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While the college football transfer portal has seen plenty of Power 5-level talent moving around, it has also helped players at smaller schools become stars at major programs. Defensive end Jared Verse went from Albany to Florida State and became a star in the Seminoles' undefeated season. Receiver Devontez Walker went from Kent State to North Carolina and became a big-play target for the Tar Heels. Many players from smaller schools who have recently entered the portal are talented enough to propel a Power 5 program if they find the right scheme and opportunity. Compared to high school recruits, it was easier to predict success for highly regarded transfers like former ESPN 300 prospects Travis Hunter at Colorado or DJ Uiagalelei at Oregon State this past season. But successful FCS or Group of 5 to Power 5 projections are more difficult. Here are 10 smaller college prospects in the transfer portal who could become household names at the Power 5 level in 2023:
  Thor Griffith, DLTransferring from: Harvard Griffith is a rare talent on the defensive line with a state championship wrestling title. He was an unknown recruit out of New Hampshire who also played hockey in high school, which explains his quick change-of-direction skills in pursuit at 320 pounds. The high-motored defensive tackle posted 33.5 tackles for a loss in his career. His powerful frame, short-area quickness and upper-body strength reminds us of LSU defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo. Griffith's strength is off the charts. His reported 45 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press would have been tops for defensive tackles at last year's NFL combine. Louisville, UCLA, California, Michigan State and Oregon State all offered Griffith over the past week. He has one year of eligibility remaining as a grad transfer.
 Joey Slackman, DLTransferring from: Penn Slackman was also an all-state wrestler and football player from the Northeast who slid under the radar coming from a small school in New York. That changed once he racked up 50 tackles (including 12 for loss) and four sacks. Slackman went to Penn for wrestling but made his way back to the gridiron and showcased his penetrating quickness from the mat while disrupting offensive plays. Slackman has more than 20 Power 5 offers, including one from USC. Going from a Quaker to a Trojan would be a monumental jump, but Slackman does have uncommon size (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) and traits. He has one year of eligibility remaining as a grad transfer.
 Max Brosmer, QBTransferring from: New Hampshire Brosmer recently committed to Minnesota and reminds us of Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt in both passing style and swagger. Brosmer led the FCS with 3,449 passing yards while throwing 29 touchdowns and six interceptions this season for the Wildcats. If you want an FBS sample size, Brosmer went 32-for-50 for 493 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-42 road loss to Central Michigan. He has thrown 56 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions over the past two seasons. The Georgia native has a quick release with Power 5 arm strength and accuracy. He excels at throwing from different platforms and arm angles and has a playmaker mentality. He fell under the FBS radar despite throwing for over 7,000 yards and 60 touchdowns in his final two years at Centennial High School.
 Luke Newman, OLTransferring from: Holy Cross Newman led the Crusaders to one of their most successful stretches in program history. He arrived on campus as a lean 250-pound freshman. Four years later, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound senior is a three-time Patriot League first-team selection and one the best offensive linemen at the FCS level. Newman allowed only one sack this season and has excellent feet and quickness as a pass blocker. He will win at the point of attack as well and is fundamentally sound. In his three seasons as a starter, Holy Cross went 29-8. He has one year of eligibility remaining as a grad transfer.
 Jaden Richardson, WRTransferring from: Tufts Richardson hauled in 92 passes for 1,564 yards and 20 touchdowns in 19 games at the Division III level. He scored 13 of those touchdowns this season while averaging 18 yards per catch and 92.2 yards per game. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound receiver blends great size and ball skills with a wide catch radius that allows him to dominate on 50-50 balls. He's a long strider who builds speed but will deceptively get behind coverage. Richardson has a similar skill set to UCF receiver Javon Baker. He fell under the radar out of high school because of his lean frame and lack of top-end speed. Four years later, he has filled out and is much more explosive in the open field. Richardson has Power 5 offers from Washington and Wisconsin, as well as several Group of 5 schools.
 Ja'Mori Maclin, WRTransferring from: North Texas After originally signing with Missouri, injuries limited Maclin's production to just one catch over two years with the Tigers. He transferred to North Texas in 2022 and quickly showed flashes, catching 16 passes for 380 yards and two touchdowns while averaging nearly 24 yards per catch. Maclin fully broke out this year, grabbing 57 passes for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has excellent hands, body control and Power 5 separation speed as a route runner. Maclin reminds us of USC's Tahj Washington when healthy. The former three-star is also explosive after the catch, and schools such as LSU, Texas A&M and Penn State have taken notice with offers.
 Caullin Lacy, WRTransferring from: South Alabama Lacy caught 65 passes for 813 yards in a breakout junior season in 2022. He only got better this year. Lacy is currently fifth in the country in receiving yards (1,316) and sixth in receptions (91). He reminds us of Virginia WR Malik Washington, who is one of the few players ranked ahead of him nationally in receiving yards. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Lacy also excels as a punt returner and averages 10 yards per return. The 2022 All-Sun Belt third-team selection is ultra-quick and elusive with the ball in his hands. His 208 catches over four years at South Alabama is a program record, and he has one year of eligibility remaining. The bigger Power 5 programs overlooked Lacy out of high school, where he was a running back for Faith Academy (Alabama) and not a natural pass catcher. Now he will have his suitors.
 Eric McAlister, WRTransferring from: Boise State McAlister enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign, catching 47 passes for 873 yards and five touchdowns in only nine games for the Broncos. He has great size and speed, and we see a resemblance to Ole Miss WR Tre Harris, who transferred from Louisiana Tech. McAlister left Boise State abruptly in early November and then announced his decision to transfer. Teams will need to dig into the situation, but McAlister is a big-play receiver who averaged almost 19 yards per catch and is playing far above his consensus three-star projection out of Azle High School in Texas. He possessed a big frame at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds and good long speed (22.7 in the 200 meters) in high school but fell under the FBS radar given his lack of strength and explosiveness that has since been enhanced.
 Marcus Carroll, RBTransferring from: Georgia State Carroll was under the radar coming out of Hapeville Charter School (Georgia), but he hinted at a breakout last year when he rushed for 622 yards in a crowded backfield as a junior. He fully burst onto the scene this year, rushing for 1,350 yards and 13 touchdowns, good for seventh nationally. Built low to the ground, Carroll is a decisive cutback runner with great vision to exploit a small crease. He blends great strength, balance and quickness through traffic with enough breakaway speed to rip off big gains at the second level. Carroll also has soft hands out of the backfield and will likely be a coveted Power 5 prospect with one year of eligibility remaining. His compact and balanced running style is similar to that of TCU's Emani Bailey. 
 Aiden Fisher, LBTransferring from: James Madison Former JMU coach Curt Cignetti recently said recruiting rankings don't matter. He was certainly correct when recruiting Fisher out of high school, where he was a low three-star with no other offers aside from Army and Navy. Fisher led the Dukes with 91 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception and seven pass breakups as a sophomore. He's entering the portal after just one season of production, but the speed he showed in James Madison's 11-1 season was impressive. At 6-1, 227 pounds, Fisher still lacks the ideal Power 5 size but shows versatile playmaking ability in coverage and great range in pursuit. He plays a lot like Georgia freshman linebacker Raylen Wilson. Arizona State and Cincinnati have already noticed Fisher's production and offered. Others will follow.
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