Rumor Mill: Transfer Tracker
The transfer portal never stops but is has slowed for the summer months, at least for now. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some rumors out there, including those surrounding a big decision coming from former Texas wide receiver Jake Smith.
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Former high school four-star wide receiver Jake Smith decided to leave Texas after showing some serious promise before injuries slowed him down. The Arizona native is essentially down to two schools after a great official visit with USC this past weekend. He will likely visit Arizona as well and then decide between the two, and I’ve been told by sources that it’s 50-50 right now.
Arizona has more of a need at wide receiver and the home-state advantage, but USC obviously recruits better talent and is more of a possible showcase for his talents.
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The entry of LSU transfer offensive lineman Dare Rosenthal caused quite a stir on Monday as rumors began swirling during the early morning about his likely addition. When it became official, Kentucky was the school that immediately put the full-court press on Rosenthal, but Baylor should also be taken very seriously here. Coach Dave Aranda has a good relationship with Rosenthal from his days as the defensive coordinator in Baton Rouge, and with limited time remaining before he would likely make a decision that familiarity may be enough for the Bears to win out.
However, I’ve heard that Kentucky is the likely destination as the smooth transition of DB Kelvin Joseph from LSU to Kentucky is a path to follow. Miami is a dark horse here, and it all depends on what visits he takes.
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Malachi Wideman's high school recruiting process came down to the last minute, with Tennessee beating out Ole Miss and Florida State. So now that he is in the portal, will the Rebels and Seminoles be involved? To this point, Florida State is said to have chosen to pass on Wideman, even though he was the one who initiated contact, but I find that hard to believe. Ole Miss, however, seems to be kicking the tires, as it still needs depth at wide receiver.
Wideman also wants to play basketball at his next school, so that will be an important part of his final decision. Keep an eye on Louisville here as well because wide receiver is a big need.
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After striking out on Karon Prunty, who committed to South Carolina, Tennessee is still on the hunt for a cornerback. The obvious answer continues to be Brandon Turnage. The Alabama transfer, who committed to Georgia but then quickly reopened his process, has been a Vols' target since he parted ways with the Bulldogs.
However, the rumor is that he wants a guarantee that he will be a day-one starter in Knoxville. At this point it seems unlikely that this guarantee will happen, so the ball is likely in Turnage's court to see if he eases his stance.
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Several FCS cornerbacks have made the jump to the FBS level in recent weeks, and Cameron McCutcheon from Gardner-Webb could be the next one. McCutcheon, who at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, has the size and athleticism that coaches crave.
Aside from a long list of FCS schools that quickly expressed interest, including Western Carolina - which offered - some of the FBS schools that are taking a close look include South Florida, Vanderbilt, Troy, Miami-Ohio, Liberty and Middle Tennessee State. Many schools no longer have available spots, so as we see early July coming it will be interesting how long new portal entrants wait for more offers.