Transfer portal breakdown: 10 less-hyped transfers you should know in the ACC

Let’s dive back into the transfer portal. We’ve already looked at the key incoming and outgoing transfers for each team in the ACC; today, we’re going to highlight 10 ACC transfers who have been overlooked.

Fan of these teams know about these players. Chances are, everyone else will know more about them at the end of the season.

Duke CB Datrone Young

The particulars: Transfer from Iowa State
The buzz: Datrone Young made 25 career starts, including seven last season, for Iowa State, and he should move right in as a starter in a depleted Duke secondary. How depleted? No starters return, and Duke lost seven of its top nine DBs. Young, who was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2020, had 87 tackles, an interception and seven pass breakups in his four seasons with the Cyclones. His experience will be vital for a made-over position group, and it’s hard not to see him nailing down a starting spot in summer camp.

Florida State OT Jazston Turnetine

The particulars: Transfer from South Carolina
The buzz: Florida State’s offensive line has been woeful in pass protection for the past six seasons. In that span, encompassing 72 games, the Seminoles have allowed 217 sacks – 3.01 per game. In the past three seasons, it’s even worse – 113 allowed in 34 games (3.3 per game). No surprise, then, that coaches again went to the transfer portal in an attempt to find some guys who can pass block. Jazston Turnetine (6-7, 340) is a former junior college transfer who started seven games at left tackle for South Carolina last season and three in 2020. He didn’t choose FSU until June, so where he fits best won’t be determined until summer camp. Robert Scott is FSU’s returning starter at left tackle, but no returning starter other than G Dillan Gibbons (who transferred from Notre Dame last season) should be comfortable. At the least, Turnetine can be an important depth piece up front. He also could slide in as a starter at either tackle spot. T Bless Harris (from Lamar), C/G Kayden Lyles (Wisconsin) and G D’Mitri Emmanuel (Charlotte) are FSU’s other transfers who fit in this story. None is an all-conference-caliber player, but each is a veteran who adds experience and some talent. In short, there’s no reason for FSU’s line to be so bad in pass protection again.

Louisville S M.J. Griffin

The particulars: Transfer from Temple
The buzz: Louisville brought in six players from the transfer portal to bolster a shaky secondary, and M.J. Griffin should help this season and in the future. Griffin started down the stretch last season as a redshirt freshman and was the Owls’ second-leading tackler with 65. He added three tackles for loss and four pass breakups. He should compete with Duke transfer Jalen Alexander for one starting spot. Holdover Kenderick Duncan looks to have one starting spot nailed down; he transferred from Georgia Southern before last season.

Miami DT Darrell Jackson

The particulars: Transfer from Maryland
The buzz: Darrell Jackson was a relatively unheralded recruit from smalltown Havana, Fla., near Tallahassee, who played a bigger role than expected as a true freshman for Maryland last season. Jackson played in all 13 games, with one start, and finished with 22 tackles. His transfer to Miami gives the Hurricanes’ new coaching staff a solid depth piece for this season and a possible starter in 2023 and ’24. Jackson and USC transfer Jacob Lichtenstein, a Fort Lauderdale native, give new coordinator Kevin Steele the potential for a solid five-man group at tackle with holdovers Jared Harrison-Hunte, Jordan Miller and Leonard Taylor.

North Carolina C Corey Gaynor

The particulars: Transfer from Miami
The buzz: North Carolina had all sorts of issues with its offensive line last season in pass protection and two fulltime starters return. Corey Gaynor made 28 starts in five seasons at Miami, including serving as the starting center in 2019 and ’20. He opened last season as the starter but was injured and didn’t play after Game 3. Gaynor also can play guard, and that versatility will be helpful as the Tar Heels look to find five guys who can mesh quick during summer camp.

NC State P Shane McDonough

The particulars: Transfer from Towson
The buzz: NC State returns 17 starters and appears primed to contend for its first ACC title since – wait for it – 1979. Shane McDonough’s arrival fills one of the Wolfpack’s few holes. NCSU’s Trenton Gill was the first-team All-ACC punter last season and was drafted in the seventh round by the Chicago Bears. McDonough began his career at Marshall before transferring to Towson, where he punted for two seasons (2019 and ’21; the Tigers didn’t play in 2020). He averaged 42.2 yards per punt last season after averaging 43.9 in 2019. McDonough also spent time as Towson’s kickoff specialist.

Pitt WR Jerrod “Bub” Means

The particulars: Transfer from Louisiana Tech
The buzz: Pitt lost WR Jordan Addison, last season’s Biletnikoff Award winner, to USC following spring practice. Jared Wayne returns after being the Panthers’ No. 2 receiver last season and Akron transfer Konata Mumpfield figures to be a starter as well. But Pitt also lost starting WR Shocky Jacques-Louis to the transfer portal (coincidentally, he ended up at Akron), and depth is an issue. Jerrod Means, who began his career at Tennessee, had 22 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns last season for Louisiana Tech. Means figures to, at the least, be in the receiver rotation; he also could end up as a starter.

Syracuse RB Juwaun Price

The particulars: Transfer from New Mexico State
The buzz: Juwaun Price led New Mexico State with 693 yards and 10 rushing TDs last season as a redshirt freshman; he also had 26 receptions. At Syracuse, he’s expected to serve as the top backup for Sean Tucker, who rushed for 1,496 yards last season. Tucker had 246 carries; no other running back had more than 17. Price had two 100-yard games for an Aggies team that finished 2-10 in 2021 and should make it easier for the coaching staff to give Tucker an occasional rest.

Virginia OT John Paul Flores

The particulars: Transfer from Dartmouth
The buzz: Virginia lost all five starting offensive linemen from last season, and not surprisingly, new coach Tony Elliott and his staff looked to the transfer portal for reinforcements. John Paul Flores was a two-year starter at left tackle for Dartmouth. Flores is the only UVa offensive lineman to have started a game at the college level. He could start at tackle on either side, or end up being a valuable swing tackle for the Cavaliers. An aside: Flores, from the Dallas Metroplex, is one of five children – and all five attended Ivy League schools.

Virginia Tech EDGE Pheldarius Payne

The particulars: Transfer from Nebraska
The buzz: The Hokies’ pass rush was disappointing last season; they had 25 to finish 10^th in the ACC, and ILB Dax Hollifield was the individual leader with 4.5. Pheldarius Payne, a Virginia native, has the ability if not necessarily the track record to provide some help off the edge. Payne had three sacks in two seasons with the Huskers after transferring in from junior college. TyJuan Garbutt, who has 5.5 sacks in three seasons, is Virginia Tech’s leading returning sack man. The new coaching staff definitely needs to find a way to ramp up the pass rush.