Portal Rumor Mill: Big visits on tap for transfer standouts

The transfer portal is firing on all cylinders and visits are ramping up as players are looking for new homes. Here’s the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney on what he’s hearing.

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The former San Diego State offensive lineman was at TCU earlier this week and then some other visits are being planned over the next few days that could determine his future destination. Bennett will visit Arizona State this weekend and then Mississippi State next weekend as those programs have emerged for him.

The former five-star all-purpose back who was moved to receiver at USC and it never really worked out has been hearing from more than a dozen programs since entering the portal but Oregon, UCLA and Miami are three to definitely watch. Brown also has San Jose State, SMU, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Houston, Arkansas, Louisville, North Carolina, Utah, UTSA, Kentucky, Arizona State, Arizona, Kansas State and Colorado reaching out.

The Memphis offensive lineman who had big Pro Football Focus numbers this past season will be at Texas Tech this weekend and is still working on a trip for next weekend before making any final decisions. The Red Raiders are definitely one of the teams involved along with Kansas, Michigan State and Boston College so far.

Michigan State is unsurprisingly the team to watch for the former Oregon State quarterback who mainly sat behind DJ Uiagalelei this season but could be a breakout star. His former coaching staff is now in East Lansing and the word is Chiles is focused on finishing up finals before turning his focus to the portal but that the Spartans are the team to watch.

Washington State has emerged as the team to watch for Gordon as the Cougars are the only program showing high interest in the former USC defensive back right now and the only visit the former four-star has scheduled is to Pullman. Others have been poking around but Washington State very much looks like the team to beat.

Of the programs that have offered the Harvard defensive lineman so far, Louisville, UCLA and Oregon State have made the biggest impression but things could change if others get involved. Griffith, who had 55 tackles (11 for loss) with 3.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries this season, will visit with the Cardinals this weekend.

Joly led UConn with 56 catches for 578 yards and two touchdowns this season and he’s getting decent attention in the portal so far. The tight end has NC State, Indiana, Arizona State, USF, Louisville and UNLV showing the most attention. He is in Raleigh for an official visit this weekend and then he’s heading to Indiana next weekend for a trip as those two programs might have pulled ahead. Louisville will host him Dec. 13-15.

The big, powerful four-star offensive lineman from North Dakota was at Texas Tech last weekend and it really opened his eyes to what Power Five football is all about as the Red Raiders are definitely one to watch now in his recruitment. Kilty will be at Kansas State this weekend as those two have really caught his attention.

Texas A&M, Louisville and Washington are the three schools that have emerged for the former Kansas State defensive back and two important trips are coming up. Lee will be at Texas A&M this weekend to meet with the new coaching staff in College Station and then midweek he’ll be at Louisville as those teams are in focus.

The North Texas receiver who caught 57 passes for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns is getting significant interest since getting in the portal with LSU, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and South Carolina the most involved. Maclin will be at Kentucky this weekend with former Texas A&M receiver Raymond Cottrell and then LSU next weekend and that might be the visit to watch the most.

The Holy Cross offensive lineman who scored off the charts on Pro Football Focus this season has been getting a lot of attention and while Newman doesn’t have any visits locked in yet there is a healthy list he wants to see. Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Wake Forest is the starting group but there could be others if more offers come.

Programs from all five Power Five conferences have reached out to the former Texas A&M five-star defensive tackle and now Nolen’s first official visit is here. Oregon is getting the first trip from Nolen this weekend and the Ducks should be one to watch but there is also a feeling that the former five-star could end up back in the SEC. Alabama has been a school mentioned and when he was in high school there was a significant Southeast feel to his recruitment.

A lot of visits have happened and will happen for the former Duke defensive lineman as SMU, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State and Miami are the teams to watch in his recruitment. Peebles was at SMU this week, will be at Missouri and Virginia Tech this weekend and then will see Penn State and Louisville by the end of the following weekend as his recruitment ramps up.

A former Rivals250 member who just got pushed behind Omarion Hampton in the North Carolina backfield, Pettaway has Virginia Tech, Indiana, Arizona, Boston College and Appalachian State as the five programs he’s focused on. Pettaway has visits set up with all five and the Eagles have been showing the most interest as they flew out to see him recently.

Arizona, Iowa State, Kansas, Penn State, Arizona State and Washington have already reached out to the former Missouri edge rusher and as of Thursday, Wesolak was still figuring out a potential visit to Tucson this weekend. Loaded with potential but yet to put it all together, a lot of programs are showing interest in him.