job, and I expect him to win that battle and make a difference for this defense.

Tae Daley, S, Virginia Tech

Daley comes in from Vanderbilt after opting out of 2020. As a Commodore, he played in 35 games across three years and displayed an ability to do just about everything well at his position. Although he isn't as big, Daley will be a big help in replacing Devine Deablo in the secondary.