Reviewing five impactful transfer portal pickups from the weekend

As of this past weekend, several of the top remaining players in the NCAA transfer portal are no longer free agents.

Here’s a review of five impactful pickups you may have missed from the weekend:

Former Jackson State wide receiver Shane Hooks (Auburn)

Auburn had been in pursuit of another transfer wide receiver, even after adding former Ohio State wide receiver Caleb Burton and ex-North Texas wide receiver Jyaire Shorter. At one point in the last couple weeks, it seemed like the Tigers were in good shape with former Colorado wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig before it became clear that he was probably going to end up at a school out West. Instead, Auburn came away with Hooks, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound Jackson State transfer who was previously committed to Ole Miss. Hooks led Deion Sanders’ Jackson State squad in receiving last year with 66 catches, 775 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. He also had offers from schools such as Arkansas, Mississippi State and Utah. In addition to Hooks, Auburn also secured commitments from two other transfers during the weekend, former Liberty EDGE Stephen Sings and ex-New Mexico State cornerback Syrus Dumas.

Former TCU wide receiver Jordan Hudson (SMU)

It had been clear for a while that, barring an unforeseen development, Hudson was going to be transferring to SMU. He finally made it official with SMU Sunday, giving Rhett Lashlee and the Mustangs yet another respectable transfer after previously adding other spring portal entrants such as ex-Notre Dame offensive tackle and former four-star recruit Caleb Johnson as well as others like ex-North Texas EDGE Cam Robertson, who received interest from several Power Five programs before picking SMU. Hudson, a Class of 2022 top recruit whom On3 tabbed as a five-star player, caught 14 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns at TCU last season.

Former Colorado wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig (Arizona)

Lemonious-Craig, one of the stars of Colorado’s spring game with 154 yards and two touchdowns, ended up staying in the Pac-12 with Arizona after visiting other schools such as Auburn, California and Michigan State. New Wildcats defensive analyst and assistant director of recruiting Armond Hawkins, who was previously with Lemonious-Craig at Colorado as the Buffaloes’ assistant director of high school relations, was a big part of the recruitment. The decision for Lemonious-Craig came shortly after he finished with the visit to Michigan State. The Lemonious-Craig pickup further strengthens an Arizona wide receiver group that already included players like Jacob Cowing, who tallied 85 catches for 1,034 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and Tetairoa McMillan, who finished last year with 39 catches, 702 yards and a team-high eight TD catches. Lemonious-Craig, a California native, had 23 catches, 359 yards and three touchdowns at Colorado last season.

Former Louisiana defensive back Kam Pedescleaux (Tulane)

Pedescleaux, one of the top remaining defensive players in the portal, opted for Tulane despite receiving interest from several Power Five programs, including at least one in the SEC and others like Houston and Colorado. Pedescleaux posted 197 career tackles and three career interceptions at Louisiana, including 74 tackles and one interception last season. 

Former James Madison EDGE Isaac Ukwu (Ole Miss)

Ukwu became the latest quality addition for Ole Miss in the front seven, one day after the Rebels landed former Alabama and Nebraska defensive lineman Stephon Wynn. Ole Miss beat out Missouri and Auburn for Ukwu, a 2022 first-team All-Sun Belt selection who tallied 40 tackles and 7.5 sacks last year. “Probably the best thing he can do is rush the passer,” a college personnel staffer told On3 of Ukwu after he entered the portal. “He can get paid a lot of money to do that at the next level (in the NFL).” Based on his play at James Madison, Ukwu is already on the radar for NFL scouts as a 2024 NFL draft prospect.