Wednesday night transfer portal notebook: On in-demand lower-division tight ends, Florida’s roster turnover and more
A wrap-up of notable doings from the third day of the FBS transfer portal open window. As of 11 p.m. ET Wednesday, 64 FBS scholarship players had gone into the portal on the third day. That means almost 650 scholarship players have gone in this week.
Taking a step up
Some of the hottest commodities in the transfer portal thus far? Lower-division tight ends. Two of the more productive FBS tight ends this season were FCS transfers: Utah’s Dalton Kincaid (San Diego) and Arizona’s Tanner McLachlan (Southern Utah).
+ Former UC Davis standout McCallan Castles (6 feet 5, 235 pound), a two-time second-team All-Big Sky selection, committed to Tennessee on Wednesday. Castles, from South Lake Tahoe, Calif., began his college career at California in 2018, then transferred to UC Davis after the 2019 season. He had 30 receptions for 347 and two TDs this season, giving him 57 receptions and six touchdown in the past two seasons.
+ Former Cal Poly redshirt freshman Josh Cuevas is coming off a big season – 57 catches, 662 yards, six TDs for a pass-first program – and FBS schools noticed. Cuevas (6-5, 245), from Los Angeles, has drawn interest from the likes of Illinois, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Washington and Arizona State after being named a third-team All-Big Sky selection. Worth noting: Cal Poly coach Beau Baldwin recently was hired as offensive coordinator at Arizona State by new Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham. Cuevas has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
+ Those two are FCS players, and a Division II tight end also is drawing a ton of interest. Kyle Morlock (6-7, 245) starred at Shorter University, a Gulf South Conference member in Rome, Ga. Morlock had 30 receptions for 446 yards and six touchdowns, and was an important cog in the Hawks’ rushing attack. But forget the stats and focus on the measurables; agile 6-7 tight ends aren’t that prevalent. Numerous schools have expressed interest, including Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Oregon State, Purdue, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Morlock is from tiny Blairsville, Ga. (population of about 625), near the Georgia-Tennessee border. He has two years of eligibility left.
14 Florida Gators now in portal
Florida is 6-6 in coach Billy Napier’s first season and needs a big-time infusion of talent, which means the Gators also need a roster churn. Thanks to the transfer portal, that’s happening.
Florida had six players officially enter the portal Wednesday morning: linebacker Chief Borders (6 feet 3, 241 pounds), tight end Nick Elksnis (6-5, 234), defensive tackle Jalen Lee (6-2, 299), safety Donovon McMillon (6-1, 205), linebacker David Reese (6-1, 238) and safety Kamar Wilcoxson (6-1, 200). Lee and McMillon were the only ones who saw appreciable time this season. Lee started three early-season games before settling into a backup role, while McMillon played a lot as a backup safety. McMillon finished with 21 tackles, Lee eight. The other three defenders on the list combined for six tackles, while Elksnis didn’t play this season.
That makes 14 Gators who officially have entered the portal since it opened for the 2022-23 cycle on August 1, and there are expected to be a handful of others who will leave. Good news for Napier (and for Florida’s roster management): None of those leaving can be considered a big loss.
Making an in-state move
Miami defensive tackle Darrell Jackson, who started for the Hurricanes this season after transferring from Maryland after the 2021 season, is on the move again. Jackson entered the portal Wednesday afternoon and chose his new school – Florida State – on Wednesday night.
Jackson (6-6, 300) had 27 tackles, three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss this season. Jackson made 22 tackles as a true freshman with Maryland last season.
His best football almost certainly is ahead of him. Jackson is from Havana, Fla., about 30 miles outside Tallahassee, played at a small high school and was extremely raw as a college freshman. As he becomes more technically proficient, he has the tools to become an all-league player.
Transfers you may have overlooked
+ North Carolina CB Storm Duck: With Duck’s decision, both of the Tar Heels’ starting corners are in the portal; Tony Grimes went in Monday. Duck (6-1, 200) had 46 tackles, three picks and nine pass breakups this season to earn second-team All-ACC honors. He started as a true freshman in 2019, then missed 14 games the past two seasons because of injuries, then regained his starting job this season. Duck is from Boiling Springs, N.C., on the border with South Carolina. He has one season of eligibility remaining and figures to get a lot of portal attention.
+ Cincinnati WRs Nick Mardner and Jadon Thompson: Mardner (6-6, 215) was a key reserve and Thompson (6-2, 187) a starter for the Bearcats this season. Thompson, a Chicago native, has 26 receptions for 383 yards (14.7 per catch) and a TD. Seven of his receptions went for at least 20 yards and four went for at least 30. He also served as Cincinnati’s kick returner against East Carolina and took one back 100 yards for a TD. Thompson has two seasons of eligibility left. Mardner, who is from the Toronto area, transferred from Hawaii after the 2021 season and has 19 catches for 218 yards and three TDs. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
+ Washington State LB Francisco Mauigoa: Mauigoa (6-3, 230) started at Mike linebacker for the Cougars this season after seeing time in a reserve role as a true freshman in 2021. He finished third on the team with 60 tackles. Mauigoa, who went to high school in American Samoa, also had a 95-yard interception return for a TD against Oregon and forced three fumbles this season. His brother is five-star OT Francis Mauigoa, a Miami commitment who is the On3 Consensus No. 8 player in the 2023 recruiting class.
+ Minnesota LB Braelen Oliver: Oliver (6-0, 230) was a two-year starter (2021 and this season) for the Gophers. He had a combined 57 tackles in the two seasons after missing all of 2020 with a severe knee injury that included torn ligaments (plural), nerve damage and a dislocated kneecap. Oliver, from the Atlanta area, has one season of eligibility left.
+ Louisville OLB/DB Ben Perry: Perry (6-2, 212) started at a hybrid linebacker/safety spot for the Cardinals this season, finishing with 42 tackles, three pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. Perry, from the Chicago area, has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
+ Temple DL Darian Varner: Varner (6-2, 260) was fifth in the AAC this season with 12.5 tackles for loss. He was a key part of an aggressive and physical Temple front seven that helped the Owls rack up 38 sacks (tied for eighth nationally) and 88 TFL (11th). As a true freshman last season, when he played at 285 pounds, Varner was a part-time starter and had seven tackles for loss. Varner is from Norfolk, Va., and has two seasons of eligibility left.
+ Others: Arizona State two-year starting P Eddie Czaplicki led the Pac-12 this season with an average of 45.98 yards per attempt, a figure that ranks eighth nationally. He also was the Sun Devils’ kickoff specialist this season and 52.7 percent of his kickoffs were touchbacks. Czaplicki is a Charlotte native and has two seasons of eligibility remaining. … Buffalo WR Jamari Gassett (5-10, 171) was the Bulls’ third leading receiver this season as a part-time starter, with 28 catches for 347 yards and two TDs. He has good speed, with five of his catches going for at least 30 yards and three for at least 40. Gassett, who is from Tampa, had 20 receptions as a true freshman starter in 2021. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining. … Buffalo starting C Jack Hasz (6-4, 290) was a reserve last season after transferring from junior college, then was a fulltime starter this season. Hasz, who is from Omaha, Neb., will be looking to follow in the footsteps of two former Buffalo centers: Jacob Gall starts for Baylor and Mike Novitsky starts for Kansas. Hasz has one season of eligibility remaining. … Charlotte starting OT Matt Rosso (6-5, 290) transferred from Rutgers after the 2021 season. He opened the 2022 season as the 49ers’ starting left tackle, then moved to the right side. Rosso has one season of eligibility remaining.