USF football adds three new players through the transfer portal

It’s been a great week for the University of South Florida Bulls football program, adding three key players from the NCAA Transfer Portal and there will be more on the way.

The Bulls beat up on Florida Atlantic on the field in the fall, and USF is taking a couple of their players out of the portal. On Monday and Tuesday, former Owls’ tight end tight end Wyatt Sullivan took his official visit, and he announced his commitment Wednesday. The Bulls made the news official Thursday.

“I like the direction the program is going in,” Sullivan told On3’s Mike Singer regarding why he picked USF. “I liked the culture and wanted to be a part of it. I also want to play with [Bulls’ quarterback] Byrum [Brown].”

Sullivan caught 13 passes for 155 yards with 2 touchdowns during the 2024 season. He comes to Tampa as a redshirt junior.

“The coaching staff’s biggest message to me was that they’re a player-first program, and they needed worker’s mentality players to come in and mesh with the talent they already had to take it to the next level,” the Atlanta native said.

“Obviously, nothing is promised you gotta compete and earn your [starting] role, but the best player will start, and I’m confident that is me.”

McNeese State safety headed to Tampa

Former Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage standout and McNeese State safety Boogsie Silvera officially visited USF earlier this week, and the 5-11, 191-pounder committed to the Bulls. The school has made the news official.

Silvera began his career at Charleston Southern, where he played for two years before playing at McNeese State for the past couple seasons. He’s a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining. Georgia Southern, San Diego State, Texas State and Kent State were among Silvera’s other options as a portal recruit.

He recorded 85 tackles (2 for loss), 2 interceptions, 7 pass break ups, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery in 2024.

USF football lands another from FAU

The latest portal commitment for the Bulls comes from a beefy interior defensive lineman. Peach State native Jacob Merrifield, who stands at 6-3, 290 pounds, was in Tampa earlier this week and also took an official visit to Northwestern.

But Merrifield committed to the Bulls over playing in the Big Ten.

The FAU captain had 16 tackles (4 for loss) and 2.5 sacks during his 2024 season. The former class of 2021 prospect has one year of eligibility remaining.

More on the way?

USF has been hosting transfer portal prospects for official visits and has a major weekend going on currently. Who those players are will be revealed at a later date.

We do know one of them is former Villanova running back David Avit, who was named the Coastal Athletic Association’s freshman of year in 2024. He ran for 923 yards with 11 touchdowns during his freshman campaign.

Stanford and UTEP are the other scholarship offers Avit has announced on social media.