Transfer Portal Thoughts: Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss are gunning for CFP berth, Maalik Murphy has options, what to make of Georgia attrition

The 2024 Transfer Portal has been open for less than two weeks, but the movement continues to be fast and furious with over 1,600 players submitting their names thus far. 

The quarterback dominos have started to fall, while some of the most highly-sought after prospects — the Cam Wards, Walter Nolens, Will Howards — have major visits scheduled this weekend which could generate more notable news to come. 

Here’s some latest thoughts on the transfer portal heading into a busy weekend:

Ole Miss is looking to load up for 2024

Lane Kiffin is the self-dubbed Portal King, and although he later bestowed that crown to Lincoln Riley and Mike Norvell, Junior is looking to reclaim that title with Ole Miss’ 2024 transfer portal class. 

The Rebels already have five transfer commitments, second-most in the SEC. And while the additions of Illinois corner Tahveon Nicolson and Arkansas linebacker Chris ‘Pooh’ Paul, who was an All-SEC Freshman honoree in 2022, are a solid start in the Rebels’ quest to piece together a College Football Playoff caliber defense, it’s the top transfer DL targets Ole Miss is the rumored the buzzy team for that has me truly intrigued.

Oh, and perhaps the best receiver in the portal, too. 

Ole Miss hosted Tennessee edge rusher Tyler Baron (who is also considering Texas, Alabama, Georgia) and safety/nickel Tamarion McDonald on Thursday. Baron had 6.0 sacks in 2023 and is a 6-5, 265-pound end who can rush the passer and hold up against the run. He’s a former 4-star recruit with more than 1,500 snaps under his belt in the SEC. McDonald doesn’t carry quite the same juice, but he has started 24 games for the Vols, and at minimum would be a nice depth piece. 

But the two ex-Tennessee starters aren’t even the most marquee names connected to Ole Miss right now. 

The Rebels are seen as the current favorites for Florida transfer pass rusher Princely Umanmielen, the No. 3 overall transfer per On3, and South Carolina wideout Juice Wells, the No. 15 overall transfer. 

Umanmielen was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2023 after leading the Gators with 7.0 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and 45 quarterback pressures (fourth-most in the league). Wells was injured for most of last season or else he likely would be headed to the NFL, but the former Gamecocks receiver had 68 receptions for 928 yards and six touchdowns in 2022. Wells would be an excellent addition alongside Deion Smith, the nation’s No. 1 JUCO wideout who committed to Ole Miss last week. 

And then there’s Walter Nolen. The former 5-star recruit from Texas A&M and the No. 1 transfer in the On3 Rankings is visiting Oxford this weekend. The visit alone suggests the Rebels — and their Grove Collective — are being aggressive in trying to lure the best talent to Ole Miss. Nolen is a bonafide stud who is wanted by virtually every program in the country. He had 7.0 sacks last season, per PFF, which ranked among the Top 5 of all interior defensive linemen. Oregon is likely Ole Miss’ main competition, but that could change if Alabama or LSU enters the mix. 

Still, Kiffin looks serious about stacking Ole Miss’ roster for a potential leap season in 2024.

The Rebels’ schedule, by SEC standards is fairly favorable, and they have a lot of talent (Quinshon Judkins, Tre Harris, Jared Ivey, JJ Pegues, Jordan Watkins, and likely quarterback Jaxson Dart) opting to return to school next season. If Kiffin can land a couple of standout SEC defensive linemen, plus another playmaker like Wells, then perhaps Land Shark might finally crash through the ceiling and compete for a conference championship and a playoff spot.

Maalik Murphy should have plenty of suitors 

In a lose-lose situation because of the broken college football calendar, Texas quarterback officially Maalik Murphy entered the transfer portal Thursday, ending his Longhorns’ career. 

I already wrote a piece diving into the crappiness of the timing, which is not Murphy’s fault. But now that 6-5, 235-pound quarterback with three years of eligibility remaining is in the transfer portal, who’s in the mix?

ESPN’s Pete Thamel named seven schools who have already made overtures to Murphy’s camp — Southern California, South Carolina, Baylor, Georgia, Oregon State, Syracuse and Duke. Murphy’s options will likely only balloon from there, as Auburn, Ohio State, Washington and potentially Miami all need a quarterback, too. 

I’ve been curious about the lack of noise around Auburn and Ohio State with various transfer quarterbacks so far, but perhaps the two schools were waiting on a prospect like Maalik Murphy. 

Much like Dante Moore, who remains uncommitted and is reportedly set to visit Oregon, and Aidan Chiles, who committed to Michigan State on Thursday, Murphy is a transfer quarterback gem because he has multiple seasons to play. He can develop within a system, and he has the upside and rare talent to become another Jayden Daniels — a transfer quarterback who spent two seasons at a school and grew into a Heisman Trophy quarterback. 

What to make of all the attrition at Georgia

Georgia has seen 16 players enter the transfer portal since the end of the season, and while some of the players were former big-time prospects and notable names, only Jamon Dumas-Johnson was as projected surefire starter in 2024 — and even that’s perhaps overstating things. 

Now, Dumas-Johnson’s entree into the portal Thursday evening was a real surprise to many. The assumption was the 2022 All-American inside linebacker was headed to the NFL Draft after a semi-down season where he suffered a broken arm in early November but perhaps he can secure a nice NIL deal elsewhere to play one more season in college.

The Maryland native started 24 straight games for the Bulldogs before suffering his season-ending injury. Because of his experience and playmaking potential (8.0 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss the last two seasons), his departure stings for Georgia, but at the same time, I’m not all that sure the Bulldogs’ staff thought he’d be on the roster in 2024 anyways. Also, Georgia isn’t short on talented inside linebackers, either, with former 5-star true freshmen CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson (All-SEC Freshman selection) both playing key roles the last month of the season. 

And while the volume seems large from a pure numbers standpoint, I’d expect a few more departures from UGA’s program as it looks to get under the 85 scholarship limit.

On the flip side, the Bulldogs are positioned to add some key prospects from the portal, too.

Georgia has yet to land a transfer commit, but UGA is considered the favorites for speedy Florida tailback Trevor Etienne, who would be a monster addition to the Bulldogs’ backfield, as well as Vandy wideout London Humphreys and Miami wideout Colbie Young.