It was just over four years ago when Quinn Ewers sent shock waves through the college football world after decommitting from his hometown Texas Longhorns and flipping to Ohio State.

Ewers, who was the top-ranked recruit in the 2022 class, opted to skip his senior year of high school, reclassify to the 2021 class and enroll a year early at OSU in order to join the program during preseason practice.

After arriving in Columbus in August 2021 and spending his true freshman season buried on the Buckeyes’ depth chart, Ewers made the decision to head back home and join Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior out of Southlake, Texas has become one of the top signal-callers in the nation and will be facing his former team when the fifth-seeded Longhorns (13-2) and eighth-seeded Buckeyes (12-2) clash in the Cotton Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup on Friday night.

Ewers isn’t the only high-profile transfer playing in Friday night’s CFP game. Ohio State’s roster is littered with talented players who have switched schools, including All-American safety Caleb Downs, who has been one of the top defensive players in the nation this season after spending his freshman year at Alabama.

Who are some of the other best transfers that have played in the CFP since it was first implemented back in 2014?

Here is a look at the top 10 transfers during the CFP era:

* This list only includes players who have played in the College Football Playoff

10. Quinn Ewers: Ohio State to Texas

Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns holds the trophy after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

While Ewers might not have the individual accolades that some of the other players have, it feels wrong to leave a player who has thrown for more than 8,800 yards and has a 21-4 record as a starter the past two years off his list. Ewers has been a three-year starter at Texas and one of the most accomplished QBs in the program’s rich history. Heading into Friday’s CFP semifinal matchup against Ohio State, Ewers ranks third all-time in program history in passing yards (8,845), third all-time in passing touchdowns (66), second all-time in 300-yard passing games (11) and second all-time in most consecutive games passes without an interception (245). Adding a national championship to his résumé would cement Ewers’ argument as the most accomplished signal-caller in school history.

9. Dillon Gabriel: UCF to Oklahoma to Oregon

Dillon Gabriel of the Oregon Ducks celebrates winning the Big Ten Championship following the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Gabriel is the only player on this list to transfer two times, and while he didn’t have his best showing in his lone CFP appearance, it’s impossible to leave the lefty signal-caller off this list. Gabriel began his college career at UCF in 2019 before transferring to Oklahoma in 2022, and then landing at Oregon in 2023. One of the most accomplished quarterbacks in college football history, Gabriel saved his best for last, leading the Ducks to a perfect 13-0 record before falling to Ohio State in the quarterfinal round of the CFP. This past season, the Hawaii native threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing 72.9% of his passes. In the process, he became the FBS all-time leader in career total touchdowns with 187. Gabriel was named a first-team All-American this past season and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty.

8. Jameson Williams: Ohio State to Alabama

Jameson Williams of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after diving for a touchdown against the Arkansas Razorbacks. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

While Downs made the move from Alabama to Ohio State, Williams did the opposite, flipping from the Buckeyes to the Crimson Tide. Williams spent his first two years in Columbus, where he was part of one of the most dominant wide receiver groups in college football history, playing behind the likes of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He made the decision to transfer to Alabama ahead of the 2021 season and went on to have one of the best single seasons for a college wide receiver in recent memory, hauling in an eye-popping 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led the SEC in receiving yards, yards per reception, and receiving touchdowns en route to being named a first-team All-American.

7. Caleb Downs: Alabama to Ohio State

Caleb Downs of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks to tackle Oregon running back Jordan James in the second quarter during the Rose Bowl Game. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Not only is Downs the first defensive player to appear on this list, he is also the first non-quarterback included, which speaks to the dominance he has displayed in his two years of college football. Ranked as the top safety prospect in the nation coming out of Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia, Downs committed to Alabama and shined for the Crimson Tide during his freshman campaign. He was named the SEC Freshman of the Year and received second-team All-America honors after helping lead Alabama to a 12-2 record, an SEC title and a spot in the CFP. Following Nick Saban’s retirement, Downs transferred to Ohio State where he helped guide the top-ranked defense in the nation. Downs was named a unanamous All-American selection this season and now has the chance to add to his résumé by leading the Buckeyes to a national championship.

6. Justin Fields: Georgia to Ohio State

Justin Fields of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on during the first quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Fields was a five-star recruit and one of the top prospects in the nation coming out of high school. He signed with Georgia and spent the 2018 season as the backup to starting signal-caller Jake Fromm. After one year in Athens, Fields decided to transfer to Ohio State and sought a waiver to be able to play immediately and not have to sit out a year. He was granted immediate eligibility for the 2019 season and went on to put together an impressive first year in Columbus, guiding the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title and a spot in the CFP. Fields was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American that season, while finishing third in the running for the Heisman Trophy. He followed that season up with another impressive campaign in 2020, leading OSU to an undefeated regular season and another spot in the playoffs. Fields finished his two-year career at Ohio State with more than 6,200 yards and 78 touchdowns while leading the Buckeyes to a perfect 19-0 record in Big Ten play and a 20-2 overall mark.

5. Michael Penix Jr: Indiana to Washington

Michael Penix Jr. of the Washington Huskies reacts after a first down against the Washington State Cougars during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Penix defined the word “perseverance” during his collegiate career. The talented left-handed signal-caller committed to Indiana out of high school and spent four years with the Hoosiers that were limited by injury. He suffered multiple torn ACLs during his time in Bloomington and made the decision to transfer to Washington in December 2021. The former Hoosier put together back-to-back record-setting seasons in Seattle, leading the FBS in passing yards per game during the 2022 season while guiding the Huskies to an 11-2 record and being named the AP Comeback Player of the Year. The following year, Penix put together one of the greatest single seasons for a QB in college football history, leading the nation in passing yards with 4,903 and 36 touchdowns. He broke his own previously-set University of Washington single-season passing yards record while leading Washington to a perfect 13-0 regular season, a win over Texas in the CFP semifinals, and a spot in the CFP National Championship game, where the Huskies fell to Michigan. Penix won the Maxwell Award and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.

4. Jalen Hurts: Alabama to Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts passes during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Hurts was a two-year starter at Alabama where he had great success, being named the SEC Freshman and Offensive Player of the Year in 2016. He followed that up with an exceptional 2017 campaign, but he was replaced by Tua Tagovailoa in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Hurts backed up Tagovailoa in 2018 and then made the decision to transfer to Oklahoma in 2019. Under Riley’s guidance, Hurts took his game to another level, throwing for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdowns, while adding another 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. He helped lead the Sooners to a Big 12 Championship and a spot in the CFP, where they fell to eventual national champion LSU in the Peach Bowl. Hurts finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting that season, behind Joe Burrow.

3. Kyler Murray: Texas A&M to Oklahoma

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray during the first half of the CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Murray was a dominant two-sport athlete and committed to Texas A&M out of high school to play college football and baseball. After one year with the Aggies, he made the decision to transfer to Oklahoma and play under Lincoln Riley. After backing up Mayfield in 2017, Murray won the starting job ahead of the 2018 season and went on to put together one of the single greatest seasons in Oklahoma football history. The former Sooner threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns, while adding 1,001 yards and 12 more touchdowns on the ground. He helped guide the Sooners to a Big 12 title and a spot in the CFP, where they fell to Alabama. Following his incredible 2018 season, Murray was named the winner of the Davey O’Brien Award, the Manning Award and the Heisman Trophy.

2. Baker Mayfield: Texas Tech to Oklahoma

Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield gestures to the crowd after Senior Day announcements before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)

Mayfield began his collegiate career as a walk-on at Texas Tech before putting together one of the greatest college careers in the 21st century after transferring to Oklahoma. Due to the transfer rules, Mayfield sat out the 2014 season but flourished once he saw the field in 2015. He put up dominant stats for the majority of the season, throwing for 3,700 yards and scoring 43 total touchdowns to help Oklahoma go 11-1 and reach the College Football Playoff, where the Sooners lost to Clemson. Mayfield was even better in 2016 as he threw for 3,965 yards and totaled 46 total touchdowns, helping the Sooners go 11-2. Mayfield’s final season was one for the ages. He threw for 4,635 yards and totaled 48 total touchdowns, helping him win the Heisman in one of the biggest landslides in the award’s history. Oklahoma rode its Heisman quarterback to the College Football Playoff, going 12-1 before losing to Georgia in a thriller at the Rose Bowl. 

1. Joe Burrow: Ohio State to LSU

Joe Burrow of the LSU Tigers holds up the trophy after defeating the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff National Championship. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)

After beginning his career at Ohio State, Burrow transferred to LSU ahead of the 2018 season and was named the starting QB for the Tigers as a redshirt junior. He put together a solid season in his first year under center in Baton Rouge, but it was the following year that Burrow put together one of, if not the greatest season in the sport’s history. Burrow finished the 2019 campaign with 5,671 passing yards and 60 passing touchdowns, which broke the single-season FBS record. In addition to his jaw-dropping stats, Burrow led the Tigers to a perfect 15-0 record and a national championship. The former LSU standout was awarded the 2019 Heisman Trophy, receiving the highest-ever share of available points and owning the largest margin of victory in the history of the award. Burrow’s memorable 2019 campaign is considered by many to be the greatest single season ever by a college quarterback.

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