FSU football: Why Noles have the top transfer portal class in the nation

FSU football adding Keon Coleman Wednesday gave the Noles the best transfer portal class in the nation. The rankings have FSU at No. 5, but that’s misleading. The rankings have Colorado at No. 1, but that’s because they have a gazillion transfer portal players.

The rankings reward quantity more than quality, as they have taken 48 players from the portal to flip a program that went 1-11 last year. FSU wasn’t that terrible, but FSU fans know there’s a difference between the portal players FSU got then and what they get now after winning 10 games last season.

FSU has taken 10 players from the transfer portal, and the average ranking per player is 91.70. Colorado’s average per player is 87.67, with a 12.5 percent blue-chip ratio. USC is at No. 2 and has a 90-per-player average ranking with 15 transfers for a 60 percent blue-chip ratio.

Auburn, ranked at No. 3, has an 89.59 per player average ranking with 19 transfers for a 52.6 blue-chip ratio. LSU ranked at No. 5, has a 90.54 per-player average ranking with 14 transfers for a 64.2 percent blue-chip ratio.

FSU football has 10 transfers with an 80 percent blue-chip ratio. They have the highest per-player average ranking and blue-chip ratio for any team with 10+ transfers. All 10 players were starters at their previous institution, and seven players at the Power 5 level before entering the transfer.

Major teams wanted every single one of these players. Whenever I evaluate recruiting classes, I look at the player quality and if the team filled a need with that player. Every player FSU football enrolled from the portal fits a specific need and all will likely play significant snaps in 2023.

I’m not sure there’s another team that can say that, plus the player quality to match. That’s why they have the No. 1 transfer class, despite what the rankings say.