Published Dec 18, 2024
Ten biggest portal departures in the ACC
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Adam Friedman  •  Rivals Transfer Portal
Rankings Director and National Transfer Portal Analyst
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The transfer portal has been officially open for more than a week and more than 1,000 college football players from all levels have entered as they look for their next team. Here are the 10 biggest portal departures from programs in the ACC.

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1. WR ERIC SINGLETON

Georgia Tech is on the rise but the loss of Singleton could stall its momentum. He made waves during his first two seasons with the Yellow Jackets, starting all 12 games in 2024 and recording 56 catches for 754 yards and three touchdowns. Singleton earned honorable mention All-ACC honors for his efforts. Auburn is trending to land his commitment.

2. WR KC CONCEPCION

Concepcion has had a prolific start to his college career, amassing 1,305 receiving yards and 16 receiving TDs on 125 catches over two years with NC State. Rivals rated Concepcion as a four-star and he has more than proved that rating correct. Colorado and Alabama are among the programs to watch in his recruitment.


3. DB MANSOOR DELANE

Delane was rumored to be thinking about transferring last offseason but this year he actually went through with the decision. The former three-star prospect from Maryland was a huge part of the Hokie defense, recording 146 tackles and six interceptions in three seasons. LSU landed his commitment despite his brother having just signed with Ohio State in the 2025 recruiting class.


4. QB MAALIK MURPHY

It was a major win for new Duke head coach Manny Diaz when he landed Murphy out of the transfer portal last offseason. The Blue Devils started 5-0 with him leading the offense this season and Duke finished with their first nine-win season since 2014. Auburn was involved in his recruitment and the attention has shifted to Kentucky.

5. XAVIER CHAPLIN

Chaplin was a largely unheralded high school prospect and didn’t emerge until late in the recruiting process. In three years at Virginia Tech and two seasons as a starter, Chaplin developed into a top 10 offensive tackle in the ACC according to Pro Football Focus. He's one of a number of players Virginia Tech has lost to the transfer portal this month.


6. QB FERNANDO MENDOZA

Mendoza has clearly outplayed the two-star rating he received as a high school prospect and now he’s off to find his next team. A former Yale commit, Mendoza led Cal to a 6-6 record this season, passing for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Indiana, where his brother plays, is a major contender for his comment but there are many other programs involved.

7. OL BRAELIN MOORE

Moore was a vital piece of Virginia Tech's offensive line this season. The former three-star from Pennsylvania started at left guard last season and this season at center, where he turned in a season-long performance that PFF graded as one of the best among ACC centers. It stings even more knowing that Moore has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

8. WR NYZIAH HUNTER

Hunter is leaving the Golden Bears program after two years. As a redshirt freshman this season, Hunter burst onto the scene with an impressive 40 catches, 578 receiving yards, and five touchdowns. This is a difficult loss to swallow for Cal since Hunter has three more years of eligibility remaining.

9. QB LUKE KROMENHOEK

Kromenhoek was a really important addition for Florida State as a high school recruit but that was short-lived. He entered the transfer portal as the Seminoles pursued former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos and is now headed to Mississippi State. Kromenhoek had shown plenty of tools that suggested he could develop into a premier quarterback but still needs time to develop.

10. OL LUKE BAKLENKO

Finding offensive lineman and the transfer portal with power for starting experience is not easy, which makes losing one even worse. Stanford is in a tough spot without Baklenko returning next year after starting at right tackle this season. After two years of significant playing time, Baklenko had a number of teams pursuing him but he decided to head to Oklahoma.