Transfers could impact several Big Ten East teams

By foxsports
Published

Either transfers are getting more common or getting more media coverage -- maybe both. 

At any rate, the Big Ten East division figures to see plenty of impact from transfers this season, as evidenced by Athlon Sports' list of "top transfers to watch in 2015." 

Topping the list is Jake Rudock, who is going to finish his career at Michigan this fall after two years as the starter at Iowa. Rudock is not alone at No. 1, though. He shares that spot with a handful of other quarterbacks who changed addresses in the offseason. 

No. 2 is Jordan Howard, a running back who left UAB after that program was shut down and landed at Indiana, where the Hoosiers were looking for a replacement for 2,000-yard rusher Tevin Coleman. Also in the UAB-to-Indiana pipeline is wide receiver Marqui Hawkins. 

At No. 8 is Wayne Lyons, a cornerback from Stanford who will finish his career at Michigan. Two spots later we find another Wolverine import from the Pac-12 as running back Ty Isaac becomes eligible this fall after sitting out 2014 to satisfy NCAA regulations. The physical Isaac began his career at USC. Punter Blake O'Neill, late of Weber State, gives Jim Harbaugh a trio of newcomers eligible to contribute to his program this fall. 

Kaiwan Lewis, a Rutgers linebacker who started his career at South Carolina, is No. 21 after heading to Piscataway as a graduate transfer who is eligible immediately. 

Unrated but still noted: offensive lineman Kevin Reihner, who joins Penn State as a graduate transfer from Stanford, Jefferson Ashiru, a graduate transfer from Connecticut who will play at Maryland this fall, and Kiy Hester, a defensive back from Miami (Fla.) who will be a Scarlet Knight. 

Not everyone on the Athlon list is joining a Big Ten program. Blake Countess, the No. 4 transfer, is headed to Auburn after starting at cornerback for Michigan the past two seasons. He is not the only former Wolverine to turn up on the list. Joining him are No. 25 Kyle Bosch, who is eligible immediately at West Virginia after playing one game last year and starting three in 2013 on the Wolverines offensive line, and "honorable mention" Justice Hayes, a running back going to Southern Miss. 

Ohio State is not exactly hurting for talent these days, but No. 13 is linebacker Mike Mitchell, a five-star recruit who transferred to Texas Tech after redshirting in Columbus in 2013. He sat out last season. The Buckeyes also lost defensive end/linebacker Jamal Marcus to Akron and offensive lineman Tim Gardner to Indiana. 

Also appearing on the list but not in the top 25 is running back Albert Reid, who will play at Virginia this fall after leaving Maryland this spring, defensive lineman Nick Internicola (Rutgers to Florida Atlantic), linebacker Shawn Petty (Maryland to Marshall), defensive back Zach Dancel (Maryland to Wake Forest), defensive back Bryant Gross-Armiento (Rutgers to Wake Forest), cornerback Michael Hunter (Indiana to Oklahoma State), punter Nathan Renfro (Maryland to Tennessee) and defensive lineman Mark Scarpinto (Michigan State to Pittsburgh). 

To see the full list, click here.