JUCO Transfers Who Have Dominated College Football This Spring
It doesn't matter which program you are or how good you are—everyone in college football needs immediate help. Whether they choose to take that help is up to them.
In any case, junior college (JUCO) transfers provide a great way to provide an immediate boost to a position in need. In the spring, that can be especially important when depth is at a premium. But just because a JUCO transfer can provide immediate assistance doesn't mean that he will.
The ones who do? They're the impact players.
Which JUCO transfers have been tearing it up this spring? We provide some answers in the following slides based on—but not exclusively—spring game performances, practice reports and accolades.
South Carolina Defensive End Marquavius Lewis
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South Carolina desperately needed a pass rush after finishing dead last in the SEC in sacks (14) in 2014.
Hello, Marquavius Lewis.
The 4-star defensive end from Hutchinson C.C. didn't rack up many stats in the South Carolina spring game, but don't put a ton of stock in that. Lewis has earned a top spot on the depth chart as well as the "defensive player of the spring" title, according to an email from the school.
Lewis has been earning rave reviews from just about every account. As far as value goes, he might be one of the top JUCO players from the spring.
Oklahoma Wide Receiver Dede Westbrook
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Oklahoma has one of the best receivers in the Big 12, if not the best, in senior Sterling Shepard. Beyond him, the pass-catching group from 2014 was nothing to write home about.
The 2015 edition of that unit could be much different, however. Oklahoma's receivers were visibly improved during the Sooners' spring game earlier this month. Specifically, tight end Mark Andrews and receiver Jeffrey Mead stood out. However, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman likes Blinn College transfer Dede Westbrook:
"Westbrook had one catch for 28 yards and gained 22 yards on a reverse. The reverse was particularly telling. Maybe the Sooners will rely on Sterling Shepard come fall for such plays, but Westbrook showed that he's totally capable of being a big-play threat. His 28-yard reception was off an inside screen.
"Dede Westbrook is very explosive," said quarterback Cody Thomas.
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Westbrook is the biggest threat when he's in the open field and defenders are forced to bring him down in space. The speedy receiver should be a huge weapon for a creative mind like first-year offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley.
Tennessee Running Back Alvin Kamara
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With star running back Jalen Hurd hampered by an injury, Tennessee has turned to Hutchinson C.C. transfer Alvin Kamara to handle the rushing load this spring.
So far, the returns have been positive and Kamara is one of the focal points of the Vols' spring game on April 25. With Hurd and Kamara in the backfield—perhaps at the same time—Tennessee enters the 2015 season with one of the SEC's more formidable one-two ground attacks.
"He might be more elusive than I am," Hurd said of Kamara (via David Climer of The Tennessean). "I can work on that. He can work on being a little bigger like I am. We'll feed off each other and we'll get better because of each other."
Hurd is more of a true power back while Kamara has some more wiggle to him. They both bring something unique to the offense and should provide a balanced attack.
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Ole Miss Quarterback Chad Kelly
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Chad Kelly is firmly entrenched in Ole Miss' quarterback competition. He may not be the leader exiting spring, as noted by head coach Hugh Freeze on the team's official website, but he's right there with redshirt sophomore Ryan Buchanan.
Still, Kelly has had an impressive spring. The former Clemson and East Mississippi C.C. player has had his fair share of off-the-field issues. Namely, Kelly was dismissed from Clemson last year for conduct detrimental to the team and arrested for his involvement in a bar fight before joining the Rebels.
However, it appears a spring under Freeze's guidance has done Kelly some good. He's kept quiet and competed well in Ole Miss' return to a higher tempo offense. With time, Kelly might actually improve enough to be the starter. He certainly has the physical gifts; it's everywhere else that he's playing catch up.
Penn State Offensive Lineman Paris Palmer
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Anyone who watched Penn State last year knows that the Nittany Lions need help on offense to say the very least. Penn State ranked No. 122 nationally—out of 128 teams—with 3.39 sacks allowed per game. Granted, the Nittany Lions were terribly thin up front, but the results were what they were.
The results were bad. Penn State was ineffective, to say the least, on offense and quarterback Christian Hackenberg was often running for his life. Paris Palmer, a 4-star transfer from Lackawanna C.C., has been practicing all over the place this spring as coaches try to configure the right combination up front.
As noted by Greg Pickel of PennLive.com, Palmer should be good to start once he adds some more offseason weight:
"Penn State does what many programs do this time of year, which means they practice with many combinations and put players in positions that they might not ever play. Palmer hasn't been an exception; from what the media has seen, he's practiced with all sorts of different linemates.
The goal is to get him over 300 pounds by the time the season starts, and if his technique and weight both grow together, it's not hard to imagine him playing a big, if not starting, role in 2015.
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Will the Nittany Lions' O-line be better in 2015? There's nowhere to go but up.
Auburn Running Back Jovon Robinson
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One of the crown jewels of Auburn's 2015 class, JUCO running back Jovon Robinson's arrival has been a long time coming on The Plains.
Throughout spring, the 4-star back has been impressing coaches with his powerful running style and better-than-advertised pass-catching ability.
"Jovon's got really good hands, I mean terrific hands," Auburn running backs coach Tim Horton said (via Joel Erickson of AL.com). "His hands, to be honest, have been better than I thought they were."
Robinson has been competing with Roc Thomas and Peyton Barber for the starting running back job. Here's betting, despite who enters the season as the starter, that all three see playing time.
Texas A&M Safety Justin Evans
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Texas A&M no longer conducts a spring game, but JUCO transfer Justin Evans put an exclamation point on his offseason with the Aggies.
Evans exited spring as the starting strong safety. According to Jeff Tarpley of 247Sports, Evans' mental makeup has been a big reason why:
"Evans came in and not only learned the defense right away but even helped Watts out in that regard. Evans is about the same size as Watts and he’s been a factor in run support. Both have really good vision so they’re able to get a jump on plays down the field or run away from them. They’re also able to drop down into the slot and cover receivers if need be because they can turn their hips.
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The Aggies finished at or near the bottom of the SEC in every major statistical category a year ago. With Evans in the fold, A&M's secondary should be a strength instead of a weakness.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. Star ratings and recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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