Purdue transfer DL Jeffrey M'Ba commits to SMU

Former Purdue defensive lineman Jeffrey M’Ba has committed to SMU, via the NCAA Transfer Portal. SMU will be the fourth program M’Ba has played for. He began his career at Independence Community College and then transferred to Auburn, Purdue and, now, SMU.

In his two seasons with the Boilermakers, M’Ba made 24 appearances, totaling 46 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack. In his lone campaign with Auburn in 2022, M’Ba played in 10 games, recording seven tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.

Before coming to Auburn in 2022, M’Ba spent two seasons at Independence CC. While there, he played in 13 games. He had an explosive sophomore season with Independence CC, amassing 50 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, two sacks and a fumble recovery.

Jeffrey M’Ba played high school football at St. Thomas More (KS), where he was an unranked prospect, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

M’Ba will only add to SMU’s already-talented defensive front. In the 2024 campaign, the Mustangs boasted 43 sacks, the most in the ACC. When the Mustangs couldn’t get to the opposing quarterback, they still wreaked havoc in the backfield, finishing the season with 100 tackles for loss.

M’Ba won’t be the only fresh face on SMU’s roster next season. He is the 11th player the Mustangs have added via the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason. M’Ba is joined by fellow defensive standouts such as EDGE Deshawn Warner and linebacker Zakye Barker.

With only four outgoing transfers thus far, SMU is ranked No. 32 in On3’s 2025 Team Transfer Portal Rankings. It’s no surprise that SMU is finding success in the transfer portal this offseason.

The Mustangs turned heads this season by reaching the ACC Championship in just their first year in the league. More importantly, SMU carved out a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, proving itself as a program to watch moving forward.

The transfer portal officially opened on Dec. 7 and closed on Dec. 28, though players on teams still playing in the postseason will get an additional five-day window to enter the portal after their seasons end.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.