10 overlooked defensive transfers from the 2021 portal

Everybody who follows college football knows about the “big” offseason transfers, such as Tennessee linebacker Henry To’o To’o to Alabama, Georgia edge rusher Jermaine Johnson to Florida State and Clemson linebacker Mike Jones to LSU.

But with more than 1,500 players entering the transfer portal, there were a lot of moves that didn’t get a lot of ink. Here are 10 at least somewhat under-the-radar defensive transfers who could make large impacts this fall. The players are listed alphabetically. (We spotlighted 10 offensive guys Friday.)

S Jaquan Amos, Iowa State

Transferred from: Villanova

The buzz: Iowa State is one of the most experienced teams in the nation, with 25 seniors. The Cyclones also have nine returning starters on defense, but the one potentially troublesome spot was free safety. Amos fills that spot nicely. He was extremely productive with the FCS Wildcats: eight interceptions, 17 pass breakups, 149 tackles, six tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns in three seasons. He should team with Greg Eisworth III, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, to give the Cyclones one of the best safety duos in the league.

DE Ryder Anderson, Indiana

Transferred from: Ole Miss

The buzz: Ole Miss’ defense was, uhhh, not good last season, but Anderson was a solid rotation player who will provide a boost to IU’s defensive front. Anderson had 99 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 37 games, including 14 starts, for Ole Miss. One of those sacks came in the Rebels’ victory over Indiana in last season’s Outback Bowl. IU uses a 4-2-5 set and Anderson fits best in a four-man line. The Hoosiers have the makings of a good defensive front, especially if Anderson — who was named co-defensive player of the spring for the Hoosiers — lives up to billing.

DL Jowon Briggs, Cincinnati

Transferred from: Virginia

The buzz: Briggs, a Cincinnati native, made 14 starts at nose tackle in two seasons with the Cavaliers. He had 39 tackles and four sacks in the two years in the Cavs’ 3-4 scheme. Cincinnati prefers a 3-3-5 set and coaches envision Briggs lining up both inside and outside. He joins a crowded (and talented) defensive front. End Myjai Sanders is one of the best in the nation, and Briggs’ flexibility gives new DC Mike Tressel a plethora of choices up front. Briggs is a former top-100 recruit, and he, Sanders and guys like Curtis Brooks, Marcus Brown and Malik Vann could wreak all sorts of havoc.

S T.J. Carter, TCU

Transferred from: Memphis

The buzz: Carter is one of two Memphis transfers expected to start for the Horned Frogs; the other is OT Obinna Eze. Carter was a four-year starter at Memphis and earned some Freshman All-America mention in 2017. He had seven picks and 30 pass breakups in his Tigers career. At TCU, Carter joins a secondary looking to replace three starters (TCU plays a 4-2-5 set). But he and CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson give the Horned Frogs two legit all-conference types.

CB Akayleb Evans, Missouri

Transferred from: Tulsa

The buzz: Evans didn’t pick the Tigers until June after also considering Texas, Texas Tech and Notre Dame. At Tulsa, Evans made 82 tackles and 11 pass breakups in 30 games, including 23 starts. He has good size (6-2, 198), is willing in run support and fills a huge need in the back end of Mizzou’s defense. The Tigers’ secondary struggled last season and there are a bunch of inexperienced corners (and safeties, for that matter).

DE Byron Hobbs-Vaughns, Utah State

Transferred from: Texas

The buzz: Hobbs-Vaughns was listed at 6-3 and 216 pounds as a high school senior in 2017 and now measures 6-4 and 230, but he remains an elite athlete for his size. He was signed as a linebacker by the Longhorns but never really fit in the Longhorns’ defense. Hobbs-Vaughns now is a defensive end and expected to start in the Aggies’ new 4-3 set. Nick Heninger is a returning starter at end and received All-Mountain West acclaim last season; he and Hobbs-Vaughns should cause all sorts of problems for opposing offensive tackles this season. Aggies linebacker Justin Rice, a transfer from Arkansas State, is rightly getting a lot of preseason attention, but don’t overlook Hobbs-Vaughns.

S Donovan Kaufman, Auburn

Transferred from: Vanderbilt

The buzz: Kaufman was the second-highest-ranked player in Vandy’s 2020 signing class (he would’ve been No. 19 in Auburn’s class). He started the first two games of the 2020 season at safety and as the kick returner, then missed the rest of the season with what Vandy termed a medical issue. He transferred in April before reuniting in May with former Vandy coach Derek Mason — who now is Auburn’s DC — on the Plains. Kaufman will vie with Ladarius Tennison for a starting safety spot opposite Smoke Monday. At the least, he will be a key reserve. The same goes for DB Bydarrius Knighten, a transfer from FCS member Southeast Missouri State. The addition of transfer CB Treshun Miller from West Virginia has received most of the attention, but keep an eye on Kaufman and Knighten.

S Jaiden Lars-Woodbey, Boston College

Transferred from: Florida State

The buzz: Lars-Woodbey was a recruiting coup for then-FSU coach Willie Taggart in the 2018 class; he was a four-star safety and a national top-40 prospect (he went by Jaiden Woodbey at the time) out of California. Lars-Woodbey turned in a solid true freshman campaign playing FSU’s “star” position, a hybrid linebacker/safety role; he started all 12 games, finishing with 58 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups. Lars-Woodbey was moved to linebacker in 2019, then suffered a severe knee injury in the fourth game and missed the rest of the season. He started six games last season at linebacker but looked ill-suited for FSU’s new defense and decided to transfer. Lars-Woodbey will be a safety (or a safety/linebacker hybrid) this fall, when he figures to be even closer to 100 percent healthy after the knee surgery. The pieces are there for a top-flight secondary for BC.

DT Nyles Pinckney, Minnesota

Transferred from: Clemson

The buzz: Pinckney is a sixth-year senior who redshirted as a true freshman in 2016, then played in 55 games (with 15 starts) in the next four seasons for Clemson. Thus, it’s conceivable that Pinckney could play as many as 68 games in his college career. Pinckney had 98 tackles, three sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss at Clemson. He will be a legit presence up front against the run, and his experience and winning background will be big for a Gophers team looking to rebound from a disappointing 2020.

DT Antonio Valentino, Florida

Transferred from: Penn State

The buzz: Florida brought in two transfers who figure to start (or at least see a ton of time) at defensive tackle; the other is Daquan Newkirk, from Auburn, and he fits here, too. Valentino was known by “Antonio Shelton” when he played at Penn State but has changed his last name to that of his middle name instead. Valentino played in 40 games and made 10 starts at Penn State. He is known for his run-stuffing ability but did flash some pass-rush skills with the Nittany Lions (six career sacks). Valentino, Newkirk and holdover DT Gervon Dexter, a former five-star recruit, figure to give UF a solid trio in the middle. Considering how rancid the Gators were on defense last season, a solid trio in the middle up front is a good start.

(Top photo of Valentino: Jordan Herald/Florida Athletics)