According to the 247Sports transfer portal rankings, the AAC owns the best rankings among Group of Five programs.
On top of that list are Memphis, Tulane, and Temple. With a ton of movement within most programs, we should see plenty of new faces making noise in the league.
Here’s a look at some of those transfers going to the AAC who could make an immediate impact, including some high-profile quarterbacks.
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LB Shay Taylor, Charlotte
Taylor, a third-team All-MAC selection, was third on the Bobcats with 73 total tackles and added three sacks, four pass breakups, and a pick-six last year. Taylor helped Ohio win the MAC Championship, a 38-3 victory over Miami (Ohio), where he had five tackles and a sack.
DB Teagan Wilk, East Carolina
Wilk transferred back to ECU after spending a season at Houston. He was a two-year starter for the Pirates before suffering a season-ending injury in 2023. Wilk also suffered a calf injury that kept him out for the final eight games of the season for the Cougars last year. The senior will bring his physical play back to the Pirates’ secondary.
QB Caden Veltkamp, FAU
This may be the biggest move in the conference. The former Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year stepped into the starting role in Week 3 and never looked back. He finished the 2024 season with 3,108 passing yards and 25 touchdowns for WKU. The redshirt junior joined new coach Zach Kittley just days after playing in the Boca Raton Bowl.
QB Brendon Lewis, Memphis
Another QB transferring in from another G5 program, Lewis should earn the starting job by the time August rolls around. He started 12 games for Nevada last season, surpassing 3,000 total yards by passing for 2,290 and rushing for 775 more. He had 24 total touchdowns and five games with at least one rushing and one passing score.
TE Jerry Cross, Memphis
The big transfer from Penn State is likely to become one of Lewis’ favorite targets. Cross was highly touted out of high school but only saw action in seven total games during the past two seasons with the Nittany Lions. The Tigers have had standout tight ends over the past few seasons, so expect Cross to be another one.
QB Reese Poffenbarger, North Texas
The starting QB job still needs to be won in Denton, and if Poffenbarger claims it, he will be the next signal caller in UNT’s prolific passing attack. Behind Chandler Morris, the Mean Green threw the ball far more than any other team in the conference last season, and Poffenbarger proved he can air the ball out during his time at Albany and in the FCS, where he passed for 6,600 yards and 60 TDs over two seasons. He spent last year in Miami as the backup for the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Cam Ward.
EDGE Briceon Hayes, North Texas
The Mean Green absolutely struggled defensively last season and especially lacked a pass rush. The transfer from Sam Houston should fill that void and will immediately make a difference. Hayes finished with 30 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and five sacks in 2024. He also added a forced fumble and an interception.
DB Jaylen Castleberry, Temple
In a defensive back room that features primarily freshmen, Castleberry could turn into one of the leaders for this defense. He was a starter the last two seasons at Youngstown State and finished last year with 50 tackles and five TFLs. He totaled nine pass breakups over the past two years.
DL Santana Hopper, Tulane
Hopper was one of the best defensive linemen in the Sun Belt last season and earned first-team all-conference honors after wreaking havoc for the App State defense. The redshirt junior led the Mountaineers with five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
LB Brandon Tucker, UTSA
Tucker comes from East Texas A&M where he was named the Southland Defensive Player of the Year last season and had one of the best single seasons for a defender in program history, totaling 141 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. He’ll be a key piece for what’s usually a solid UTSA defense.
