SEC transfer portal breakdown: 1 big need for every SEC team in the spring portal window
The spring transfer window is officially open.
With all underclassmen now able to enter the portal and move programs, it’s a good time to look at a potential need that every SEC school can address in the portal this spring.
It’s worth noting that SEC programs can no longer sign transfers from other conference rivals during the spring window, so any immediate-impact targets would need to come from beyond the SEC footprint.
Here’s a look at 1 need for every SEC program during the spring transfer window:
Alabama: Defensive back
Alabama has a very young defensive backfield and is expected to target some experience for that room during the spring transfer window. The Crimson Tide have not been able to fully explore the portal since Kalen DeBoer and his staff took over in Tuscaloosa, so this month will give them the opportunity to do so.
Alabama has added a couple of transfer defensive backs so far this cycle in Domani Jackson and Keon Sabb, but more reinforcements are needed after the Tide lost 12 DBs off of last year’s team this offseason.
Earlier this spring, DeBoer told reporters that Alabama is 1-2 players “short” at that position.
“I’d say in the defensive backfield we’re a guy short or so,” DeBoer said. “Just from the [scholarship] numbers that you typically would see and also where we want to be.”
Arkansas: Wide receiver
Andrew Armstrong is set to return as Arkansas’ No. 1 receiver in 2024 after going for a team-best 764 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2023. However, there’s not a ton of proven production behind Armstrong at the receiver position in Fayetteville.
Isaac TeSlaa and Isaiah Sategna are both back, but neither are proven enough to be top-level WR2 options in the SEC.
Quarterback Taylen Green lit up the spring game and looks to be one of the better quarterbacks in the conference for the 2024 season. Green’s emergence, as well as Bobby Petrino’s reputation as an offensive play-caller, should help the Hogs as they look for a big-time receiving threat in the portal.
Auburn: Wide receiver
Auburn has some high-end talent at the receiver position in 5-star freshmen Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson, but the Tigers could look to add a bit more experience and consistency there this spring.
The Tigers’ wide receiver room does not have many upperclassmen and Freeze said after the spring game that the coaching staff will be looking to target receivers and defensive linemen in the portal this spring.
Auburn has already been linked to Penn State transfer receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith since the portal officially opened on Tuesday.
Florida: Offensive line
Florida’s offensive line was a major weakness in 2023, and the Gators at least partially addressed the issue by making a pair of additions in the December transfer window. However, the Gators could still need more more help up front as they hope to take a step forward in SEC play this season.
Florida’s OL allowed several sacks in its spring game over the weekend and appeared to struggle with the Gators’ defensive front throughout the afternoon. Adding to this unit will be crucial if UF hopes to get back to bowl eligibility in 2024.
Georgia: Quarterback
No, Carson Beck isn’t going anywhere. But the Bulldogs have been looking for backup quarterback options, most notably when they recruited former UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava back in the winter window.
As is, UGA has 3 scholarship quarterbacks on its roster: Beck, Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi. Smart told reporters after Georgia’s spring game that he hopes to go into the season with 4 scholarship QBs.
“Our goal is to have 4 and a really good walk-on,” Smart said. “That’s the goal.”
Kentucky: Cornerback
Kentucky does not have an obvious replacement for Andru Phillips at cornerback. Jantzen Dunn appears to be the leader for that job at the moment, as he got reps in last year’s Gator Bowl and started the spring game this past weekend.
However, Dunn, a former Ohio State transfer, does not have a ton of experience at this level. He recorded 9 total tackles for the Wildcats last season, mostly as a reserve.
Kentucky could look for more proven options at cornerback in the portal this spring.
LSU: Defensive line
LSU revamped its defensive coaching staff this offseason, which means the spring window will be their first opportunity to attack the portal while working for the Tigers.
LSU needs to make big improvements on that end of the field this season, and it starts up front. The Tigers will also need to replace a couple of key difference-makers in the middle of their defense in Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo.
Mississippi State: Defensive backs
Mississippi State has undergone a roster overhaul this offseason under first-year head coach Jeff Lebby, but the Bulldogs may need a bit more support in the secondary.
Safeties Corey Ellington and Isaac Smith are both back, as is cornerback Brice Pollock. But beyond that group, there’s a lot of uncertainty in the secondary. Only 1 of Mississippi State’s 16 transfer additions so far (cornerback Traveon Wright) is expected to play defensive back this fall.
Mississippi: Running back
No one dominated the winter transfer window better than Ole Miss. The Rebels currently own the nation’s No. 1-ranked transfer portal class, per 247Sports Composite rankings.
With that being said, a lot of Ole Miss’ needs for the 2024 season have already been met. But the Rebels could stand to upgrade at running back if an elite talent becomes available. Quinshon Judkins was a big loss for Ole Miss in the portal, although it did add former Notre Dame and LSU running back Logan Diggs earlier this offseason. Ulysses Bentley IV, who rushed for 534 yards last season, is also back with the team.
Former Ohio State running back Dallan Hayden could be a target for the Rebels as they look to add to this room for the 2024 season.
Missouri: Linebacker
Missouri doesn’t have any dire needs as it’s coming off of a double-digit win season in 2023 and figures to have a loaded roster in 2024.
Missouri has a very experienced group of 4 linebackers at the top of the depth chart, a few highly-rated young players and then not much in the middle. It would be prudent for Mizzou to add a backup linebacker in the portal to ensure it won’t have to rely on freshmen if its linebackers room was to get hit by an unfortunate cluster of injuries.
Oklahoma: Center
Oklahoma lost multi-year starter Andrew Raym to the NFL Draft this offseason and the Sooners don’t have an obvious replacement at the center position. Troy Everett, who played left guard for OU last season, was in-line to start at center before getting hurt this spring.
Everett is expected to be out until the end of fall camp after undergoing surgery in April. Redshirt freshman Joshua Bates, who made 1 appearance as a true freshman in 2023, started the spring game at that position.
If OU isn’t confident in Bates’ experience or Everett’s health, then adding a center via the portal will become a must for the Sooners this spring.
South Carolina: Left tackle
South Carolina’s offensive line really struggled at times last season, and the Gamecocks are still in need of a SEC-caliber left tackle as they enter the summer. Tree Babalade or Jakai Moore could fill the role, but both players had their struggles playing tackle last season in the SEC.
A player with 1 year of eligibility remaining would be ideal, Shane Beamer’s staff did sign a pair of very highly-rated tackles in Josiah Thompson and Kam Pringle in the class of 2024. Either Thompson or Pringle could compete for the starting job in 2025, but it would be ideal to have someone come in and be a bridge for those talented young linemen this fall.
Tennessee: Defensive back
Tennessee has some intriguing options at DB as it tries to replace numerous outgoing players on the back end of its defense, but there’s not many guarantees in this group — particularly once you get past the starting unit.
Rickey Gibson, Jermod McCoy, Andre Turrentine and Jakobe Thomas are currently expected to start in the secondary, but the Vols could use more depth back there before the start of the 2024 season.
Texas: Defensive tackle
A lot of teams need interior defensive line help this offseason, but it’s probably the most-glaring weakness for the Longhorns entering the summer. Texas will need to replace 2023 Outland Trophy winner T’Vondre Sweat as it prepares to face a SEC schedule for the first time.
UT has already done some work in the transfer portal in adding former Arizona defensive lineman Tiaoalil Savea, but more reinforcements up front would help Texas quite a bit in 2024.
Texas A&M: Offensive line
Mike Elko was aggressive in the winter window in adding transfers, but the Aggies may need some reinforcements at offensive line this spring in order to have a successful campaign in 2024.
While speaking with reporters last week, Elko was critical of the offensive line and dismissed the idea of a lack of “cohesiveness” impacting their play. Instead, Elko said he’s trying get A&M’s line to “player harder and block better.”
“I think our focus is a lot less on cohesiveness right now and a lot more on strain, learning how to strain to finish blocks, learning how to strain through the whistle, learning how to do things that are really hard and really uncomfortable, because I think that is the nature of playing offensive line well,” Elko said, via 247Sports. “We do not put a lot of stock right now in cohesion. We want to see kids play harder and block better. To me, that is the challenge and the challenge that we presented with that group.”
Texas A&M added 3 offensive lineman via the portal back in the winter, but if that quote is any indication, more help could be on the way this spring.
Vanderbilt: Safety
Vanderbilt lost arguably its 3 top safeties off of last year’s roster in Jaylen Mahoney, De’Rickey Wright and Savion Riley. The Commodores did add a transfer in Randen Fontenette from TCU, but there are still questions about how will start alongside him this season.
Four-star safety signee Dontae Carter is certainly a candidate to start as a true freshman, but the Commodores could use another veteran presence to compete with him for that role.
Wide Receiver is nowhere near the top concern for Arkansas. We need more quality depth at LB, DT, and OL first. As of Saturday we had 5 scholarships available and those are the positions Coach Pittman stated they would be addressing.
Good call on UF oline. The pocket collapsed from the tackle position multiple times during the orange and blue game, forcing Mertz and lagway to step up in the pocket or scramble for their lives. Thankfully it was touch football. Bigger need even than finding a complement to EW3 at wr.
im more bullish on our secondary than most but would like to see some depth added. I think OL and TE depth is needed as well. We are finally starting to build depth but not quite there yet.
A few more branches on the family tree wouldn’t hurt them either …
And there’s never enough loose cousins to go around; you take one that’s cute, swallows, on the pill and splits firewood – she wins the beauty pageant at the family reunion all day any day!
Isn’t the documentary Deliverance set in Georgia?
Coincidence? I don’t think so.
So Deliverance was a documentary????
Weren’t reality stars Jed, Granny, Jethro, Ellie May, Pearl and Jethrine of the Beverly Hillbillies reality show from Tennessee?
Coincidence? I don’t think so.
See how that works skippy?
So let me get this straight. You believe that the Beverly Hillbillies is the same as Deliverance?? They are on the same playing field??
TDOW, I don’t know what part of Georgia you’re from but I hope by the grace of God I never have to pass through there if that’s how the mind works in your area.
IMO, making folks squeal like a pig while raping them isn’t the same as just being country. Being pro rape is a DeBoer thing.
Nice try though skippy.
You must’ve never left Atlanta. Everywhere else in that state is basically diet Mississippi.
Georgia was also a prison colony. Enough said…
Times be good when your “one, big need” is a 3rd or 4th string QB.
I’d like to go on record as stating UGA’s biggest need is a wrecking-ball DL like a Jordan Davis or a Jalen Carter.
If UGA had another Davis or Carter on the DL for 24 I wouldn’t hesitate to pick them as the NC favorite.
You get you another Jalen Carter and you’ll need more than a 3rd string QB. Definitely more burial plots.
Can’t hide class!
But I guess being Bama’s perma-bytch, UGA’s perma-bytch, UF’s perma-bytch, Mizzou’s current bytch, UK’s 50/50 bytch, USCar’s record-setting bytch, Vandy’s 2-in-a-row bytch etc will do that to you.
I wonder which mid-tier team will curb stomp UT this season?
UGA needs a race track.
Oh….somebody hit a nerve. I will dig a tunnel to go lower than somebody. I very rarely take the high road.
You’re so mad. lol. I’d say imagine getting so upset from a fan of a team that’s been mediocre for 2 decades, but you don’t have to imagine. Cause it happened. Just reread what you posted. So angry. What a loser.
Speaking of curbs, those are boundaries for which cars are supposed to stay in. You should tell Jalen Carter.
What the Vols need is a few more mouthy fans. They are just the worst and talk so much for a team that just never wins anything and hasn’t this century.
what we dont need is advice from loudmouth trolls like you and tdub. RTR you are truly a special kind of dumb azz. And so consumed with everything TN. I bet you dream in orange and white colors only. I bet your boyfriend puts on a smoky costume before you go to bed. You probably bark more than 80,000 georgia fans while role playing with him in your coonskin hat. youre sick. get help. Tdubs an idiot but youre sick. Big difference…
There’s one. Who else is gonna step up for Vol nation
RTR, how many teeth do you have? Alabama fans are so stupid that they actually sing a song about Tennessee after the 3rd quarter every game. It’s amazing how obsessed Alabama and UG fans are with a team that hasn’t really challenged them much in 20 years. Y’all are pathetic.
You were certainly correct about the haven’t really challenged in 20 years part. Here is to 20 more
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LSU didn’t have any difference makers on the interior of the DL last season. Both guys were projected to be difference makers, but neither lived up to that billing. Wingo was better than Smith, but that isn’t saying much.
I agree with that. Jordan Jefferson ended up being our best interior DL last season, and I will argue that Jacobian Guillory was next (though he registered no sacks). May be not saying much, as you said, but at least that is one returnee who logged significant playing time and experience.
Agreed.
I don’t think Smith was ready to come back and play off the injury last season, he never looked like his freshman self. I was surprised he opted for the draft, another year of conditioning and better tape would have greatly benefited him. I can’t help thinking if LSU had hired Bo Davis sooner I think Smith and Wingo would have returned, we had the talent last year on the line but the coaching failed them
Agreed.
“Auburn: Wide receiver”
Correction:
Auburn: Everything
Whose fault is that for not getting the roster set? I believe it’s on Freeze for the roster not being completely set for this coming season.
He failed to address the problem this past Winter season.
I’m aware of this, Lefty.
You answered your own question.
TN needs everything behind the defensive line. Plus some additional offensive lineman. And a stud TE.
As of right now, TN’s only chance is to just outscore people and go shot for shot. From what I’m seeing, unless something changes, they are going to have a hard time stopping big time playmakers.
VFL everyone has a hard time stopping big time pkay makers, wouldn’t you say. It’s stopping the others and the other plays that can win or lose a game. That’s a pretty negative outlook. Maybe they will be absolutely terrible as you seem to think but I doubt it.
Fuzzy, it’s a complete rebuild in an area that was already weak. The defensive front should be pretty good if they stay healthy. I’m just a realest here. I like to have a positive outlook but at the same time, why would I completely ignore the obvious.
88 the LB’s are pretty good in IMO. I dont see that group as a negative or a rebuild in any way. I think we improved by losing most of the secondary we lost. I think they may take a few games to settle in but there is still experience back there that has been successful at a level.
TN is lucky that the first 3 games are all OOC and SHOULD be very winnable. The schedule itself is very manageable.
@ Oklahoma
@ Georgia
Those are the games that I’m worried about the most. Georgia is still going to run through people.
Florida
Bama
Both at home and they are back to back. Both of these teams get in TN’s head and just rattle them. Even when TN seems to be the superior team. I firmly believe if Milton wasn’t the QB last season, TN wins both of those games. Got rattled playing in the swamp and got overly confident in the Bama game and blew it after the half.
Selling a portal qb on a backup gig and a tough competition next year against a guy With multiple years in the system will be challenging. I think we’d almost have better luck finding another preferred walk on.
Ole Miss could stand to add to its running back room, but to call it a “big need” is very exaggerated. If you told me that you were willing to give us either a great running back or an additional SEC caliber offensive lineman, I’d take the lineman every day.
Tennessee needs a backup RB, and OLine depth way more than secondary. UT lost a bunch of guys who weren’t great and have more talent on the secondary now than the past few years. This is the same site that still thinks Mincey is on our team, so I kinda expected the lazy, non researched answer.
How much NIL $$ does each team have to spend in the portal.
TN’s dbs are unproven but talented and athletic. They will take their lumps early but develop in to a solid unit. Biggest needs are running back and offensive line.
I think it will be hard to get a quality O-lineman at this point for the Aggies. Reed-Adams was a good pull, but Derrick Graham has quickly decided he will need to look elsewhere for playing time. The problems the last two seasons had a lot to do with injuries, coaching, and scheme. There is still a lot of talent there.
Staff actions (publicly, so far) seem to be on the D-line.
Payton Kirkland OT from UTA will transfer to Florida –
he was a 4 star prospect out of Orlando