SEC Transfer Portal Power Rankings
Believe it or not, spring football is right around the corner. In a month, SEC teams will be getting the pads out and going through 15 practices as the spring semester winds up. When rosters take the field, the transfer portal will have its fingerprints everywhere.
Last week, KSR dug into all 14 programs in the SEC and analyzed how each attacked the transfer portal (East and West). However, what good is analysis without some power rankings?
KSR’s Transfer Portal Department is back, and we’re ranking how each team in the SEC did on the waiver wire.
Let’s dive in.
1.) Ole Miss Rebels
Well, Lane Kiffin is officially calling his shot. Despite losing both offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby to Oklahoma and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin to Texas A&M, the 46-year-old wants the crown.
In the portal, Ole Miss landed a former top-50 recruit at quarterback (Jaxson Dart, USC), a former five-star prospect at running back (Zach Evans, TCU), a starting safety in the Big 12 (Isheem Young, Iowa State), and a pair of all-conference performers in the Group of Five.
Meanwhile, Kiffin’s staff landed promising young players J.J. Pegues and Ladarius Tennison from Auburn, explosive flex tight end Michael Trigg from USC, and wide receiver Jordan Watkins out of Louisville.
The Rebels addressed many needs and will have a chance to chase double-digit wins again if Dart is a hit behind center.
2.) Alabama Crimson Tide
Losing eight players to other Power Five programs would cripple most college football programs, but Alabama is not most college football programs. Just like high school recruiting, Nick Saban is also dominating transfer portal recruiting.
Jermaine Burton (WR, Georgia), Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Georgia Tech), and Eli Ricks (CB, LSU) were all blue-chip prospects out of high school, and each has first-round draft potential if ceilings are hit.
Alabama has needs at running back, wide receiver, and cornerback. Saban addressed each of them in free agency. The Tide continues to roll and will be the clear favorite to take home the national title in 2022.
3.) Arkansas Razorbacks
Following a 9-4 season that ended in the AP Top 25, Sam Pittman saw 12 players enter the transfer portal heading into year three at Arkansas. Most notably, the Hogs lost two secondary starters to LSU.
Yet, the Razorbacks added a ton of quality.
Both Latavious Brini (Nickel, Georgia) and Dwight McGlothern (CB, LSU) should be instant starters in the secondary. Former five-star recruits Jadon Haselwood (Oklahoma) and Drew Sanders (Alabama) have high ceilings at wide receiver and EDGE.
Arkansas got better in the portal and will be in position to have another strong year in 2022.
4.) South Carolina Gamecocks
Shane Beamer surprised many in 2021 as his coaching staff squeezed out seven wins, but it was clear that the Gamecocks had real issues at quarterback. Those seemed to have been solved in the transfer portal.
Former five-star recruit Spencer Rattler (QB, Oklahoma) is moving to the SEC, and expectations are now sky high for Beamer into year two, but that is not all South Carolina addressed.
Austin Stogner (Oklahoma) is a solid add at tight end, and Christian Beal-Smith (Wake Forest) could be a starter at running back. Meanwhile, Antwane Wells (WR, James Madison) and Devonni Reed (S, Central Michigan) are small school adds who could have high ceilings.
South Carolina will receive a lot of hype in the offseason, and that will be due to the addition of Rattler.
5.) LSU Tigers
Brian Kelly has a lot of work to do at LSU, and the former Notre Dame head coach will be leaning on the transfer portal heavily in the early part of his tenure. The Tigers leaned into the waiver wire this offseason.
LSU has added 11 scholarship players as Kelly looks to rebuild the offensive line and fill multiple holes on defense. Arkansas transfers Greg Brooks Jr. and Joe Foucha should be instant starters with Jarrick Bernard-Converse (CB, Oklahoma State) in the secondary.
The Tigers won’t be national title contenders in 2022, but the numerous additions should help raise the floor for Kelly’s first team.
6.) Kentucky Wildcats
Last season, Mark Stoops and his program cleaned up in the transfer portal by landing four instant starters who all made a big splash in Lexington. The Wildcats dug into the portal again for some help.
Kentucky did not have quite the same pull, but the Big Blue did find some help. Javon Baker (Alabama) and Tayvion Robinson (Virginia Tech) should help bolster the wide receiver room. Darrion Henry-Young (Ohio State) is an intriguing young talent at defensive end.
Super senior Tashawn Manning (Auburn) could be an immediate starter at offensive guard, but Kentucky still needs help at cornerback and offensive tackle. Don’t be surprised if some additions are made after spring practice.
7.) Florida Gators
Billy Napier is trying to change the culture at Florida, and a lot of things are happening in Gainesville. The Gators are building a support staff army, and the groundwork is being laid for long-term recruiting success.
However, the portal is helping plug gaps in the short term.
Napier brought three players to the SEC from Louisiana, and O’Cyrus Torrence (iOL) could be one of the best guards in college football next year.
There are still holes, but year one will be all about establishing a culture for Napier.
8.) Missouri Tigers
Things fell apart for Eliah Drinkwitz in year two but the Tigers did some good things off the field. Mizzou inked a top-15 recruiting class and addressed some needs in the transfer market.
Ty’Ron Hopper (Florida) should be an upgrade at off-ball linebacker, and Joseph Charleston (Clemson) could be the best safety on the team. Nathaniel Peat (Stanford) returns home and will add depth at running back.
Quarterback is a concern, but Missouri plugged holes with transfers.
9.) Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mike Leach has established his program through two seasons, but consecutive losses to Ole Miss and Texas Tech took the shine off a good year two. The Bulldogs have a young roster and the transfer portal was mostly used to address depth.
However, Alabama transfer Marcus Banks was a significant get at cornerback, and the former blue-chip recruit could end up being one of the best cover guys in the conference. Meanwhile, Massimo Biscardi (Coastal Carolina) should address the issues at kicker.
State saw 13 players enter the transfer portal, but this is a program still in good shape.
`10.) Texas A&M Aggies
Jimbo Fisher has loaded up on high school recruits in the 2022 cycle and is not looking to use scholarships on transfers at the moment. LSU quarterback Max Johnson comes in, but that is as of now. Meanwhile, the Aggies lost no one of note.
Folks in Bryan-College Station are now ready to see that elite recruiting start winning at a high level on the field.
11.) Georgia Bulldogs
Similar to Texas A&M, Georgia also is loading up on blue-chip prospects in the class of 2022. Kirby Smart’s program lost six players to Power Five programs, but only Jermaine Burton was a potential impact performer.
Georgia could attack the portal in the spring, but for now, the Bulldogs appear to be in good shape.
12.) Tennessee Volunteers
There is a ton of momentum for Tennessee following Josh Heupel’s exciting 7-6 debut. That resulted in the Vols signing a top-20 recruiting class, but the Big Orange missed out on most of their transfer portal targets.
Most famously, Isaiah Neyor flipped to Texas, and none of the four additions appears to be instant starters for the Vols. That is not great news for a roster that is still dealing with depth issues thanks to all of the attrition following the dismissal of Jeremy Pruitt.
13.) Vanderbilt Commodores
Clark Lea is at the beginning of a long rebuild at Vanderbilt. Therefore, the Commodores are leaning into high school recruiting. Not surprisingly, 14 players left the program during the culture change.
Kane Patterson (LB, Clemson) was a nice pickup, but expect Vandy to go with somewhat of a youth movement in 2022 as the growing pains continue on the West End.
14.) Auburn Tigers
Things are not good on the Plains. Bryan Harsin has lost nearly 20 players to the transfer portal, and defensive line depth has been gutted. Auburn had to replace both coordinators, and the five transfer portal additions are simply not enough.
All signs point to a terrible season and a short tenure for Harsin at Auburn.
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