Ranking Minnesota's incoming transfers by recruiting rating

3. Sid Kaba, DT (Marshall)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 181 OVR, No. 19 DL

4. TJ Bush Jr., OLB (California)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 289 OVR, No. 36 edge

5. Aydan West, CB (Michigan State)

• Transfer portal raking: No. 370 OVR, No. 29 CB

6. Bennett Warren, OL (Tennessee)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 377 OVR, No. 30 OT

7. Noah Jennings, WR (Cincinnati)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 407 OVR, No. 76 WR

8. Kaden Helms, TE (Oklahoma)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 632 OVR, No. 46 TE

9. TJ Thomas Jr., RB (Elon)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 678 OVR, No. 58 RB

10. Naquan Crowder, DT (Marshall)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 785 OVR, No. 73 DL

11. Parker Knutson, S (Soutwest Minnesota State)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 789 OVR, No. 86 CB

12. Mekhai Smith, S (Lehigh)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 879 OVR, No. 78 S

13. Michael Merdinger, QB (Liberty)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 1,096 OVR, No. 65 QB

14. Zion Steptoe, WR (Tulsa)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 1,255 OVR, No. 207 WR

15. Jaron Thomas, RB (Purdue)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 1,314 OVR, No. 96 RB

16. Andrew Marshall, OLB (Eastern Michigan)

• Transfer portal ranking: No. 1,314 OVR, No. 102 LB

17. Elisha West, S (Michigan State)

Transfer portal ranking: No. 1,950 OVR, No. 208 CB

Unranked: Beckham Sunderland, K (Michigan)

Unranked: Zachary Robbins, P/K (Utah State)

Takeaways

These rankings show how much Minnesota improved its defense through the transfer portal, and more specifically, its defensive line. Chapman being their top addition surprises me a bit, but he clearly was a huge pickup along the interior.

Some players I think are ranked too low include Smith, West and Knutson. I really like Minnesota's portal strategy in the secondary, and I think all three players could outperform those expectations. Some players, I think, are ranked too high include Thompson, Jennings and Helms.

Minnesota currently has the 32nd-ranked transfer portal class in the country, according to 247Sports, and it's clear they upgraded some serious positions of need this offseason.