SEC proving to be a preferred destination for transfers
Quarterback Jaxson Dart didn’t know precisely the place he wished to go upon deciding to depart USC, simply that the Southeastern Convention was a most popular vacation spot.
Dart wound up touchdown at Mississippi and within the SEC, together with quite a lot of different high gamers within the switch portal. In some instances, comparable to Alabama, the wealthy bought richer. Different groups might have picked up a brand new beginning quarterback, runner, go rusher or receiver.
“I knew after I was going into the portal, I wished to go to the SEC,” Dart mentioned earlier this spring. “So these have been a few of my foremost faculties.
“As a result of it will get you developed to play within the NFL. I really feel like should you may be profitable within the SEC, then it’s a better transition to the NFL.”
First, the SEC swept the highest three spots within the recruiting rankings, in keeping with 247Sports. Then, the league that had Georgia and Alabama within the nationwide championship sport added to these prospects with quite a lot of switch portal pickups who may have enormous impacts this fall.
Dart was certainly one of 14 transfers for Ole Miss, which had 247Sports’ high portal class. LSU additionally nabbed 14 additions from different faculties to rank third. The website ranked Alabama’s switch class fifth, South Carolina’s seventh and Arkansas’s ninth.
Dart is amongst a minimum of seven switch quarterbacks at six SEC applications, together with former Oklahoma starter Spencer Rattler at South Carolina, Arizona State’s Jayden Daniels at LSU and former LSU starter Max Johnson at Texas A&M.
Auburn signed each Zach Calzada (Texas A&M) and Robby Ashford (Oregon) to compete with T.J. Finley, who arrived from LSU final spring.
Ole Miss and LSU gave the impression to be two of the massive winners nationally within the portal lottery, whereas nationwide champion Georgia might not have wanted a lot further reinforcements and didn’t signal a switch.
Different SEC groups weren’t fairly so well-stocked throughout the board.
— Lane Kiffin and the Rebels mined the portal for a potential starting backfield, edge rushers and gamers comparable to ex-USC tight finish and Dart’s shut buddy Michael Trigg. “He texted me immediately and was like, ‘Hey bro, I’m going the place you’re going,’” Dart mentioned.
Dart is a former Gatorade Nationwide participant of the yr who performed in six video games as a Trojans freshman after struggling a knee harm in his debut. He and Luke Altmyer are competing to interchange potential NFL first-round decide Matt Corral.
Tailbacks Zach Evans (TCU) and Ulysses Bentley (SMU) might be key for a staff changing its high three working backs.
— Alabama landed potential starters at working again ( Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech), cornerback (Eli Ricks LSU), vast receiver (Jermaine Burton, Georgia; Tyler Harrell, Louisville) and on the offensive line ( Tyler Steen, Vanderbilt). The Tide hit the jackpot final season with receiver Jameson Williams and linebacker Henry To’oTo’o.
— Rattler seems to be the favourite to begin at quarterback for South Carolina, however he’s not alone in potential affect transfers. The Gamecocks are additionally banking on assist from Wake Forest main rusher Christian Beal-Smith, former Sooners tight finish Austin Stogner, James Madison record-setting receiver Antwane Wells Jr. and North Carolina State defensive finish Terrell Dawkins.
Stated Rattler: “I’ve undoubtedly realized nearly all of the offense. Nonetheless settling into a couple of issues with it being a model new system, however for me, I’m actually comfy proper now. I’m extra comfy underneath middle with the passing sport.“
— Arkansas constructed on the momentum of a 9-4 season with a powerful group of transfers. The group contains linebacker Drew Sanders, a former five-star prospect who spent his first two seasons at Alabama and began three video games in 2021. Cornerback Dwight McGlothern and edge rusher Landon Jackson got here on board from LSU whereas ex-Oklahoma vast receiver Jadon Haselwood is amongst these making an attempt to assist fill the void left by Treylon Burks.
South Florida switch Cade Fortin joins the combination at quarterback behind Okay.J. Jefferson.
On the flip facet, the SEC staff hit hardest by the portal was Auburn, which had 15 gamers enter it whereas the Tigers signed 5.
New LSU coach Brian Kelly misplaced and gained some key gamers by way of the portal. Daniels is jockeying for place on the depth chart with Myles Brennan, Garrett Nussmeier and freshman Walker Howard.
The spring sport didn’t settle a lot in that regard.
“We didn’t clear up something within the quarterback.“ Kelly mentioned. ”We most likely made it much more tough.”
___ AP Sports activities Writers Pete Iacobelli, Brett Martel and Teresa Walker contributed to this report.
