The transfer portal has completely changed college football, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the trenches. While quarterbacks and skill players grab headlines, the real game-changers might be the offensive linemen switching schools and looking to prove themselves at a higher level.
Even before NIL reshaped the landscape, transfers like Joe Burrow, Justin Fields, and Cam Newton were leading new teams to national championships. But today we’re focusing on the unsung heroes who make those magical seasons possible: the offensive line.
These five transfer offensive linemen are positioned to make immediate impacts with their new teams in 2025. Each one is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, meaning they have everything to gain by dominating against tougher competition this season.
Which Transfer Linemen Will Dominate in 2025?
Isaiah World, LT, Oregon
Oregon’s new starting left tackle brings serious credentials to Eugene. World allowed just 15 pressures on over 400 pass-blocking snaps in 2024, ranking 17th among offensive tackles in pressures allowed per pass blocking snap, according to TruMedia. That kind of pass protection should give Oregon the same reliability they had with Josh Connerly Jr.
The bigger question centers on Oregon’s run game. Can World and his linemate Pregnon match the ground production Oregon generated with Connerly and Nishad Strother? Using a measurement that calculates a standardized effect size to measure the difference between two group means, Nevada had significantly more success running behind World than in any other rushing direction.
What works in World’s favor is Oregon’s running backs, who excel at breaking tackles. That ability should help maximize his blocking effectiveness. The clip below shows exactly why a program like Oregon can elevate both World and his teammates’ draft stock.
Emmanuel Pregnon, LG, Oregon
Speaking of World’s teammate, Oregon has built quite a reputation for developing NFL-ready offensive linemen under Dan Lanning. According to Pro Football Reference, five offensive linemen were drafted out of Oregon during the Lanning era (2022-current).
Emmanuel Pregnon could join World as the next two to hear their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Pregnon’s resume speaks for itself. After one year at Wyoming and two at USC, he’s accumulated 1,354 pass blocking snaps at guard while allowing just two sacks total. Even more telling, he hasn’t given up a sack in his last two seasons, including 2023 when he protected Caleb Williams, who had the 11th highest time to throw in the FBS.
The growth in his game shows up in the penalty department, too. After seven penalties in 2023, Pregnon cleaned up his technique and committed just one penalty in 2024.
Rocco Spindler, OL, Nebraska
Before heading to Lincoln, Spindler spent multiple years at what most consider an offensive line factory. At Notre Dame, he started at right guard for the Fighting Irish in 2023 and 2024, even though he wasn’t technically the day one starter. Regardless of the title, Spindler proved reliable, allowing just 25 pressures and two sacks across 694 pass-blocking snaps.
While he won’t have Jeremiyah Love making him look good at Nebraska, the scheme transition should actually help Spindler. Notre Dame’s move to a more balanced run scheme mirrors what he’ll see with the Cornhuskers. In 2023, Spindler spent nearly 60% of his run-blocking snaps in a gap scheme, but by 2024, he was working in a zone scheme 47% of the time.
Jimeto Obigbo, LG, Arizona State
Obigbo brings serious experience to Tempe, having logged 2,500 snaps during his college career between Incarnate Word and Texas State. Setting aside his injury-riddled 2024 season, he posted a 73.7 or better PFF pass-blocking grade in each of the previous three seasons.
What makes his situation interesting is the position switch. His most recent experience comes at right tackle, having not played guard since his first year at Incarnate Word.
However, Arizona State’s offensive line setup works in his favor. They have returners at every position except center, where Ben Coleman has stepped in for a Sun Devils offense that is expected to dominate again this season.
RELATED: Potential OL Sleeper Candidates for the 2026 NFL Draft Include Aamil Wagner and Davion Carter
The numbers back up Obigbo’s ability. His 2023 season ranked 53rd among offensive tackles with over 450 pass blocking snaps in pressures allowed per snap.
Tyriq Poindexter, LT, Appalachian State
Poindexter spent three years at Virginia Military Institute, showing steady improvement each season before posting an outstanding 0.03 pressures allowed per pass-blocking snap in his final year. That performance ranked 78th out of 344 offensive tackles with over 300 pass-blocking snaps across FBS and FCS football.
The run-blocking numbers tell an even better story. VMI averaged 5.8 yards per carry on runs in the C-gap behind Poindexter. Compare that to App State’s 2.6 yards per carry in that same spot, and you can see the potential upgrade.
If Poindexter can maintain his dominance in both pass protection and run blocking despite the step-up in competition, he could find himself in day two draft conversations come April 2026.
