Tag: keeshawn silver

USC lands commitment from coveted defensive line transfer

Eric Henderson continues to beef up the USC defensive line with the pickup of an elite transfer from Kentucky. Dawgwork is getting done.

They say that the transfer portal given and the transfer portal taketh. For USC, that has been especially the case over the past few weeks. After losing numerous key players to the portal, the Trojans picked up arguably their biggest addition yet Thursday morning when they landed former Kentucky defensive lineman Keshawn Silver.

After starting his college career at North Carolina, Silver spent the past two seasons at Kentucky. As a redshirt junior in 2024, he recorded 46 tackles and a sack. Now, he will head to Los Angeles for his final season of eligibility.

Silver was one of the highest-rated defensive lineman in the transfer portal. His addition is a huge one for a USC team in desperate need of momentum after a week full of departures.

With current starters Nate Clifton, Gavin Meyer, and Jamil Muhammad all out of eligibility, USC is in major need of reinforcements along the defensive line heading into next season. There is still work to be done, but the addition of Silver will go a long way toward addressing that issue.

USC makes top four for coveted defensive lineman in transfer portal

USC has so many needs to address in the portal. There’s a beefy, powerful defensive lineman who is considering the Trojans.

As they say, the transfer portal giveth and the transfer portal taketh. With USC football set to lose a significant batch of talent in the transfer portal, the Trojans will have to counter that by bringing in talent from other schools.

Earlier this week, USC took a first step toward rebuilding its roster when the Trojans made the top four for highly-touted defensive line transfer Keeshawn Silver.

After starting his college career out at North Carolina, Silver spent the past two seasons at Kentucky. He had the best year of his career in 2024, recording 14 tackles and one sack.

In addition to USC, Silver’s top four consisted of Florida, Michigan, and Miami.

On3 ranks Silver as a top-30 available player in the portal. He will have one year of eligibility remaining at his new school.

The Trojans are set to lose starting defensive linemen Jamil Muhammad, Nate Clifton, and Gavin Meyer, all of whom are out of eligibility. Given the importance of being strong along line of scrimmage in order to compete in the Big Ten, it will be crucial that the Trojans address their need at the position this offseason.

Former Kentucky defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver closes in on a new team

Former Kentucky nose tackle Keeshawn Silver will transfer to one of four final schools.

After a disappointing season, Kentucky football has had a number of players announce decisions to transfer elsewhere. One of those is defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver, who was one of the first players to announce he would enter the transfer portal.

Silver is a former five-star recruit who came to Lexington after playing for North Carolina first. He found himself playing some big minutes for the Wildcats over the past two seasons before leaving after this past season.

Related: Deone Walker to enter 2025 NFL Draft

It didn’t take very long for Silver to attract some major programs when he entered the portal. Now, a few days after the portal officially opened, the nose tackle has already narrowed his choices down to four schools, per Pete Nakos of On3. The Florida Gators, USC Trojans, Michigan Wolverines, and Miami Hurricanes are his final four.

There’s no word on when Silver will decide, but his presence will be missed by the Wildcats. Good luck to him wherever he winds up.

Florida getting elite transfer portal DL on campus

Florida is in the top four for one of the best defensive linemen in the transfer portal, former Kentucky tackle Keeshawn Silver.

One of Florida’s biggest positions of need this offseason is defensive tackle because starting nose tackle Cam Jackson and primary backup Desmond Watson are out of eligibility.

Replacing more than 650 defensive snaps is no easy task, but the answer may come from a familiar SEC foe. Kentucky transfer lineman [autotag]Keeshawn Silver[/autotag] is one of the most coveted defensive tackles in the portal, and Florida is on the shortlist for the former five-star recruit.

On3’s Pete Nakos reported Florida, Miami, Michigan and USC are the schools that make up Silver’s top four. He’ll visit each program over the next week. He’s in Gainesville from Tuesday to Wednesday, then to Miami from Wednesday to Thursday, followed by trips to Southern California on Thursday and Michigan on Friday.

Silver spent his first two collegiate seasons with North Carolina, redshirting in 2021 and playing off the bench in three games the following year. He transferred to Kentucky ahead of the 2023 season and has played more than 600 snaps over the past two seasons for the Wildcats. He has 46 career tackles and a sack.

Pro Football Focus gave him defensive grades of  64.6 in 2023 and 62.5 this season. He has 18 defensive pressures over the past two years.

Silver is the top defensive lineman and is No. 24 overall in the On3 industry transfer portal rankings. 247Sports has him at No. 7 among defensive linemen (including edge defenders) and No. 29 overall.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Michigan football makes top group for former five-star in transfer portal

The former five-star defensive tackle who played at North Carolina and Kentucky put Michigan football in his top group.

The transfer portal officially opened on Monday for the December period and there’s a lot to sort through with hundreds of players suddenly looking for new homes.

One such player was in the 2021 recruiting class and played in the ACC and, more recently, the SEC. Rocky Mount (N.C.) defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver got his start at North Carolina for his first two seasons before transferring to Kentucky for the past two. He was unproductive as a Tar Heel, playing in a total of seven games, but at Kentucky, he started to see more playing time, appearing in 24 games in his two seasons.

On Monday, the former five-star recruit listed his top four schools and Michigan football made the cut, along with Florida, USC, and Miami.

 

Here is how Silver ranked as a recruit:

* Ovr Pos St
247Sports Composite 5 31 8i 1
On3 Industry Ranking 5 22 6 1
247Sports 5 28 6 2
On3 5 27 7 2
ESPN 5 8 3 1
Rivals 4 88 7 5

And here is how he ranks in the transfer portal:

* Ovr Pos
247Sports 4 13 2
On3 4 40 2

With Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant likely departing for the NFL, the Wolverines would be wise to add at least one experienced defensive tackle in the middle. He’s listed at 6-foot-4, 336 pounds.

A key Kentucky defensive lineman will enter the transfer portal

Kentucky is set to lose a key member of the defensive line to the transfer portal.

The transfer portal opens on December ninth, but Kentucky football is already set to lose a key member of their defensive line. In the same week where Tucker Kattus and Marquise Davis decommited from the Wildcats, Keeshawn Silver announced he will enter the portal.

Silver was a five-star recruit in the 2021 class out of high school who originally committed to North Carolina. He played sparingly while there, and transferred to Kentucky for the 2023 season.

Related: Five quarterbacks Kentucky should target in the portal

As a Wildcat, Silver has been an instrumental part of the team the past two seasons, filling in admirably on the defensive line. His presence was especially important this season, with the injuries they suffered up front.

With the opening of the transfer portal less than a week away, more announcements are sure to follow. After such a disappointing season, Mark Stoops will have to try and keep as many important players as he can, as he tries to rebound in 2025.

Top recruit from each team Notre Dame will face in 2021

The Irish could face some very good true freshman this fall

The recruiting world has changed, no longer do prospects who are highly ranked have to wait their turn when they arrive to their respective college campuses. Each year more and more true-freshman get significant playing time and the opportunity to make an impact. Here are the top incoming recruits, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, from each team that Notre Dame will face this fall.

Georgia football among four-star DE Keeshawn Silver’s top seven schools

Projected to commit in-state, Silver has a long list of scholarship offers, including UGA rivals Florida, Auburn, Georgia Tech, and Alabama.

Four-star defensive end Keeshawn Silver took to twitter to narrow down his preferred collegiate destinations.

A rising senior out of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Silver is the state’s top defensive end and fifth-ranked prospect overall. According to the recruiting analysts at 247.com, he is the eighth-best strongside defensive end of 2021’s recruiting class.

Currently projected to commit to in-state UNC, Silver has a long list of scholarship offers, including Georgia rivals Florida, Auburn, Georgia Tech, and Alabama.

Of that list, only Florida, Auburn, and Alabama made the cut. Sorry Jackets, but it’s not exactly surprising.

Silver, who began his high school athletic career primarily as a basketball player, has a high ceiling given that his talent and his new venture’s novelty.

He has not scheduled a commitment date.

Notre Dame Football: Another Day, Another 2021 Defensive Line Offer Made

Wednesday brought Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston and head coach Brian Kelly extending another offer for the 2021 class.

Yesterday we saw Notre Dame make four different offers to 2021 prospects, all of which play on the defensive line and who come from the state of Georgia.

Wednesday brought Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston and head coach Brian Kelly extending another offer for the 2021 class.

It just didn’t happen to come from Georgia for a change.

Three-star defensive end Keeshawn Silver announced on Twitter that the Fighting Irish offered him a scholarship Wednesday, becoming the 22nd program to do so.

Silver hails from Rocky Mount, North Carolina and plays strong side defensive end.  Notre Dame joins several big-time programs in offering a scholarship including but not limited to: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Silver has announced on his personal Twitter page that he will announce his top schools on February 21.  He is also listed on 247Sports as having made unofficial visits to North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Florida, Charlotte and Duke.