While it’s important to recruit players and be able to develop that talent on your roster across the span of a few years in college football, the introduction of the transfer portal over the past half-decade has really changed things. Now, if a team has a certain need to fill on the roster, or is interested in getting better at a certain position, they can hit the portal and find a ready-made player who can provide an instant impact to the team.
The Oregon Ducks have done a great job of doing this through the portal, with the latest example being former South Carolina edge rusher Jordan Burch, a former 5-star recruit who drew comparisons to Jadeveon Clowney coming out of high school.
When offering up some superlatives for transfer portal players this offseason, ESPN named Burch one of the most ready-made guys who can provide an instant impact in 2023:
The last time the Ducks brought in an edge defender with this type of physical tools, he was an impact presence. Burch, to be clear, is not Kayvon Thibodeaux, but as a five-star prospect in the 2020 class, he possesses impact ability. He is coming off his most productive season when he was among South Carolina’s leading tacklers and most disruptive pass-rushers. A defender with good length, power and body control, Burch can help boost a defense that ranked 115th among 131 FBS teams in sacks. He has yet to fully meet lofty expectations but looks to be headed to Eugene after beginning to realize some of that touted potential and could be an impact addition for Oregon.
Burch isn’t the only transfer who comes to Eugene with the chance to put up big numbers in 2023. The Ducks also got top OT Ajani Cornelius from Rhode Island, as well as S Evan Williams (Fresno State), WR Traeshon Holden (Alabama), LB Jestin Jacobs (Iowa), and CB Khyree Jackson (Alabama) as well, among many others.
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