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Texas Tech football: Who's in? Who's out? Tracking Red Raiders' moves in the transfer portal
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- Texas Tech football: Who's in? Who's out? Tracking Red Raiders' moves in the transfer portal
The Texas Tech football team finished the season Saturday with a 34-14 victory against California at the Independence Bowl.
It's been a busy December for Tech coach Joey McGuire and his staff. While preparing for the bowl, they also were remaking the 2024 roster with players coming and going in the NCAA transfer portal.
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The NCAA transfer portal is open from Dec. 4 through Jan. 2 and again from April 16-30. That's for players without a degree. Players who have graduated may have their names entered into the transfer portal at any time.
The portal is a database that offers a way to connect for players wanting to transfer and coaches from other programs looking for help.
Editor's note: Tech running back Cam'Ron Valdez announced on Monday he was having his name withdrawn from the portal. His name had been in the portal since Dec. 9.
Who's in
Defensive end James Hansen: Hansen is a 6-foot-2, 307-pounder who spent the last two seasons at Nevada. He accumulated 27 total tackles, 6 for a loss of yards, and two sacks in that time. He began his collegiate career at Riverside Community College and spent one year at Utah State, where he redshirted and appeared in no games. He's a native of Fontana, Calif. He has one year of eligibility left after entering the transfer portal in early December.
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Offensive tackle Sterling Porcher:The 6-foot-4, 304-pound lineman started 25 games in a row the past two seasons for Middle Tennessee State, a Conference USA program that finished 4-8 this season. Porcher went to high school in Sumter, South Carolina, and spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Iowa Western, which reached the championship game of the NJCAA playoffs in 2021. Porcher had his name entered into the portal in late November and had scholarship offers from Arizona State, Baylor, Syracuse and Tech, as well as numerous group-of-five programs.
Tight end Johncarlos Miller:A 6-5, 242-pound tight end from Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley, Miller has spent three seasons at Elon, a North Carolina school with an FCS program. Miller redshirted in 2021, caught 26 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns in 2022 and caught 25 passes for 453 yards and four TDs this season. He committed to Texas Tech on Saturday.
Wide receiver Josh Kelly:A 6-1, 192-pound receiver from Fresno, California, Kelly spent four years playing for hometown Fresno State and this season at Washington State, where he caught 61 passes for 923 yards and eight touchdowns, all career highs. His previous career bests were 52 catches, 778 yards and three TDs, all during the 2021 season with Fresno State. Kelly pledged to the Red Raiders on Friday.
Offensive guard Davion Carter:A 6-foot, 285-pound guard from Petal, Mississippi, Carter spent two years at Northwest Mississippi Community College and the past two at Memphis, where he started 23 games. Pro Football Focus has given Carter an overall grade of 81.5 this season, which is seventh among offensive guards in the FBS. The Rivals recruiting service has him No. 25 and fourth among offensive linemn in its rankings of top players in the portal this offseason. He committed to Tech on Thursday.
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Cornerback Devynn Cromwell:Cromwell, a 6-1, 200-pound Canadian, spent the past two years at the University of Guelph in Ontario. In nine games this season, he was credited with 21 tackles, including 2 1/2 tackles for loss. He intercepted two passes, broke up seven and recovered a fumble. He committed to Tech on Wednesday.
Wide receiver Caleb Douglas:Douglas signed with Florida as a Texas top-100 recruit two years ago coming out of Fort Bend Hightower. As a true freshman in 2022, he caught 10 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. This season, he caught 11 passes for 133 yards and a TD, starting in five games before he suffered a season-ending injury. Florida listed him at 6-3 and 200 pounds. He announced for Tech on Wednesday.
Offensive guard Vinny Sciury:Sciury started 33 games at left guard the past three seasons for Toledo, which won its division in the Mid-American Conference this season and is 11-2 going into the Arizona Bowl against Wyoming. Sciury, listed at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, made first-team all-MAC this season. Pro Football Focus gave him a pass-blocking grade of 89.4, the seventh-highest among FBS offensive guards. His overall grade of 71.0 is fourth among MAC guards. He committed to the Red Raiders on Wednesday.
Punter Jack Burgess:Burgess committed to Texas Tech on Dec. 10 and immediately becomes the heir apparent to Ray Guy Award semifinalist Austin McNamara, who's out of eligibility after the Independence. Burgess' average this season of 47.19 yards for Weber State is second in the FCS. He has 20 punts this season of 50-plus yards and put 21 inside the opponents' 20-yard line. His numbers are remarkably similar to those of McNamara, who is averaging 46.50 yards with 20 punts of 50-plus yards and 20 inside the 20. Burgess is from Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia and a product of the Prokick Australia program.
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Tight end Jaylin Conyers:Despite coming from small-town Gruver, Conyers was a consensus top-40 prospect in Texas with scholarship offers out of high school from Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oregon and LSU among many others. He signed with Oklahoma, but was gone after the 2020 Covid season and spent the past three years at Arizona State. He caught 38 passes for 422 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 and 30 passes for 362 yards this season, plus 22 rushes for 92 yards and a TD. Conyers, listed at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, earned a degree last spring so he remains immediately eligible. He committed to Texas Tech on Dec. 10.
Arizona State tight end Jalin Conyers (12) runs with the ball as Washington State linebacker Kyle Thornton (52) tries to make a tackle during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Defensive back Jovon Jackson:Jackson was a two-time second-team all-Mountain East Conference honoree at NCAA Division II Fairmont State in West Virginia, where he redshirted one year and played the past three. He was credited with 84 tackles and an interception each of the past two years. He also blocked five kicks in his career. Jackson is 6-foot-1, 190 pounds and played in high school at Manassas (Va.) Stonewall Jackson.
Quarterback Cameran Brown:Brown was the Gulf South Conference offensive freshman of the year this season for West Georgia in NCAA Division II. He passed for 914 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 478 yards and six TDs. Brown, listed at 6-2 and 225 pounds, is a redshirt freshman from Warner Robins (Ga.) Northside. He's expected to come to Tech as a preferred walk-on.
Texas Tech's Jacoby Jackson works out during football practice, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, at the Sports Performance Center.
Who's out
Linebacker Jesiah Pierre:Pierre spent two seasons at Florida and the past three at Tech, where he made 20 starts. He was the Red Raiders' fourth-leading tackler this season with 66 stops, but his playing time diminished over the second half of the season. He announced Monday he'll have his name entered into the portal. He can play in 2024 on the Covid-bonus year.
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Offensive guard Jacoby Jackson:Jackson announced on Sunday he plans to have his name entered into the portal with two years of eligibility left. He started 14 games for the Red Raiders, eight coming this season, including the last seven of the regular season.
Wide receiver J.J. Sparkman:Sparkman, who spent four years in the Tech program, committed on Tuesday to UT-San Antonio. The Longview Pine Tree graduate had his moments for the Red Raiders — a touchdown in the Liberty Bowl two years ago, career highs of 14 catches for 150 yards last year — but he caught only two passes for 9 yards this season.
Wide receiver Loic Fouonji:Like Sparkman, Fouonji showed promise earlier in his career — a 69-yard touchdown reception two years ago at Texas, career highs of 34 catches for 451 yards and three TDs last year — and mostly disappeared this season. He finished with six receptions for 85 yards and a two TDs. Fouonji's name is in the portal, but he caught a touchdown pass in the Independence Bowl. Tech coach Joey McGuire said Fouonji still has "a decision to make (regarding) what he wants to do."
Texas Tech's wide receiver Loic Fouonji (11) celebrates a touchdown after a blocked kick against Houston in a Big 12 football game, Saturday, Sept, 30, 2023, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Tight end Jayden York:York came to Tech as a recruited walk-on from Austin Bowie and spent four years in the program, working his way into playing time the past two years. He caught his first career touchdown pass in the first quarter of the season opener at Wyoming and finished the regular season with three catches for 30 yards. He announced on Dec. 6 he'll have his name entered into the transfer portal.
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Punter Brook Honore':A second-team Class 5A all-state honoree with Manvel, Honore' spent two seasons with the Red Raiders as a walk-on and didn't get into a game. He was the backup to Ray Guy Award semifinalist Austin McNamara. He committed to Arkansas State on Monday.
Texas Tech's Brook Honore Jr. attends football practice, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Sports Performance Center.
Wide receiver Tyler King:King's track speed excited Texas Tech fans when the Red Raiders signed him. He ran a wind-legal 20.74-second 200 meters for third place at the Class 6A state meet for Alief Taylor, but it hasn't translated on the field at Tech. He played in only one game in two years, catching one pass. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Defensive back Nate Floyd:Floyd's a 2020 signee from College Station A&M Consolidated who has a senior year and a Covid-bonus season remaining. He announced on Dec. 4 his plans to transfer. Floyd appeared in 15 games for the Red Raiders over four seasons, 11 coming in 2021, and was credited with three tackles. Though he began and ended his Tech career at defensive back, he spent time in between at wide receiver.
Texas Tech's Nate Floyd (29) catches a pass during spring football practice on Monday, March 15, 2021, at the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center. [Justin Rex/For A-J Media]
Offensive guard Seth Martin:Martin signed with Texas Tech in 2022 and didn't get into a game during his two seasons in the program. The Everman graduate was in uniform at the Independence Bowl, but announced on Dec. 4 he'll have his name entered into the portal. He has three seasons of eligibility left.
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Offensive tackle Monroe Mills:Mills committed to Louisville on Tuesday. He was a two-year starter for the Red Raiders, starting 10 games at right tackle in 2022 and 12 games at left tackle in 2023. He announced on Dec. 2 he planned to leave the program with two years of eligibility remaining, one being the Covid-bonus year option. Mills earned a Tech degree in August, so he can play immediately as a second-time transfer. He came to Tech after spending his first two years at Oklahoma State.
Texas Tech's wide receiver Nehemiah Martinez prepares to score a touchdown against Houston in a football game, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Inside receiver Nehemiah Martinez:The former New Deal and Lubbock-Cooper standout indicated Dec. 1 he will have his name placed in the portal. Martinez spent three seasons at Tech after transferring back from the Air Force Academy prep school before the 2021 spring semester. His best season for the Red Raiders was 2022, when he caught 32 passes for 394 yards and two touchdowns and returned seven kickoffs for an 18.6-yard average. He fell out of the rotation this year, missing virtually all of preseason practice after facial injuries stemming from an altercation with a teammate, then caught only two passes for 32 yards and rushing 13 times for 68 yards.
Wide receiver Jerand Bradley:He committed to Boston College on Monday. Bradley spent his first three seasons at Tech, redshirting in 2021, and has two seasons of eligibility left. His production declined this season: from 51 receptions for 744 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 to 36 catches for 431 yards and four TDs in 2023. Over the last two games last season and the first two this year — against Oklahoma, Mississippi, Wyoming and Oregon — Bradley caught 29 passes for 432 yards and four touchdowns. In 10 games since, he's topped 50 yards receiving only once with a total of two TD catches.
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Slot receiver-return man Myles Price:Price committed to Indiana on Monday. Having not redshirted, he has two years left to play one season. Price has spent his entire four-year career at Tech, catching 160 passes for 1,746 yards and 10 touchdowns. He caught 43 passes for 410 yards and five TDs this season, the catches and receiving TDs being team highs. His punt-return average was 21.78 yards, higher than that of the FBS leader, but his nine returns weren't enough to qualify for the ranking.
Texas Tech’s Myles Price scores a touchdown against Oregon, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
Quarterback Tyler Shough :He announced the day after the Tech home finale he would have his name entered into the portal. Shough spent the past three seasons at Tech after transferring from Oregon. He was a sixth-year senior this season but could receive a medical hardship waiver for additional eligibility based on games he missed because of injuries in 2021 and 2023. Shough has committed to Louisville.
Offensive guard Landon Peterson:He committed to North Texas on Saturday. Peterson, a fifth-year senior this season, has a Covid-bonus year available for 2024. The Odessa Permian graduate started eight games at right guard in 2022, but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and underwent surgery that sidelined him for spring practice . He played in 11 games this season, mostly on the kicking unit but little on offense.
Texas Tech offensive lineman Landon Peterson (72) has played in 36 games for the Red Raiders, starting nine. The Odessa Permian graduate announced plans Monday to have his name entered into the NCAA transfer portal.
Next phases for off-season: See timelines for Texas Tech football projects at Jones AT&T Stadium
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This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football: Tracking Red Raiders' moves in the transfer portal
