SEC Football: 15 Transfers Who Will Make an Impact in 2015
SEC football programs are known for their ability to recruit, and every season's top-10 rankings are evidence of that fact. But there's more to recruiting than scouring high schools.
Each offseason, coaches look toward junior college programs to find instant-impact players. They also try to take advantage when players look to transfer from peer programs. Though these players normally must sit out a year, some are worth the wait.
Recently, there has been a wave of players transferring up a level (from the Football Championship Subdivision) who are eligible to play immediately.
Teams such as Florida have been able to use that to their advantage to fill major depth needs. For example, the Gators nabbed Fordham's Mason Halter to help shore up the offensive line.
Another recent rule change that has become advantageous to SEC programs is the graduate transfer rule, which allows players who've graduated to transfer where they want and be immediately eligible as well.
South Carolina defensive back Isaiah Johnson—a Kansas transfer—is a good example of a player who may step right in and start.
No matter the method, transfers are a key part of today's college football, and there is going to be a significant impact felt in the SEC in 2015. As a matter of fact, there are far too many potentially elite transfers to mention.
But let's take a look at a few who should provide help right away. They may just wind up being the difference in winning an SEC championship.
Justin Evans, Texas A&M Safety
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There needs to be some major upgrades in Texas A&M's defense for the Aggies to compete for an SEC title.
That's why head coach Kevin Sumlin brought in former LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis.
With all the talent Sumlin has stockpiled in College Station, it's time somebody turned that into a championship-caliber defense.
One newcomer who figures to play a key role in that transformation is JUCO safety Justin Evans, who intercepted six passes over the past two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
Though he was only a 3-star prospect, the 6'0", 185-pound defender was coveted by many of the league's top teams before choosing A&M. He enrolled this spring and immediately showed the ability to be a fast playmaker and aggressive tackler.
He's a typical Chavis-style safety. He's a ball-hawking hard-hitter who can command the entire back end of a defense. He's a piece of the puzzle that has been lacking at A&M, and Sumlin is fortunate to have been able to lure him to College Station.
Exiting spring, Evans was atop the depth chart at free safety and could be a budding star for a unit that needs to turn things around after getting torched through the air a season ago.
Blake Countess, Auburn Cornerback
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There will be a restocking of the shelves of sorts on defense this season for new Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.
A sure contributor to Muschamp's defense is former Michigan cornerback and transfer Blake Countess. Though he'll have a teammate or two mentioned later, Countess could have the biggest impact of any defensive back transfer in the SEC.
With five defensive backs departed since last season at Auburn, playing time is available. The Tigers won the sweepstakes over teams such as Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Arizona to get him.
Coach Gus Malzahn told AL.com's Brandon Marcello that he may have a star on his hands:
"We think he has a chance to be a phenomenal player," Malzahn said at the SEC's spring meetings. "We have small numbers, as well you know. He'll provide depth. He's a guy that we're expecting to come in and play."
The 5'10", 185-pound cornerback started 30 games for the Wolverines and decided to transfer to Auburn to play his final season of eligibility. He's speedy and talented, and he is very experienced, which will help a youthful lineup.
He could have a big season.
Jake Ganus, Georgia Linebacker
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It's not every day that a college kid gets an opportunity for a do-over.
That happened for 6'2", 225-pound senior linebacker Jake Ganus, who found out harshly like everybody else that UAB was dismantling its football program.
As he scrambled to find a spot, the talented defender had plenty of interest. The second time around, he chose the Georgia Bulldogs, and now he'll have the opportunity to man one of the middle positions in coordinator Jeremy Pruitt's 3-4 scheme.
Though the Blazers will have a football program again soon, Ganus told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Seth Emerson he's happy to finish his college days in Athens.
"It was best-case scenario for me. It really was," Ganus said. "I know a lot of my guys (ex-teammates) are happy with where they're at. But I know a lot of them that aren't. It was hit-or-miss for some of the guys, but I'm really happy where I’m at."
With all those pass-rushers between the hedges, the Dawgs still need some stellar players to lock down the middle of that defense. Ganus is a sure tackler who is one of the candidates to do it.
Donald Gray, Mississippi State Wide Receiver
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It didn't take long for Memphis product Donald Gray to make his mark with the Bulldogs.
A couple of years after it was expected that he'd be in Starkville, he had to take a short detour to JUCO, but once he arrived this spring he proved he'll be an impact newcomer.
According to the Clarion-Ledger's Michael Bonner, Gray connected immediately with quarterback Dak Prescott. That instant impact may just allow him to step into the Bulldogs' deepest position and carve out a role.
"Gray became one of Dak Prescott's favorite targets in the spring. No. 6 became associated with big plays. Mississippi State needs that ability to translate from the spring to the regular season. Gray joins one of MSU's deepest positions at wide receiver from Copiah-Lincoln Community College. At 5-foot-10, Gray will be featured in the slot along with Gabe Myles. The duo will be asked to replace Jameon Lewis' 32 receptions from last year.
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At 5'10", Gray isn't the biggest player, but he is super speedy and hiccup-quick. It's not out of the realm of possibility that he could find a role in special teams and as a slot receiver.
Players with his natural ability always find a place, and coach Dan Mullen must find a way to get the ball in his hands.
Mason Halter, Florida Offensive Lineman
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There are fewer more worrisome areas for SEC teams than Florida's offensive line.
The Gators lost 47 starts from last year's line and returned only eight scholarship linemen to start the spring. With elite prospect Martez Ivey set to join the fray, that still left UF short of stars in what could be the kind of crippling issue that derails an offense for two or three years.
ESPN.com's Edward Aschoff opined prior to spring: "With the current shape of Florida's offensive line, it might not matter who becomes the starting quarterback this fall. Who knows if there will be enough quality bodies up front to protect him?"
That's why the addition of Fordham graduate transfer Mason Halter was so huge.
Halter is 6'8", 297 pounds and was a three-year starter and two-time FCS All-American on the lower level.
There's a chance he can turn into an NFL prospect, and the exposure he'll get at Florida will do nothing but help. Halter is big and athletic enough, but he simply hasn't been through the trench warfare that SEC games will demand.
If Halter can prove he can play at the highest level of college football, the pros will come calling. If nothing else, he'll provide important depth and experience at tackle.
If he can excel, the Gators won't have as many issues up front as expected.
Isaiah Johnson, South Carolina Safety
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New South Carolina co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke desperately needs playmakers to emerge on a unit that was historically poor a season ago.
One of the guys expected to answer that call is Isaiah Johnson. The former Kansas Jayhawks defensive back, who redshirted in 2011, graduated and will play his final season for coach Steve Spurrier in Columbia.
Johnson has the versatility to play either safety or spur and, according to GreenvilleOnline.com's Willie T. Smith III, he has been described as a "D.J. Swearinger-type athlete."
If he can be that, it'll be a major boost for the Gamecocks. Swearinger had a productive career for Spurrier and is currently an NFL player.
There's little doubt Johnson can play. In his first year with the Jayhawks, he finished with 73 tackles and five interceptions while being named the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year. Last year, he had 75 tackles and an interception.
Bluntly put, those numbers make Johnson "for all intents and purposes…the best safety on the roster the minute he steps foot on campus," according to 247Sports' JC Shurburtt.
With a knack for the ball and keen tackling ability, the 6'1", 210-pound playmaker should provide a major boost to the Gamecocks right away.
D.J. Jones, Mississippi Defensive Lineman
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When it comes to transfer prospects, the three teams to keep an eye on in the SEC this year are Auburn, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Perhaps nobody's immediate future is as dependent on them as the Rebels'.
Though coach Hugh Freeze returns a stable of defensive stars, one player who may work his way into the rotation is massive 6'0", 330-pound JUCO defensive tackle D.J. Jones.
Jones flirted with Tennessee and Alabama before committing to Florida State and ultimately signing with Ole Miss out of East Mississippi Community College in what was a wacky recruitment. The nation's No. 1 JUCO defensive tackle had an up-and-down spring, but he still was praised by Freeze.
"That's one athletic dude," Freeze told the Clarion-Ledger during the spring, according to Riley Blevins. "He's very, very quick twitched. He'll help us get better."
Jones benches 440 pounds and squats 650 pounds, making him one of the nation's strongest players, according to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com (via Blevins).
If he's big and strong enough to command double-teams, it'll free up Robert Nkemdiche to make more plays, which means he's vital to the "Land Sharks" defense.
Alvin Kamara, Tennessee Running Back
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The nation's top-ranked JUCO running back breezed into Knoxville midterm and immediately became the Vols' No. 1 tailback this spring while Jalen Hurd nursed an injury.
This fall, he'll team with incumbent starter Hurd to provide UT the type of 1-2 punch in the offensive backfield that the Vols have been lacking for nearly a decade. Throw in dual-threat quarterback Joshua Dobbs and you see why there's been so much hype surrounding coach Butch Jones' team.
Kamara was coveted by the nation's top teams as the top-ranked all-purpose back coming out of Norcross (Georgia) High School. He chose Alabama and left that crowded backfield after a season before heading to Hutchinson Community College.
During the '15 recruiting cycle, UT beat out division rival Georgia to earn his signature.
The 5'11", 195-pound runner showed elite skills this spring, flashing the ability to be an every-down runner and get to the edge against Tennessee's fast defense.
Last year, the Vols struggled to run the football. But with the offensive line a year older and Kamara in the mix, Jones said at SEC media days (per GoVols247's Ryan Callahan) that he feels much better about the running game than he did a season ago:
“We have much more confidence going in—obviously a year older, a year more in the weight room, the experience, and obviously having two very, very good running backs with Jalen and Alvin is going to help matters, as well."
Kamara is perfect for UT's power-spread offense, and he'll have every opportunity to shine.
Marquavius Lewis, South Carolina Defensive End
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Jadeveon Clowney is going to be one of those players who every athletic freak of a defensive lineman who comes through South Carolina for the next decade will be compared to.
How many times have you heard somebody compared to Tim Tebow or Johnny Manziel? Clowney was that kind of generational talent.
The latest player to get tagged with that albatross is freakish 6'3", 266-pound Marquavius Lewis. Though he won't single-handedly shore up the Gamecocks' putrid unit, having a player of his caliber certainly will help.
Lewis was Alvin Kamara's teammate at Hutchinson, where he recorded an eye-popping 66 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss and 10.5 sacks. As a freshman in 2013, he had 7.5 sacks, and that kind of talent likely will earn him day one starter status for a defense needing impact players.
B/R colleague Barrett Sallee is a little reluctant to heap Clowney-like expectations on Lewis, though that doesn't take anything away from his status as a prospect. Sallee told the State's Josh Kendall, in part:
"You are kind of asking Marquavius Lewis to be Jadeveon Clowney. I don't know if he can be, but if he can look like it at times, that'll help everything."
Teaming him with Dante Sawyer could still do big things for the Gamecocks' defensive line a year after it was absolutely gashed by essentially everybody it played. Lewis has elite potential, and he may just be one of the best defensive newcomers in the entire league.
Jeremiah Ledbetter, Arkansas Defensive Lineman
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Another defensive line freak who'll storm into the SEC this year is Arkansas tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter.
The January midterm enrollee went through spring practice, and, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Tom Murphy, wowed everybody with his athleticism. He did a backflip to pump his teammates up, and the next week he did a "Matrix" backflip where he ran at a wall, jumped and kicked off the wall and landed a flip.
"He gets in the middle and everybody's looking, like, this 275-pound dude can hit a backflip? My man launches—boom!—hits it, the group goes crazy and we have a great lift," Arkansas strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert said.
This is a defensive tackle we're talking about here.
After impressing in workouts, Ledbetter impressed during spring drills, much the way he did at Hutchinson Community College when he teamed with Marquavius Lewis to dominate the JUCO ranks.
Playing alongside the fellow transfer stud, Ledbetter had 15.5 sacks as a sophomore and earned second-team NJCAA All-America honors.
With all the talent Arkansas lost off the defensive line, such as Trey Flowers and Darius Philon, there are spots open for the versatile, athletic Ledbetter. He seems primed to fill one.
Chad Kelly, Mississippi Quarterback
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The only quarterback to make the list hasn't locked down a starting position yet, but he will have the opportunity to this fall.
Chad Kelly has dealt with some off-the-field issues since signing with coach Hugh Freeze and Ole Miss, but those have quieted down, and he's trying to make his mark on the field after a breakout JUCO campaign.
Kelly was thought to be the quarterback of the future at Clemson before some trouble got him booted, and he landed at East Mississippi Community College, where he destroyed the competition to the tune of 3,906 yards and 47 touchdowns as a sophomore.
At 6'3", 215 pounds, the nephew of former Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly has all the physical tools to be a star, and he just needs to grow up to realize that potential. However, he is in a dogfight with Ryan Buchanan and Devante Kincade to take the first snap for the Rebs.
"I don’t think there is a fair sampling yet of the three," Freeze said at SEC media days, according to 247Sports' Dave Bevan. "I think all three have earned the right to compete for it. I said after the spring that I thought Ryan (Buchanan) was a little ahead of the other two, but the margin was so small that it could certainly be overcome."
It sounds like the door is definitely open for Kelly, who is certainly the most dynamic dual-threat quarterback of the three. Buchanan is more of a traditional dropback passer, and Kincade is a better runner than thrower.
Kelly can do both, and having him slide in would be the most seamless transition from Bo Wallace.
Justin Martin, Tennessee Cornerback
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One of the most athletic, fastest players on this list is Tennessee sophomore Justin Martin, a defensive back who was coveted by nearly every school in the SEC.
Though he was thought to be leaning toward LSU, Martin chose his home-state Vols out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M over the Tigers, Texas A&M, Auburn, Georgia and others. So, he'll play his college games near his Nashville home if he stays in Knoxville.
He has the ability to step right in and start at cornerback opposite Cameron Sutton.
Though rising sophomore Emmanuel Moseley has a lock on that position right now, Martin is a raw-but-athletic cornerback with track speed who also is 6'2" and 183 pounds. He has the kind of size-speed combination that NFL teams desire.
All of that must translate onto the football field, but Martin has three years to do it. Also, with a lack of proven playmakers at cornerback, UT has plenty of playing time up for grabs if he can seize it.
Rashaan Gaulden has hold of the nickelback position right now, but a player with Martin's size and athleticism also would be perfect for that spot, so that's a position he could battle for down the road.
Wherever the 4-star prospect winds up, he has the skill set to play up to his billing as the nation's second-ranked JUCO cornerback. By the time he leaves Knoxville, if he keeps his head on straight, he could have a very successful career.
Tray Matthews, Auburn Safety
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Tray Matthews has a second chance to make a huge impression, and he hopes to do it at one of his former team's biggest rivals.
The sophomore Auburn safety was a Georgia freshman standout two years ago, starting six games and making 36 tackles in what looked like the start of a promising career.
Then, he was charged with theft by deception for trying to cash scholarship checks twice, and three months later UGA coach Mark Richt booted him from the team because of a classroom disruption.
He resurfaced at Auburn, and now he has the opportunity to step right in and star for defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's revamped defense.
"I was very immature," Matthews told AL.com's Joel A. Erickson this spring of his time at UGA. "I started as a true freshman, everything was coming at me real fast. Me and my dad (Carlos) would talk about how physically I was ready for the game at Georgia, but mentally, I wasn't ready."
Now he believes he is. He has family at Auburn, and he's going to have the opportunity to play again after sitting out a year.
The 6'1", 213-pound safety exited spring as a probable starter and won defensive MVP honors at the A-Day game with five tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. It seems his star career is back on track, even if it is at a place nobody would have imagined two seasons ago.
Richard Mullaney, Alabama Wide Receiver
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Alabama can't replace the production of All-American wide receiver and Heisman Trophy nominee Amari Cooper with just one player.
But the Crimson Tide have plenty of talented young receivers with bright futures. In June, they added a veteran who should be able to contribute right away.
Richard Mullaney transferred from Oregon State to the Capstone after a productive career with the Beavers. As a redshirt sophomore in 2013, he shared the receiver position with future first-round NFL pick Brandin Cooks and finished with 52 catches for 788 yards and three touchdowns.
Though he missed much of last year with an elbow injury, he'll be able to step right in and play for coach Nick Saban, adding valuable depth to a position of need. He could start for the Tide, which lost their top three receivers from a season ago.
"That's a guy that has production," Saban said at SEC media days, according to AL.com's Matt Zenitz. "He's kind of a possession-type guy, but really instinctive and has great hands and I think adds experience to that group."
Nobody is asking Mullaney to be a superstar. That's the status that should be reserved for talents such as Robert Foster, ArDarius Stewart or others.
But if Mullaney can be a veteran possession receiver, whoever wins UA's quarterback derby will have a quality safety valve.
Jovon Robinson, Auburn Running Back
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One of the biggest coups of the 2015 recruiting cycle was when Auburn coach Gus Malzahn got Georgia Military College stud running back Jovon Robinson to re-commit to the Tigers.
He'd chosen AU out of Wooddale High School in Memphis before a controversial NCAA issue forced him out of Auburn after one week and into junior college.
The 6'0", 235-pound bruiser was coveted by everybody in the country a season ago. Instead of doing anything dramatic, he wound up right back where he started: home, home on the Plains.
In 2013, he dominated JUCO, setting single-season records with 2,387 rushing yards, 34 touchdowns and 204 points scored.
Those are crazy numbers, and Robinson is an elite prospect, even if he struggled a little last year after GMC lost its entire offensive line.
His offensive coordinator at GMC, Ross Robinson, told Auburn Undercover's Ryan Black: "I'll say this: He can run around, run over, run past—he can do it all. He's one of those guys that can do anything."
Though he reported to spring camp somewhat overweight, Robinson enjoyed a productive spring and will battle with Roc Thomas and Peyton Barber for starting duties.
Even if he doesn't win the job right away, he'll figure keening into the mix. He's the type of power, north-south runner Malzahn loves in the mold of Cameron Artis-Payne and Tre Mason.
Whether he lives up to the ridiculous expectations he set as a freshman at GMC, he'll be a good player for the Tigers. He may wind up being a star.
Quotes obtained from the SEC Network telecast of media days unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings unless otherwise noted. All statistics gathered from CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.
Brad Shepard covers SEC football for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.
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