SEC Defensive Tackles Bring Spotlight to Light NCAA Transfer Portal

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

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Quality defensive tackles at the collegiate level are a necessity if conference divisional titles and championships are part of any program’s vision for the future. The ability to find an interior defender that can eat up offensive lineman while stopping the run and collapsing the pocket on passing downs at an elite level is uncommon. Every year the NCAA Transfer Portal gives college football programs at all classifications the opportunity to recruit a prospect missed out on the first time around, and one that now has experience to step onto the field as that difference maker from Day 1.

The rarity of finding a top shelf defensive tackle is reflected in this year’s transfer portal. Five former four-star tackles notified their programs they were looking for another opportunity, only two remain on the board; Netori Johnson from Georgia and Coynis Miller out of Auburn. USC already bulked up their defense with Alabama’s Ishmael Sopsher while former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda got one of his players back landing Siaki Ika at Baylor. Cincinnati helped reload their efforts for another unblemished season in 2021 bringing on Jowon Briggs from Virginia.

LSU’s move from a 3-4 to a 4-3 for the 2020 season under new and now gone defensive coordinator Bo Pellini has left a mark on the program. In addition to Ika leaving, three-star tackle Nelson Jenkins, four-star end Travez Moore (ASU) along with three-star ends Justin Thomas (UAB) and T.K. McLendon are gone. Another program seeing some attrition in the trenches is Florida State. The Seminoles lost Cory Durden (NC State) and Jamarcus Chatman (Troy). Penn State has lost a pair as well, Judge Culpepper and Antonio Shelton.

Among the former three-star recruits, 17 with ties back to Power 5 Conference teams are on calls learning about other coaching staffs while eight have already signed with new programs.

Transferred 4-Star Defensive Tackles

Ishmael Sopsher – Alabama to USC

Jowon Briggs – Virginia to Cincinnati

Siaki Ika – LSU to Baylor

4-Star Defensive Tackles in NCAA Transfer Portal

Netori Johnson – Georgia to –

Coynis Miller – Auburn to –

Transferred 3-Star Defensive Tackles

Cory Durden – Florida State to NC State

Jamarcus Chatman – Florida State to Troy

Ja’Mion Franklin – Notre Dame to Duke

Montra Edwards – Missouri to Southern Miss

Val Martin – NC State to Minnesota

Will Rodgers III – Washington State to Temple

Luc Bequette – Cal to Boston College

Kyiev Bennermon – Boston College to North Carolina A&T

3-Star Defensive Tackles Available in NCAA Transfer Portal

Judge Culpepper – Penn State to –

Antonio Shelton – Penn State to –

Malcom Robinson – Minnesota to –

Latrell Bankston – Iowa State to –

Daniel Carson – Texas to –

Quay Mays – West Virginia to –

Zacchaeus McKinney – Oklahoma to –

Nick McCann – Texas Tech to –

Derrick tangelo – Duke to –

Mike Ciaffoni – Boston College to –

Trevis Hopper – Memphis to –

Lamonte McDougle – Washington State to –

Nelson Jenkins – LSU to –

Devon Robinson – Mississippi State to –

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Photo credit: USA Today; Siaki Ika