The NCAA Football transfer portal has already seen a good amount of action from former SEC players in the immediate aftermath of the regular-season closing down.
This isn’t shocking or random, and it certainly isn’t a surprise to see. The transfer portal has become one of the most talked about aspects of college athletics in today’s day and age and provides the most immediate impact for teams.
Take Tennessee, for a close-to-home example. Some of the most productive and important players in the two-year tenure of Josh Heupel have been transfer portal players: QBs Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton III, WRs JaVonta Payton, Bru McCoy, and Velus Jones Jr, LB Juwan Mitchell, K Chase McGrath, and many more.
Southern California provides a great example of the importance of the transfer portal, as well.
As the Trojans enter the Pac-12 Championship Game and, potentially, the College Football Playoffs, it’s hard not to correlate the early success of Lincoln Riley and USC to the fact that the Trojans were the No. 1 transfer portal team from 2021 to 2022. USC had a transfer portal class rated at 94.94 – which was 10 points more than second-place Ole Miss, 20 points more than third-place LSU, and 30 points more than fourth-place Oklahoma.
More from RTI: How Tennessee Quarterback Transfers Fared At New Schools In 2022
Let’s start with the Aggies, who somehow ended a disastrous season with an unlikely home win against No. 5 LSU on Saturday in Texas.
According to Yahoo Sports’ CJ Mumme, four Aggie players have entered the transfer portal over the course of the last week, with three of them being defensive players and one a running back.
The report states that DE Donell Harris, linebacker Ish Harris, DE Elijah Jeudy, and running back LJ Johnson are all in the portal, however, Johnson did previously leave the team earlier in the season and only made the transfer portal jump official recently.
A new report on Monday also states that Missouri wide receiver Dominic Lovett is heading into the transfer portal. The sophomore caught 56 passes for 846 yards and three touchdowns on offense. Lovett only trails Tennessee superstar Jalin Hyatt (67) and South Carolina’s Antwane Wells Jr. (63) for receptions in the conference.
Lovett had four receptions for 47 yards and one touchdown against Tennessee in mid-November.
Touchdown Missouri
Cook on the money to Dominic Lovett for a 38-yard touchdown. We have a ball game in Knoxville.
Vols 28, Tigers 24https://t.co/7xiq2QZ0ty
— Ryan Schumpert (@rschump00) November 12, 2022
Expect a lot of activity in the transfer portal over the next few days. December and January are typically massive months for all of the excitment as players look to get established with a new team as quickly as possible.
Here’s a look at some of the initial SEC players that reportedly have entered or are entering the transfer portal:
Texas A&M
- DE Donnell Harris
- LB Ish Harris
- RB L.J. Johnson
- DE Elijah Jeudy
Texas A&M sophomore running back LJ Johnson Jr. will enter the transfer portal, sources confirm to @Rivals & @RivalsPortal.
Simply a formality on Dec. 5 for Johnson after leaving the team earlier in the season.
Johnson was ranked as the No. 2 RB and No. 44 OVR recruit in 2021. pic.twitter.com/JgA7McLvlC
— Nick Harris (@RivalsNick) November 27, 2022
Missouri
- WR Dominic Lovett
🚨BREAKING🚨 Missouri WR Dominic Lovett intends to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to @chris_hummer.
Read more HERE: https://t.co/kgmPDVyWuZ pic.twitter.com/1YttR9kbU9
— On3 (@On3sports) November 27, 2022
Alabama
- OL Damieon George
- RB Trey Sanders
- CB Khyree Jackson
I’m officially entering the transfer portal with 2 years left of eligibility
— Damieongeorge (@damieongeorge) November 28, 2022
Arkansas
- QB Malik Hornsby
— LEEK🦍👑 (@1MalikH1) November 28, 2022
Vanderbilt
- WR Devin Boddie Jr.
AGTG🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/i9GUfZTohr
— DBJ (@devinbjr) November 28, 2022
Ole Miss
- DE Demon Clowney
- QB Luke Altmyer
— Demon (@DemonClowney) November 28, 2022
— Luke Altmyer (@lukealtmyer9) November 28, 2022
2 Responses
“The grass is always ‘greener’ at the end of the transfer portal”.
What a terrible move for him!!! We’re else in college football could a WR show off there talent any better than at Tennessee!!! You have the opportunity of a life time to go out and rack up the yards playing for a explosive offense under a coach like Josh Heupel I don’t really understand why any body wanting to play at that position not wanting to play in that kind of offensive!!! Maybe he’s wanting to change position!!! Go luck buddy!!!