Alabama Football did well in the Transfer Portal. That’s pretty amazing for a team that had many more exiting transfers than incoming. In the new college football world of roster management, rotating players in and out never ends. On August 1, it will just flip over to another cycle.
Players not in the Portal by July 1 do not receive the special NCAA immediate eligibility benefit. They can still transfer but will have to sit out the 2021 season. That is, unless the unpredictable NCAA decides to make individual exceptions.
The most valuable source for transfer details is 247Sports. Along with maintaining a list of all Transfer players, 247Sports recently provided a great summary of the top 150 Portal players. Most, but not all, have chosen new schools.
247Sports calculated the top 150 transfer players from a universe of over 2,500 players using the Portal this cycle. Based just on the numbers, the Top 150 is a pretty select group.
What about Alabama Football?
Using the 247Sports transfer rankings, this post looks at how the SEC East teams have done. There will be two later posts using the same approach. One will be the SEC West teams and the other will be the top CFB Playoff contenders.
SEC East Transfer Winners and Losers
Note: Some teams have additional incoming and exiting transfers, not rated inside the 247Sports Top 150. Those players are not considered in the evaluation of winners and losers.
Georgia Bulldogs – Big Portal Winner
Kirby lost four Top 150 players through the Portal, while gaining three. The incoming players: No. 3, Arik Gilbert (Tight End, LSU); No, 6 Derion Kendrick (Cornerback, Clemson) and No. 9 Tykee Smith (Defensive Back, West Virginia) more than make up for four exiting players.
Kentucky Wildcats – Big Portal Winner
The Wildcats added four Top 150 players and at least two will immediately make Mark Stoops’ team better. They are No. 4 Wan’Dale Robinson (Wide Receiver, Nebraska) and No. 38 Dare Rosenthal (Offensive Lineman, LSU). The two other additions for the Cats are No. 98 Jacquez Jones ( Linebacker, Ole Miss) and No. 110 Will Lewis (Quarterback, Penn State).
Florida Gators – Portal Winner
The Gators added three Top 150 players: No. 7 Demarkcus Bowman (Running Back, Clemson); No. 45 Daquan Newkirk (Defensive Lineman, Auburn) and No. 132 Antonio Shelton (Defensive Lineman, Penn State)
Missouri Tigers – Portal Winner
Though not as big a win as Florida, Missouri added, No. 52 Akayleb Evans (Cornerback, Tulsa); No. 58 Mookie Cooper ( Wide Receiver, Ohio State) and No. 125 Allie Green (Cornerback, Tulsa)
Tennessee Volunteers – Big Portal Loser
The Vols lost six players in the top 56 of the Top 150. The six are No. 1 Henry To’o To’o to Alabama Football; No. 2 Eric Gray to Oklahoma; No. 8 Wanya Morris to Oklahoma; No. 14 Ty Chandler to North Carolina; No. 21 Key Lawrence to Oklahoma and No. 56 Jahmir Johnson to Texas A&M. The Vols lost three more Top 150 players: No. 99 Quavaris Crouch to Michigan State; No. 104 Deandre Johnson to Miami and No. 130 Kaidon Salter to Liberty.
The four, player gains for the Vols don’t come close to matching the nine players lost. They are No. 97 Juwan Mitchell (Linebacker, Texas); No. 112 Joe Milton (Quarterback, Michigan); No. 138 Brandon Turnage (Cornerback Alabama Football) and No. 150 JaVonta Payton (Wide Receiver, Mississippi State).
South Carolina and Vanderbilt – At best, Portal Neutral
The remaining two SEC east teams, South Carolina and Vanderbilt gained an equal number of players as they lost. The Gamecocks may have helped themselves a bit by adding No. 18 Jordan Strachan from Georgia State. The Dores picked up a No. 102 running back from Temple, but lost a No. 77 safety to Auburn.
Check back with Bama Hammer in the coming days. Our next Transfer Portal post will cover SEC West teams.