An Alabama transfer will now play the Crimson Tide in 2025.
One of the more surprising transfer portal entrants this offseason, Alabama Crimson Tide inside linebacker Justin Okoronkwo has now officially made his playing decision for the 2025 season, committing to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday morning.
Okoronkwo, who was a true freshman during the 2024 season, previously entered the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month after Alabama’s loss to the Michigan Wolverines in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
During the 2024 season, Okoronkwo primarily played a special teams role for the Crimson Tide. Over the course of the season, Okoronkwo made 14 tackles with one TFL.
Prior to Alabama, Okoronkwo was a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2024 recruiting class, and was an international prospect who ranked as a three-star linebacker out of Germany.
Looking ahead, Okoronkwo will also face his former team as early as next season, as Alabama is currently set to travel to South Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 25. The time of the game is currently to be determined.
Bill Belichick adds more help to the depleted defense in the transfer portal with this three-star safety.
Bill Belichick and UNC football continue to make moves in the transfer portal in an effort to revamp the mediocre defense that the Tar Heels had last season. The latest addition to the Carolina family is actually a player that North Carolina saw this season and was high on Belichick’s radar.
North Carolina’s first win of the season came on the road at Minnesota, a Big Ten Conference school, and won 19-17. Safety Coleman Bryson ended that loss with three tackles, one tackle for a loss, and one defended pass.
Bryson was a three-star safety out of Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High School. He was the No. 91 ranked safety and No. 108 ranked player in Georgia in the Class of 2022. According to 247sports, he had a rating of 85 in his freshman season.
In the three years of experience at Minnesota, the senior defensive back totaled 31 games, 54 tackles, one interception, one touchdown, and four defended passes.
Since the opening of the transfer portal, Belichick has also brought in lineman Melkart Abou-Jaoude, CJ Mims, and Pryce Yates. He has also brought in defensive back Gavin Gibson alongside of Bryson. In the middle of the defense, he added linebacker Khmori House.
On top of that, he brought back Ty Adams and Amare Campbell, who withdrew their name after entering the portal before the Belichick hiring.
With plenty of players left on the market, this Belichick-run Tar Heels team is still taking shape and will undoubtedly sign more players as the days transpire. You can check out all of the transfer portal additions, here.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Former four-star LSU cornerback lands in the Mountain West
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, former LSU defender Laterrance Welch chose his next school.
The cornerback signed with UNLV on Monday. It will be Welch’s second time transferring as he left LSU for Arizona State in 2024.
On3’s Industry Rankings gave Welch a three-star rating in the 2025 transfer class. He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 cycle when he signed with the Tigers. The Lafayette, LA native chose his home state school over multiple SEC offers. He was the No. 12 recruit in the state and No. 21 at his position.
Through two seasons donning the purple and gold, Welch totaled 14 tackles and two pass deflections. In 2024 at Arizona State, he posted 19 tackles, seven pass deflections, and two interceptions, one of which was a pick-six.
While Welch saw the field at LSU, he wasn’t a consistent player in defensive coordinator Matt House’s system. He could’ve competed for a starting role and provided depth in the secondary but decided to take his talents elsewhere following the 2023 season.
Ex-Auburn safety Caleb Wooden will reunite with two former Auburn assistant coaches at his next collegiate destination.
One of Auburn’s most experienced defensive backs over. the last three seasons has found a new home.
[autotag]Caleb Wooden[/autotag], who has played in 25 games and made eight starts at safety for the Tigers since 2022, is staying in the SEC. Wooden shared this week on social media that he has signed with the Arkansas Razorbacks via the transfer portal.
Wooden discussed his decision to sign with Arkansas with Richard Davenport of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, where he stated that reuniting with former Auburn assistant coaches [autotag]Travis Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Marcus Woodson[/autotag] provided an exciting opportunity.
“Familiarity with the staff,” Wooden said in an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “They’re family to us. That is big for me. I want to have that relationship with my coaches, especially in this day and age of NIL and (the transfer) portal. A lot of stuff is not real and the relationship I have with Coach (Marcus) Woodson and (Travis Williams) is real.”
Wooden recorded 41 tackles during his three-year stay in Auburn from 2022-24, with two pass breakups and two interceptions. He logged a career-high 17 stops in 2024 with just two missed tackles according to Pro Football Focus. He also allowed six catches in eight opportunities.
Auburn returns several key players at safety for the 2025 season including [autotag]Terrance Love[/autotag], [autotag]Sylvester Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Kensley Louidor-Faustin[/autotag]. Auburn also added ex-Georgia Tech safety [autotag]Taye Seymore[/autotag] from the transfer portal. The unit, which was considered to be the most inexperienced of the defense heading into 2024, will have plenty of wealth heading into next season.
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
The Bruins secured a massive commitment from a good running back at a quality program.
The UCLA Bruins added an impact player to their offense this week in the transfer portal. After averaging a Big Ten-worst 86.6 yards per game on the ground in 2024, UCLA football secured the commitment of former Utah Utes and Idaho Vandals running back Anthony Woods.
Announcing his commitment on X, the rising senior finished the 2024 season at Utah with 1,223 total yards and 17 total touchdowns. Woods averaged 5.5 yards per game in the Big 12 and breathes life into the struggling UCLA running backs room.
Woods projects to be an immediate day-one starter for the Bruins in 2025 and a pivotal piece to new offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri’s offense.
At Indiana, Sunseri’s offense rushed for 2,146 yards and 37 touchdowns in the Big Ten. Now, the Bruins have a bell cow back they can depend on as Woods returns to his home state of California.
With the quarterback position lacking experience entering 2025, UCLA’s addition of Woods will add a much-needed level of experience and production to the Bruins’ offense going forward.
A look at the top 10 ranked transfer portal recruits of the Brian Kelly era at LSU
You can’t build a roster in the modern era of college football without dipping into the transfer portal. LSU fans know that.
Transfers have been good to LSU in recent years. Heisman-winning quarterbacks [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] both began their careers elsewhere before transferring to LSU.
When Brian Kelly took the job at LSU, he leaned hard on the transfer portal to get the roster where it needed to be. His first transfer class included several impact players.
In 2023 and 2024, LSU used the portal, but not at the level it did when Kelly first got to Baton Rouge. Some fans were critical of that approach as LSU didn’t have all the pieces it needed in 2024 and went 9-4 while missing the playoff.
This year, it’s a different story. Kelly and the staff are getting after it in the portal. The Tigers have the top-ranked portal class in the nation, according to 247Sports and ESPN.
Today, we’ll look at the top 10 ranked transfers of the Kelly era at LSU. These ratings are based on what the transfer was ranked (247Sports) when they signed with LSU — not their eventual performance with the Tigers.
10. CB JK Johnson — 2023
Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Johnson signed with LSU in 2023 after beginning his career with Ohio State. He was expected to be a key part of LSU’s secondary in 2023, but tore his ACL and missed the entire year.
In 2024, he played 113 snaps for the Tigers but none after week five. Johnson was factored out of the rotation and hit the portal following the season.
9. DL Paris Shand — 2023
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Shand was a member of Johnson’s class — also signing in 2023.
Shand proved to be a versatile piece upfront. LSU played Shand at defensive end and defensive tackle. That was needed with depth being tested at both positions. Shand wasn’t a star, but he was a productive player who filled an important role on the defense.
8. WR Barion Brown — 2025
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Brown is the first member of the 2025 class to make the list. He was one of the best wide receivers available in this year’s portal class and the Tigers have high hopes for what he can be in 2025.
With LSU losing a serious amount of production at wide receiver, Kelly will count on transfers along with the return of Aaron Anderson, to lead the way.
7. DB Jardin Gilbert — 2024
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
LSU was looking to build its safety room entering 2024 and signed Jardin Gilbert, a Texas A&M transfer and Louisiana native. Gilbert served as LSU’s starting safety throughout the year and will return in 2025.
6. Zy Alexander — 2023
Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Alexander transferred up from the FCS level. There’s always a question about how smaller school guys will fare in the SEC, but Alexander proved to be one of the best cornerbacks in the country in 2024.
Alexander came up with four picks in 2024 and allowed a 54.5 NFL passer rating when targeted.
5. WR Nic Anderson — 2025
The Oklahoman
We have another member of the 2025 transfer class and again, it’s a receiver. Like Brown, Anderson brings Power Four experience to LSU’s wide receiver room.
He broke out with Oklahoma in 2023 before an injury hampered his 2024. LSU will hope Anderson can produce at the level he did in 2023.
4. DL Mekhi Wingo — 2022
(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Outside of Jayden Daniels, Wingo may be the most impactful transfer of the Kelly era. After a strong freshman year with Missouri in 2021, he transferred to LSU. He was one of the best defensive linemen in the conference in 2022 and 2023.
3. CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse — 2022
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
When Kelly got to LSU, the secondary room was practically empty. LSU sorely needed power conference-level players at cornerback and landed one in Jarrick Bernard-Converse.
He was versatile, playing cornerback and safety. He spent one year with LSU before heading to the NFL.
2. DE Patrick Payton — 2025
Tallahassee Democrat
According to 247Sports, Payton is the No. 2 ranked transfer of the 2025 class. He’s part of LSU’s rebuild at defensive end as Bradyn Swinson and Sai’Vion Jones head off to the next level.
LSU will count on Payton to produce this fall.
1. CB Denver Harris — 2023
(Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Harris is the top-rated transfer signee of the Kelly era at LSU. He arrived in Baton Rouge with a lot of hype. He was a five-star recruit who had a strong freshman campaign with Texas A&M in 2022. He was expected to be an immediate difference-maker with the Tigers.
Harris struggled to find his footing in Baton Rouge and was back in the transfer portal after one year.
The former Alabama linebacker is heading to the ACC.
An official transfer decision for Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Jeremiah Alexander was made Wednesday morning, as the former highly-touted high school prospect announced his commitment to the Clemson Tigers.
Alexander had previously entered the transfer portal earlier this month, and joins a list of others to make a decision so far this week alongside the likes of Elijah Pritchett, Ty Lockwood, Amari Jefferson, and more.
A former five-star prospect, as well as the nation’s top edge rusher, out of the Crimson Tide’s 2022 recruiting class, Alexander has primarily played inside linebacker across the past three seasons at Alabama in which he has a total of nine tackles.
This past season, Alexander posted a career-high of five tackles across 10 games played as a backup at inside linebacker, sitting behind the trio of Deontae Lawson, Jihaad Campbell, and Justin Jefferson on the depth chart.
BREAKING: Alabama transfer LB/EDGE Jeremiah Alexander has Committed to Clemson, he tells @on3sports
He was ranked as a 5-Star Recruit in the ‘22 Class (On3 Industry)
Ohio State running back enters transfer portal #GoBucks
Ohio State football is a couple of days away from taking on the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl for the right to move on to the College Football Playoff National Championship game, but that hasn’t slowed down the transfer portal news.
Current Buckeyes are still evaluating their futures and one freshman has just opted to find opportunity elsewhere. Sam Williams-Dixon was a homegrown three-star athlete in the class of 2024 from Pickerington North High School in Columbus, Ohio. The running back was able to earn seven carries for 53 yards in the three games he appeared this season.
This one stings a bit more as it always hurts when an Ohio kid looks to move on and Williams-Dixon has enough talent to eventually grow into a special talent for Ohio State. He has also elected to not remain with the team throughout the College Football Playoff.
We wish him good luck!
Ohio State Freshman RB Sam Williams-Dixon just informed me that he’ll be entering the transfer portal. He let the staff know on Sunday and has all paperwork completed. He will not be staying with the Buckeyes through the end of the playoffs. SWD had 7 carries for 53 yards as a…
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Josh Keatley on X.
Tracking the moves for UNC football in the transfer portal for January 2025.
The calendar has officially flipped to 2025 and it will begin a busy month for the UNC football program under Bill Belichick. The head coach mentioned that it would be a busy month on the recruiting trail as UNC looks to re-shape the roster moving forward.
The Tar Heels still have to add to the roster at key spots and are in the running for several players. The hope is that they can land some premier talent and continue to build.
We are tracking all the big news out of the portal for the Tar Heels throughout the month of January. Follow along below:
A big WR target, Javin Whatley, has committed to Arizona over UNC. The WR was an FCS All-American.
North Carolina makes significant hire.
Bill Belichick is set to hire IMG coach Billy Miller to the staff bringing a special teams pedigree as well as some recruiting help.
Tuesday, January 7th
North Carolina adds edge rusher
North Carolina added a big piece to the defense when former UConn edge rusher Pryce Yates committed to UNC. He faced off against the Tar Heels in the Fenway Bowl.
Monday, January 6th
UNC football lands commitment from DB
The Tar Heels have landed ECU defensive back Gavin Gibson on Monday.
Bill Belichick and the UNC football program met with former commit and four-star edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes over the weekend. UNC is hoping to land a commitment from the talented in-state prospect again.
Texas A&M’s 12 transfer portal additions have a chance to immediately impact the Aggies’ in 2025
Texas A&M’s 2025 offseason is off to a solid start amid the Aggies’ disappointing 1-4 finish to the 2024 season, as coach Mike Elko is determined to build the roster to his liking and add substantial depth at every position of need.
After losing to Texas in the regular season finale, Elko and his staff immediately took advantage of the growing number of talented transfer portal additions.
The staff focused on adding talent to the wide receiver corps, depth in the secondary, and replacing NFL-bound defensive linemen Nic Scourton, Shemar Turner, and Shemar Stewart.
In just one month, the Aggies have added 12 portal additions, led by landing NC State transfer wide receiver KC Concepcion, who looks like the team’s No. 1 receiver option after losing veteran Noah Thomas to the Georgia Bulldogs.
Two months before the spring football season, Athlon Sports writer Steven Lassen named Texas A&M as one of six transfer portal winners, joining Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn, Texas Tech, and Florida State.
“The Aggies met their needs on the offensive side, landing former five-star prospect Micah Hudson (Texas Tech) and a pair of productive receivers in Mario Craver (21.7 yards per catch at Mississippi State in ’24) and Kevin Concepcion (124 catches in two seasons at NC State).
Former Georgia defensive back Julian Humphrey and slot cornerback Jordan Shaw (Washington) are critical pickups to address a secondary that allowed 20 touchdown passes in ’24. Restocking the trenches was another priority with Shemar Turner, Nic Scourton, and Shemar Stewart off to the NFL. The pickups of Dayon Hayes (Colorado), Tyler Onyedim (Iowa State), and T.J. Searcy (Florida) add much-needed depth and talent up front.”
Lassen covered every detail about the Aggies’ offseason achievements. Although Elko still requires a few more additions to feel completely secure with the roster, the program is doing exceptionally well following an impressive transfer portal haul so far.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
