With roster limits expanded and scholly limits pretty much accounted for (I think?), big opportunity for Heupel to make the portal his ally by being aggressive and having a sense of urgency. He got very lucky to get the guys he did late in the cycle and have them largely work out (hood, thomas, Pendleton, moe, aguilar). We might not have been bowl eligible without them. I trust the staffs evals and I hope they go out and get all the veteran guys they need to weather injuries and finish games next year that they couldn’t this year.
PORTAL NEEDS (updates as we hear of current roster developments):
1a. Multiple Interior DL: 
- It all starts up front in this league. Gotta own the LOS. preferably both a nose tackle and DT type of starter quality are needed.
1b. Multiple Edge/LEO:
- went from not really needing more edge to not having anyone besides our freshmen incoming class. We need MULTIPLE certified dudes here. It’s a cornerstone piece of Jim Knowles defense. I’m not sure how we f’ed this, but we need solutions BAD.
2. Multiple Safeties:
- at least one immediate starter would be nice (
with Knowles in fold, look for multiple transfers at this position to pair with farooq)
3. Veteran Qb: 
- to push competition for tor even win the starting job (if JA does not come back).
4. Multiple CB and/or Star:
- be curious how Knowles recruits the defensive backfield, expecting more safety types than corners, but the corners must be top flight as they will be required to cover man down field or crash the line and tackle on any given play.
5. Defensive End:
- who is replacing Tyre West/Dom Bailey? That’s some quality production needing replacing. Some speculation that Hobbs may assume this role in Knowles defense.
6. LB:
- Probably will let Knowles look for a veteran LB to replace Carter and help install his defense. They like the rest of the room I believe, and Inge is staying on. Underperformance this year was most due to pressure put on them from a bad DL front (scheme-wise - thanks Timmy B) and poor safety play (thanks again Timmy). This in addition to his LEO (is this player on roster?) and center field safety (and other DBs) will be primary targets.
7. OT (with Heard transferring)
8. C/OG (if moe/pendleton go - neither have left but with satterwhite and others in the two deep leaving, expecting we’ll take one here)
9. RB (with Lewis transfering out)
10. Kicker (Max got the git shirt)
11. Miscellaneous Special Teams Help
^
: Filled Need with Quality Player
: Filled Need with Non-Contributor
: Did Not Fill Need
As confident as I’m sure CJH is in our young guys, I will be concerned if we take less than 8-10 10-12 13-15 15-18 portal players across the various needs we have. Any less and I’ll be worried we’re a couple injuries away from another 8-5 or worse season.
Current Roster on Scholly Transferring Out:
QB Jake Merklinger
RB Peyton Lewis
WR Amari Jefferson
TE Jack Van Doseleer
OT Lance Heard
C William Satterwhite
OL Ayden Bussell
OL Max Anderson
OT Bennett Warren
OT Brian Grant
DL Trevor Duncan
DT Jamal Wallace
DE Kellen Lindstrom
DL Jayden Loftin
DL Josh Schell
Edge Caleb Herring
Edge Jordan Ross
Edge Emanuel Okoye
LB Arion Carter
LB Brendan Anes
CB Rickey Gibson
DB Marcus Goree
DB Colin Brazzell
DB Kaleb Beasley
ATH Boo-Hoo carter
K Max Gilbert
^ I have bolded the above that were in the starting lineup or two deep, denoting that their either their production or simply their position is one we will need to go get a difference maker at to replace them with.
**Note** A pundit (don’t remember which, probably AP) said word was we would lose a lot to the portal this year, but that initial word was not many would be ones we’d be sad to see go, similar to last year. That would be good news if we capitalize and fill the roster with upgrades at positions that experience attrition. Bad news if we don’t. Let’s not get too off track lamenting over “development.”That’ll be $9.95
Confirmed Notable Losses to Draft/Grad:
QB Joey Aguilar (?) Grad
WR Chris Brazzell NFL Draft
RB Star Thomas Grad
TE Miles Kitzelmann Grad
DE Tyre West Grad/NFL Draft
DL Dominic Bailey Grad
DT Jaxon Moi Grad
DT Bryson Eason Grad
Edge Joshua Josephs NFL Draft
LB Arion Carter STAYING
CB Jermod McCoy NFL Draft
CB Colton Hood NFL Draft
CB Jalen McMurray Grad
S Andre Turrentine Grad
^ All in the starting rotation. Basically half the starting roster.
CONFIRMED EXPECTED VISITS
CB/NB Qua Moss Jan 3 SIGNED 
OT Ory Williams Jan 4 SIGNED
RB Zylan Perry Jan 4th Weekend
S Tawfiq Byard End of Jan 4th weekend
DT Xavier Gilliam Jan 5 SIGNED
CB Jacquez White Monday Jan 5th
LB Khmori House Monday Jan 5th
EDGE Chaz Coleman Jan 5 SIGNED
OL Anwar O’Neal Monday Jan 5th
S Lyrik Rawls Tuesday Jan 6th
RB Cam Cook Tuesday Jan 6th
LB Keaton Thomas Tuesday Jan 6th
DT Mateen Ibirogba Wednesday Jan 7th
DT Francis Brewu Wednesday Jan 7th
IOL Dylan Sikorski Wednesday Jan 7th
CB Kayin Lee Jan 7 SIGNED
CB Kanye Thompson Wednesday Jan 7th
DE Adam Trick Wednesday Jan 7th
QB Sam Leavitt Thursday Jan 8th
ATH Gavin Freeman Jan 8 SIGNED
LS/LB Blake Howard SIGNED
K Cooper Ranvier Jan 8 SIGNED
CB Gentry Williams Thursday Jan 8th
LB Amare Campbell Jan 9 SIGNED
S Dejuan Lane Jan 10 SIGNED
POS Lane Kiffin Friday Jan 9th
S Joenel Aguero Saturday Jan 10th
RB Bryson Washington Saturday Jan 10th
RB Kendrick Raphael Saturday Jan 10th
S Conrad Hussey Saturday Jan 10th
S TJ Metcalf Jan 10 SIGNED
QB Beau Pribula Saturday Jan 11th
CB Sione Laulea Sunday Jan 11th
EDGE Qua Russaw Sunday Jan 11th
DT James Smith Subday Jan 11th
EDGE Jordan Norman Jan 11 SIGNED
RB JaKobi Jackson Sunday Jan 11th
DT Walter Mathis Jr Sunday Jan 11th
DT Daelyn Evans Sunday Jan 11th
RB Gavin Sawchuk Sunday Jan 11th
IOL Donovan Haslam Jan 17 COMMITTED
S DJ Burks Jan 15 COMMITTED
RB Javian Gordan Jan 15th COMMITTED
CB Tevis Metcalf COMMITTED
IOL Ethan Field Thursday Jan 15th
RB Makhi Frazier Friday Jan 16th
CB Omillio Agard Friday Jan 16th
S Faheem Delane Friday Jan 16th
CB Aaron Scott Sunday Jan 18th
CB Peyton Taylor Jan 16th Weekend
TE Trent Thomas Jan 17 COMMITTED
EDGE Mylachi Williams Next Week
LB Arion Carter?
EDGE Enai White Soon
DT Enow Etta Soon
S Cody Haddad Saturday Jan 17th
CB Isaiah Hardge Jan 18 COMMITTED
IDL Brien Taylor Jan 17th
QB Ryan Staub Jan 17 COMMITTED
LB Arion Carter Jan 18 WITHDRAWN
TE/HB Drake Martinez Thursday Jan 22nd
WR Ian Duarte Wednesday Jan 21st
WR Carter Shaw Thursday Jan 22nd
^
Denotes Made It To Campus
PROJECTED COST BY POSITION
A compressed Jan. 2–16 window is fueling fast moves and bigger deals. Here's what each position costs this cycle
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