Five key position battles involving transfers in the SEC

Most teams are set to begin their spring practices this month, and there will be a lot of hotly contested position battles involving transfer players. Today Rivals.com takes a look at five competitions in the SEC involving transfers.

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FIVE KEY SPRING BATTLES: Big Ten

BEST AVAILABLE: QB | RB | WR | OL | DT | DE | LB

TRANSFER SUPERLATIVES: SEC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12

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Contenders: Jaxson Dart (returning starter) vs. Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State transfer) vs. Walker Howard (LSU transfer)

The battle: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a quarterback battle more interesting than the one Lane Kiffin has on his hands in Oxford, Miss. The Rebels will have a three-man competition for the starting role this spring as they bring back returning starter Jaxton Dart while adding Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders and LSU transfer Walker Howard.

Dart, a former Southern California transfer, is coming off a solid sophomore season in which he threw for 2,974 yards and 20 touchdowns with 11 interceptions while adding 614 yards and a score on the ground. Despite his production, he’ll have a hard time holding off Sanders, who piled up 9,553 yards through the air and 1,956 more on the ground to go with 85 total touchdowns over the past four seasons. Howard, the No. 2 pro-style quarterback in last year’s class, appeared in just two games for LSU last season but could be a dark horse in the battle.

Prediction: Sanders. The Oklahoma State transfer was one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the portal and joins Ole Miss with just one season of eligibility remaining. That says a lot about his confidence in winning the starting job.

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Contenders: Jack Miller III (returning) vs. Graham Mertz (Wisconsin transfer)

The battle: Offseason departures depleted Florida’s quarterback room this offseason as starter Anthony Richardson left for the NFL while backup Jalen Kitna was dismissed from the team and four-star signee Jalen Rashada was granted his release following a failed NIL venture. That left rising redshirt sophomore Jack Miller III to compete with Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz.

After transferring in from Ohio State last offseason, Miller’s lone appearance came as he filled in as the starter during the Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon State. He completed 13 of 22 passes for 180 yards without a touchdown or an interception.

Mertz joins Florida after starting 32 games at Wisconsin over the past three seasons. The former Rivals100 member has yet to live up to his hype coming out of high school, throwing for 5,332 yards and 38 touchdowns with 26 interceptions while posting a 19-13 record as a starter.

Prediction: Mertz. While the Wisconsin transfer hasn’t been convincing over his three seasons as a starter, his experience should win him the first-team role.

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Contenders: Jarquez Hunter (returning) vs. Brian Battie (South Florida transfer)

The battle: Auburn loses starter Tank Bigsby but will still feature a loaded backfield this fall. Most expect rising junior Jarquez Hunter to take on Bigsby’s role as the top back. However, he’ll have to earn the job from transfer Brain Battie, who is coming off a 1,000-yard season at South Florida.

Hunter broke out late last season under interim head coach Carnell Williams, reaching the century mark in each of his last three games. That included a career-high 134 yards on 11 carries against Alabama. The 5-foot-10, 202-pound back should benefit from Williams’ return to the staff as well as an improved offensive line this season.

Listed at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, Battie offers a nice change of pace out of the backfield. That being said, the speedy ball carrier is able to lower his head and break tackles when needed.

Earlier this month, Williams said he was “ecstatic” to have Battie as part of his backfield next season. It’s easy to see why. Last season, Battie averaged 6.74 yards per carry, leading South Florida with 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He also proved he is able to produce against SEC competition, running for 150 yards and a touchdown during a narrow loss at Florida.

Prediction: Hunter. Battie will take on a significant role in Auburn’s offense, but Hunter has all the momentum in the race for the starting spot heading into the spring.

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Contenders: Sage Ryan (returning) vs. Duce Chestnut (Syracuse transfer)

The battle: LSU’s secondary will look much different this fall due to a few major additions through the transfer portal. While the Tigers’ starting unit can shake out several ways, we’re going to assume that Texas A&M transfer Denver Harris and Southeastern Lousiana transfer Zy Alexander lock down the two outside roles. In that scenario, the two likeliest candidates for the starting nickel back role are Sage Ryan and Syracuse transfer Duce Chestnut.

Ryan, a former five-star recruit in the 2021 class, has started three games over 18 appearances during his two years with the Tigers. The rising redshirt sophomore saw plenty of reps while backing up Jay Ward in the slot last season and would be the favorite to take over the starting role inside if not for his inconsistency in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Ryan earned a 58.8 coverage grade last season, allowing 23 receptions on 34 balls thrown his way.

That could open the door for Chestnut, assuming he doesn’t earn one of the two starting roles on the outside. The 6-foot, 198-pound defensive back started as an outside cornerback for Syracuse the past two years but has the physicality to make open-field tackles and fend off bigger receivers across the middle.

Over 24 starts at Syracuse, Chestnut has compiled 83 tackles, including five for a loss, to go with four interceptions and nine pass breakups. He also earned a respectable 75.6 coverage grade from PFF last season.

Prediction: Chestnut. A lot can happen depending on how the rest of LSU’s secondary comes together. But if I’m choosing between Chestnut or Ryan, the Syracuse transfer’s consistency in coverage gives him the edge.

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Contenders: Tyreek Chappell (returning starter), Tony Grimes (North Carolina), Sam McCall (Florida State transfer)

The battle: Texas A&M’s secondary was ravaged by the portal as it saw six defensive backs transfer from the program this offseason. Fortunately for the Aggies, they were able to return a starter in Tyreek Chappell while adding two of the top 20 players in the Rivals Transfer Rankings in Florida State’s Sam McCall (No. 13) and North Carolina’s Tony Grimes (No. 17).

Chappell was one of the Aggies’ best cover corners, allowing just 20 receptions on 42 balls thrown his way, according to Pro Football Focus. He led the Aggies with eight pass breakups over 11 starts.

Grimes comes to the Aggies after starting 28 games for North Carolina over the past three years. The 6-foot, 195-pound defensive back worked outside and in the slot during his time with the Tar Heels but is projected to play on the perimeter for the Aggies.

McCall signed with Florida State as the No. 68 overall player in last year’s class but transferred to Texas A&M this offseason after failing to find a home at either safety or cornerback in the Seminoles’ secondary. Listed at 6-foot-1, 187 pounds, he has great athleticism for his size and could be a major weapon if the Aggies can get him to play to his potential.

Tsoukalas’ prediction: Chappell and Grimes. McCall might be the most talented of the bunch, but Chappell and Grimes have the experience Texas A&M needs as it looks to rebuild its secondary.