Now more than ever, the transfer portal is almost as important as high school recruitment. Under the NIL agreement, a lot of factors off the field play a role in the decisions of student-athletes. Also, the extra year of eligibility and immediate playing time due to COVID-19 rules give players more reasons to transfer.

According to the NCAA, 1,427 FBS athletes transferred to another institution in 2021. That number is a considerable jump from the 896 the year prior.

While sometimes a change of environment does not affect much, some players took advantage and are now getting more attention than they had in their previous schools. From big primetime games to Heisman contention, these players will certainly not regret their decisions to transfer.

With that being said, here are four college football players whose transfer decision paid off.

Bo Nix

A five-star recruit out of high school, Bo Nix became an impactful player since stepping on at Auburn. He was named a starter as a true freshman, leading the Tigers to a 9–4 record. Additionally, Auburn ended up winning the Iron Bowl over Alabama 48-45. For his performances, Nix earned SEC's 2019 Freshman of the Year award after throwing for 2,542 yards and 16 touchdowns.

However, in his third and final year at Auburn, Nix had ups and downs. Most notably, he suffered a season-ending injury, limiting him to only 10 games in 2021.

Now at Oregon, Nix is having a comeback season. The Ducks are 8-2 with good chances of winning the Pac-12, most due to his contributions. So far, Nix has completed 73% of his passes for 2,775 yards and 24 touchdowns against five interceptions. He has also added 516 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground.

His first season with the Ducks is getting him some Heisman buzz, something he had in his early years with the Tigers.

Hendon Hooker

Another quarterback who is having a great career after transferring is Hendon Hooker. He played his first three collegiate seasons with Virginia Tech. During his stint with the Hokies, Hooker started 15 out of the 25 games he appeared, completing 63% of his passes for 2,894 yards and 22 touchdowns with seven picks.

He then joined made use of the transfer portal to the Tennessee Volunteers. After a solid 2021 season, he has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. In 2022, the Volunteers are 9-1 and in contention for the College Football Playoff.

So far this season, Hooker has completed 71.1% of his pass attempts for 2,888 yards and 24 scores with just two interceptions. He has nearly matched his Virginia Tech numbers only in 2022. He has also rushed for 405 yards and five touchdowns.

Jayden Daniels

Jayden Daniels made history as the first true freshman to win the starting job at Arizona State. He started all 29 games he appeared for the Sun Devils. He completed 62% of his passes for 6,025 yards and 32 touchdowns versus 13 interceptions. Additionally, he ran for 1,288 yards and 13 scores.

But Daniels wanted bigger challenges. He joined the LSU Tigers through the transfer portal. Prior to his commitment, LSU struggled to find its quarterback since Joe Burrow's Heisman campaign in 2019 that culminated in a national championship. The team had a combined record of just 11-12 in the two seasons following Burrow's departure.

And it seems Daniels' transfer was a win-win for himself and the Tigers. He is completing 69.9% of his passes for 1,812 yards and 12 touchdowns with only one pick, plus 524 yards and nine scores on the ground.

At No. 6 in the most recent rankings, the Tigers have a real shot of returning to the CFP, mostly thanks to Daniels' clutch performances, such as the overtime thriller win over Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams started his college career as a backup in Oklahoma. He ended up assuming the starting role in the sixth game of his freshman year, a huge 55-48 victory against rivals Texas Longhorns.

He finished his only season with the Sooners with a 64.5% completion rate for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns versus four picks. Williams then entered the transfer portal and joined the USC Trojans in February. The quarterback reunited with head coach Lincoln Riley, who was the coach for the Sooners for most of the 2021 season.

Williams became a crucial part of the Trojans right away, becoming a starter and team captain. So far, he has completed 63.7% of his pass attempts for 3,010 yards and impressive 31 touchdowns against only two interceptions. He also has 283 rushing yards and six scores.

He is leading USC to a 9-1 record, placing it at the top of the Pac-12 conference. Most importantly, the Trojans are No. 7 in the CFP rankings and could sneak into the top four in the next few weeks. Prior to Williams joining the team, the last time USC even won a bowl game was in 2016 and the conference was in 2017.

With the sophomore quarterback, the Trojans program could finally return to glory for the next couple of seasons.