Grading how each SEC program did in the spring portal window
As expected, SEC programs were busy during the spring transfer window. While the spring additions continue to trickle in, here’s how each of the conference’s 16 teams graded out so far.
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Alabama: A
Key additions: Kadyn Proctor, OT (Iowa); Graham Nicholson, PK (Miami-Ohio); DaShawn Jones, CB (Wake Forest)
Key subtractions: Peyton Woodyard, S (Oregon); James Brockermeyer, C (TCU); Tony Mitchell, (Uncommitted)
Outlook: We’re penciling in Jones even though he’s yet to officially commit. The former Wake Forest cornerback is widely expected to roll with the Tide. Once he does, Alabama will have done a good job of addressing its two biggest needs out of the portal.
The Tide readded the best available offensive tackle in Proctor and provided experience in the secondary with Jones. Losing a talented safety like Woodyard stings, but Alabama did a nice job of adding further depth at the position to compensate for that.
*****
Arkansas: B+
Key additions: Larry Worth, LB (Jacksonville State); Stephen Dix Jr., LB (Marshall); Anthony Switzer, DB (Utah State); Khafre Brown, WR (South Florida)
Key subtractions: Lorando "Snaxx" Johnson, DB (Baylor); Max Fletcher, P (Cincinnati)
Outlook: Arkansas lost a starting cornerback in Johnson as well as Fletcher, who ranked third in the SEC in punting average last season. However, Sam Pittman did well to restock what was a depleted roster with some nice pieces.
Dix and Worth should compete for starting roles in a linebacker room that desperately needed bolstering. Meanwhile, Switzer might be a strong candidate to man the team's linebacker/safety hybrid HOG position. On the other side of the ball, Brown is a solid addition at receiver.
*****
Auburn: A
Key additions: Isaiah Raikes, DL (Southern California); KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR (Penn State), Keyron Crawford, DE (Arkansas State)
Key subtractions: Jay Fair, WR (Southern California); Colton Hood, CB (Colorado); Wesley Steiner, LB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: There are still question marks at the quarterback position, but Hugh Freeze has given Payton Thorne every opportunity to be successful this fall. After bringing in a loaded crop of receivers over the winter, Auburn added an established target in Lambert-Smith, who led Penn State with 53 receptions for 673 yards to go with four touchdowns through the air last season.
On the other side of the ball, the Tigers netted a big run-stuffer in Raikes as well as a high-upside pass rusher in Crawford.
Auburn loses depth pieces in Fair, Hood and Steiner. However, the Tigers easily came away with a net positive this spring.
*****
Florida: C+
Key additions: Jason Zandamela, OL (Southern California)
Key subtractions: None
Outlook: It was a non-eventful spring portal in the Swamp. Florida added a four-star 2024 offensive lineman in Zandamela and lost a reserve cornerback in Pouncey to the portal.
*****
Georgia: B
Key additions: Jaden Rashada, QB (Arizona State);
Key subtractions: Tyler Williams, WR (Minnesota); Andrew Paul, RB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: Kirby Smart always seems to be one step ahead of the curve. The addition of Rashada shouldn’t make too much of a difference this season but will set the Bulldogs up nicely for when Carson Beck leaves for the NFL next spring. More importantly for Georgia, it only lost a pair of notable players in Williams and Paul.
*****
Kentucky: B
Key additions: D.J. Waller Jr., CB (Michigan)
Key subtractions: Jaremiah Anglin Jr., S (Pittsburgh); Jordan Robinson, CB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: Waller was a nice addition to the secondary and figures to start across from Max Hairston at cornerback this fall. However, Kentucky’s secondary depth took a bit of a hit with the departures of Anglin and Robinson.
*****
LSU: B-
Key additions: Gio Paez, DL (Wisconsin)
Key subtractions: John Emery Jr., RB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: While LSU had a quiet spring portal, it was able to hold onto its key players. The Tigers lost a former four-star back in Emery to the portal. However, the rising sixth-year senior is coming off an ACL injury and has compiled just 1,062 yards and 14 touchdowns over the past five years. The addition of Paez should add depth to a defensive line that lost Jordan Jefferson, Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith this to the NFL this offseason.
*****
Mississippi State: B-
Key additions: DeAgo Brumfield, CB (Memphis); Davon Booth, RB (Utah State); Trent Hudson, WR (New Mexico State)
Key subtractions: Justin Robinson, WR (Uncommitted); Mike Wright, QB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: After missing out on Miami-Ohio transfer running back Rashad Amos, Mississippi State rebounded by reeling in Booth from Utah State. The Bulldogs also addressed a need at cornerback, adding Brumfield from Memphis.
Losing Robinson is another blow to a receiving corps that already saw the departure of its two leading receivers Lideatrick Griffen (NFL) and Zavion Thomas (LSU). However, the Bulldogs helped offset that by bringing in Hudson, who recorded 36 receptions for 571 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns through the air for New Mexico State last season.
*****
Missouri: B+
Key additions: Marcus Bryant, OL (SMU); Jeremiah Beasley, LB (Michigan)
Key subtractions: Serigne Tounkara, DL (Uncommitted);
Outlook: Missouri needed to beef up its offensive line and did so by adding an established talent in Bryant. The 6-foot-8, 318-pound offensive tackle was an All-AAC selection last season and should add to a revamped offensive line, which also added Cayden Green this offseason. While Beasley might not be a difference-maker this season, the Michigan transfer linebacker was a nice long-term get.
On top of their additions, the Tigers didn’t have too many key departures this spring. Missouri should be well-positioned to make some noise in the SEC again this season.
*****
Oklahoma: A
Key additions: Damonic Williams, DL (TCU); Jermayne Lole, DL (Louisville); Branson Hickman, OL (SMU)
Key subtractions: Jasiah Wagoner, CB (Uncommitted); Justin Harrington (Washington)
Outlook: Oklahoma landed a couple of solid commitments in Hickman and Lole before hitting it out of the park with the addition of Williams. The 6-foot-2, 320-pound defensive tackle earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors last season, recording 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Williams, a rising junior, has started every game of his collegiate career and was key to TCU’s national championship game run in 2022.
While the Sooners lost a couple of talented defensive backs, they came out of the spring portal stronger than they entered it.
*****
Ole Miss: A-
Key additions: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB (New Mexico); Henry Parish, RB (Miami); Isaiah Hamilton, CB (Houston)
Key subtractions: Amorion Walker, CB (Michigan); Joshua Harris, DL (North Carolina)
Outlook: They call Lane Kiffin the “Portal King” for a reason. After bringing in a star-studded transfer haul over the winter, the Ole Miss head coach added even more weapons to his arsenal this spring.
The additions of Croskey-Merritt and former Parish help offset Judkins’ transfer to Ohio State earlier this offseason. Ole Miss also strengthened its secondary with a late commitment from Hamilton, who led Houston with four interceptions last season.
Ole Miss saw two talented departures in Walker and Harris which could hurt moving forward. However, the focus in Oxford is on the present, and the Rebels should be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone this fall.
*****
South Carolina: C-
Key additions: Dalevon Campbell, WR (Nevada); Vandrevius Jacobs, WR (Florida State)
Key subtractions: Keenan Nelson Jr., S (Uncommitted); Sidney Fugar, OT (Uncommitted)
Outlook: South Carolina worked toward restocking its receiving corps after losing Xavier Legette (NFL) and Antwane Wells Jr. (Ole Miss) this offseason. That being said, Campbell and Jacobs don’t instill too much fear into opposing defenses on paper.
The biggest positive for the Gamecocks is that head coach Shane Beamer managed to keep most of his roster intact. Still, it figures to be tough sledding for South Carolina this fall.
*****
Tennessee: D
Key additions: None
Key subtractions: Elijah Herring, LB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: Other than losing a starting linebacker in Herring, it was a sleepy spring portal on Rocky Top. Herring led the Volunteers with 80 tackles last season. Still, Tennessee is in an OK spot at the linebacker position where it returns veterans Keenan Pili and Kalib Perry to go with rising talents Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander.
*****
Texas: B-
Key additions: Bill Norton, DL (Arizona); Jay’Vion Cole, CB (San Jose State)
Key subtractions: Terrance Brooks, CB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: After signing a loaded transfer class over the winter, Steve Sarkisian’s spring haul was much more subdued.
Norton will help reload a Texas defensive line unit that lost T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy to the draft. Losing Brooks is a blow to a secondary trying to improve from last year. However, the Longhorns helped remedy that with the addition of Cole, who has compiled seven interceptions over the past two seasons.
*****
Texas A&M: B+
Key additions: Solomon DeShields, LB (Pittsburgh); Koli Faaiu, OL (Utah)
Key subtractions: Jacoby Mathews, S (Uncommitted); Sam McCall, S (Uncommitted); Bryce Foster, C (Uncommitted)
Outlook: Texas A&M continued a strong offseason, adding a pair of starters in DeShields and Faaiu. Deshields recorded 58 tackles, including eight stops for loss and two sacks for Pittsburgh last season. Faaiu started at center for Utah last season and figures to replace Foster in that role for the Aggies.
On the negative side, the Aggies lost a starting safety in Matthews as well as another key secondary reserve in McCall. Texas A&M also failed to address the wide receiver position after losing Ainias Smith (NFL) and Evan Stewart (Oregon) earlier this offseason.
*****
Vanderbilt: C
Key additions: Steven Hubbard, OT (UTEP); Cade McConnell, C (Minnesota)
Key subtractions: Quantaves Gaskins, CB (Uncommitted); Josh Palmer, WR (Uncommitted); Deago Benson, RB (Uncommitted)
Outlook: No one is expecting Clark Lea to pull in stars from other programs. Still, the Commodores head coach did a decent job of bolstering his offensive line with the additions of Hubbard and McConnell. Vanderbilt lost a few young talents, but that’s life at the bottom of the SEC.