CFB DeptHITS: Tuesday, January 14
We're back with our daily updates, including some more player status updates and portal movement. We'll continue our spotlight on the portal positions with defensive backs. Let's go!
Today, we’ll get caught up on some player news and notes to begin and then continue our portal spotlight by digging into the deep defensive back pool. There is some synergy between the timing of these as two big former NC State Wolfpack members joined opposing secondaries for 2025. Enjoy!
|||||| PLAYER NEWS AND NOTES
Penn State ::: The Nittany Lions have some unfinished business and they will have their two star running backs, Nicholas Singleton [15.6] and Kaytron Allen [16.4], back for it. Both announced their intention to return to State College to run it back and try to capture a National Championship. They join QB Drew Allar in that decision, likely made easier by a new NIL deal.
Notre Dame ::: Injury updates for the National Championship game include LT Anthonie Knapp [12.5] will miss the game due to a high-ankle sprain. While RG Rocco Spindler [13.9] and RB Jeremiyah Love [18.1] should be able to play despite lingering ankle and knee ailments. WR Beaux Collins [12.5] is questionable as he works through a calf issue. Knapp is likely to be replaced by Tosh Baker [12.1], as he was in the Semifinal. Baker was taken advantage of in his time playing in the Semifinal and it could end up being a very impactful injury as he is going up against a fearsome front seven in the Buckeyes.
Texas ::: WR Matthew Golden [14.0] is going to forego his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. The Longhorns continue their pipeline to the next level, but if any position group is equipped to handle these losses, it is this one. Expect true freshman Ryan Wingo (among others) step into a larger role in 2025.
Ole Miss ::: QB Pierce Clarkson [11.0] waited patiently at Louisville since his recruitment there in the class of 2023 under former coach Scott Satterfield. Jeff Brohm was able to keep him there, but brought in transfers the past two seasons to start. Now that Clarkson has come of age a bit, Brohm decided to bring in former USC QB Miller Moss [15.6] to likely start and thus Clarkson heads to the portal. He now lands at Ole Miss to likely back up Austin Simmons in 2025.
Sam Houston ::: Big pick-up for the Bearkats as former Indiana/UNC RB Elijah Green [15.5] heads to Huntsville to join the Bearkats and likely take on a lead role. He may fly a bit under-the-radar as he received justt 29 carries in the Indiana backfield this season, though he did find the end zone on five of those carries. Expect him to be first on the depth chart heading into 2025.
Southern Miss ::: Charles Huff is building up his first roster in Hattiesburg and that includes the running back position. Robert Briggs Jr. [13.7] is coming in from Utah State in hopes of landing a big role. He'll likely share with Jeffery Pittman [10.8], who has also committed to the Eagles from Mississippi State.
They also grab former Texas/Arizona State EDGE J'Mond Tapp [13.7] to help reinforce this defensive line. Another solid pickup and this hire is already paying big dividends. Don't be surprised to see Southern Miss on our list for most improved rosters heading into 2025.
Louisiana-Monroe ::: The Warhawks have lost their top three running backs to the portal with Ahmad Hardy, the headliner, heading to Mizzou. Backups James Jones (Sacramento State) and Taven Curry (uncommitted) are also moving on. So, in response, they grab former South Alabama RB Braylon McReynolds [13.4] to come in and take on a likely big role. He fell down the depth chart and has never had a lead role, but has shown flashes of potential in his time with the Jaguars.
Jacksonville State ::: RB Cam Cook [13.0] was the talk of the town at TCU heading into 2024. He was labeled as the emerging lead back for the Horned Frogs as a redshirt freshman. While he did play a significant role (116 carries), things didn't go exactly to plan with an underwhelming 3.9 yards per carry. He decided to move on and now lands in Jacksonville, Alabama where he looks to put up some big numbers in 2025 and beyond. He has three years of eligibility remaining and will likely use this to boost his stock for another transfer to a bigger school in the future.
North Texas ::: RB Shaadie Clayton-Johnson [14.1] is a former 4-star recruit at Colorado spent the last three seasons at Tulane in a part-time role. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry (34 for 227 yards) in New Orleans in 2024. He retains a year of eligibility as he gets the 2020 sesason (COVID) back and also a medical waiver will lead him to Denton, Texas where he looks to take over the role vacated by Shane Porter (UTEP) for the Mean Green.
Florida International ::: An exciting pickup for the Panthers as former Miami (FL) and Nebraska RB Ajay Allen [15.5] heads to University Park. If he can just stay healthy, we should see him show out and play a big role for this FIU offfense in 2025. He has two years of eligibility remaining and this is another likely springboard opportunity to something bigger in 2026.
Kentucky ::: The Wildcats wide receiver room is going through a big turnover this portal season. They are losing a lot and have been hard at work coming up with replacements. They get one of them in Tru Edwards [13.8] coming in from Louisiana Tech. He led the Bulldogs with some gaudy numbers (85 catches, 989 yards and six touchdowns). He started his career at Hawaii and has improved every season. He very well could take over as the top option in 2025.
South Carolina ::: The Gamecocks get a proven commodity in the secondary at former NC State CB Brandon Cisse [14.6] heads to Columbia. He has two years of eligibility remaining and will likely slot right into a starting role.
LSU ::: Another impact former NC State CB Tamarcus Cooley [16.1] is heading to LSU to join the Tigers. The move is a big one as Cooley is one of the top targets in the portal. He should slot right in as a starter and joins Virginia Tech's Mansoor Delane as reinforcements for this defensive backs room for Brian Kelly's defense in 2025.
|||||| PORTAL SPOTLIGHT: DEFENSIVE BACKS
Those two former Wolfpack commitments segways us properly into this quick look at the state of the defensive backs, which includes quite a few players moving homes for 2025. As always, check out our portal tools over at CFBDepth.com, led by our full Tracker and also our team-by-team rankings based on the talent churn impacting rosters here about halfway through the portal commitments…
DBs Tracking: 538
DBs Committed: 256 (48%)
Top 15 Defensive Backs:
Notes:
Two of the top three according to our ratings have yet to pick their destination for 2025 as both CB Jeremiah Wilson (Houston) and S Alan Wright (Vanderbilt) are still weighing their options.
CB Cameron Calhoun is one of the few pickups that Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide have nabbed in the portal thus far. He’s a good one coming in from Utah and has three years of eligibility remaining.
CB DJ Harvey may slide a bit under the radar coming from San Jose State, but our ratings system identifies him as a top five player in this rather large group of transfers. A good get for D’Anton Lynn and the Trojans defense that needs to take another step forward in 2025.
It’s not often we see a top-five player in the portal that features over 550 players in a position group landing at Southern Miss (or any group of five school for that matter). That is, unless the player, in this case, CB Josh Moten, is following his head coach from Marshall. That said, it’s still a feat worth mentioning considering the NIL money that could have come Moten’s way in this cycle. The former Texas A&M Aggie is going to play his final season in Hattiesburg.
Here is a look at the top three schools in terms of net talent churn for the defensive back position:
# 1 — UCLA Bruins — there has been a particular focus from the coaching staff to beef up the secondary in LA. They get S Key Lawrence (Ole Miss); CB Robert Stafford (Miami FL) and CB Andre Jordan Jr. (Oregon State) as the key pieces. It also includes four more players with upside.
# 2 — West Virginia Mountaineers — it appears Rich Rodriguez, despite his offensive lean, is focused on this area of the defense. And why not? They allowed 9.1 yards per attempt (ranked 132nd) in the Big 12, a pass-happy conference. The headliners are CB Michael Coats Jr. from Nevada and S Justin Harrington from Washington. Their only major loss is S Jaheem Joseph [12.9], who has not committed elsewhere to this point.
#3 — North Texas Mean Green — the Mean Green are focused on improving that 122nd ranked pass defense (according to yards allowed per game) from 2024. They hit up Sam Houston for a couple of good corners — David Fisher and Da’Veawn Armstead — and get a big pick up in ex-Hoosier (and Arizona Wildcat) DJ Warnell Jr., amongst others.
We showed you the best; now we are obligated to show you the worst (feel free to click the links on their name to view the carnage that has occurred in each of these DB rooms):
#132 — Charlotte 49ers
#133 — Utah State Aggies
#134 — Maryland Terrapins
That’s our show for today. As always, thanks for following along. Please consider subscribing and spreading the word if you feel there are people in your lives that would enjoy/benefit from this humble little newsletter.