3/29/2022 football Edit

Three-Point Stance: Transfer OLs, SEC East sleeper, top QBs

Mike Farrell • Rivals.com

Rivals National Columnist

Rivals national columnist Mike Farrell is here with the top offensive line transfer additions, five reasons why Kentucky is the sleeper to watch in the SEC East and the best QB in each Power Five division.

*****

FACT OR FICTION: CJ Stroud will be the No. 1 overall pick in 2023

CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

TRANSFER PORTAL: Stories/coverage | Message board

RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Info for 2022 series

*****

1. THE TOP OFFENSIVE LINE TRANSFER ADDITIONS

McKade Mettauer (USA Today Sports Images)

Let’s continue the roll through the transfer portal with the top five offensive linemen headed to new homes.

1. O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida - Torrence has been one of the top linemen in the country the last two seasons at Louisiana. He's headed to Gainesville with his coach Billy Napier and fellow Louisiana OL Kamryn Waites and will be an immediate impact player. First-team All-American isn't out of question for arguably the best guard in the country.

2. Victor Oluwatimi, Michigan - Michigan has only added one player via the portal, but he's a darn good one. Oluwatimi was a second-team All-American last year, and he'll slot into an offensive line that is losing its all-conference center from last year, Andrew Vastardis. A perfect fit.

3. Kingsley Suamataia, BYU - Even though he barely saw the field last season, Suamataia remains one of the best prospects in the nation. He was a five-star in 2021 and has the kind of frame and athleticism that scouts drool over. He heads closer to home with the chance to be a future All-American.

4. McKade Mettauer, Oklahoma - A three-year starter for Cal, Mettauer should slot right into a starting guard spot for new coach Brent Venables. The Houston native ranked in the top 20 among all Power Five guards last season in pass blocking according to PFF, and is the definition of a plug-and-play guy.

5. J.D. DiRenzo, Rutgers - The two-time FCS All-American is going to be a sneaky pick for first-team All-Big Ten this season; he's an absolute mauler at tackle. He fits in perfectly with Greg Schiano's hard-nosed approach and has a ton of athleticism for a man his size. One of the best FCS pickups by any team in the country.

*****

2. THE SLEEPER TEAM IN THE SEC EAST

We all know Georgia will win the SEC East but who is the sleeper that could challenge? It’s not the Gators. It’s Kentucky. Here are five reasons why.

1. Will Levis' growth - The former Penn State transfer was a big question heading into 2021, but he showed that he could step up in big moments for the Wildcats. He had 33 total touchdowns for the season, ranking in the top half of SEC quarterbacks in nearly every passing statistic. If he's able to cut down on the turnovers, he could emerge as one of the top QB's in the conference.

2. The offensive line - Yes, the Wildcats lost some key starters, most notably All-American Darian Kinnard, but in the Mark Stoops era, they've proven that they can reload easily at that position and be one of the best lines in the conference year-in and year-out. Watch out for true freshman Kiyaunta Goodwin. The early enrollee was a Rivals100 member for the 2022 class and has the frame and upside that could make him a future first-round pick. The addition of Auburn's Tashawn Manning is another nice piece that should be a Day 1 starter at one of the guard spots. They'll be able to open up big holes for Chris Rodriguez, one of the top returning backs in the SEC.

3. Continuity on defense - The Wildcats bring back seven starters from a defense that ranked in the top 30 in nearly every defensive category last season. They'll have to replace a couple of key guys - most notably Josh Paschal, Marquan McCall and Yusuf Corker, but there's a lot of quality upperclassmen remaining.

4. Impact transfers - Kentucky is hoping to strike gold again on the wide receiver transfer market, after Wan'Dale Robinson proved to be one of the best additions in the country last year. They've brought in Tayvion Robinson from Virginia Tech and Javon Baker from Alabama, both guys who should be day one starters, as well as the previously mentioned Tashawn Manning.

5. Coaching experience - Mark Stoops is rarely mentioned among the top coaches in the country, but all he does is continue to win. After taking over a moribund Wildcats program in 2013, he's led them to a bowl game in each of the last six seasons, including reaching double-digit wins twice. He's a guy who remains among the most underrated coaches in the nation.