By Mark Pszonak
This has been a busy transfer portal cycle for defensive linemen, but while many found new homes, not all will make an immediate impact. Here are the ten who will make the 2024 college football season more exciting
1. Walter Nolen – Ole Miss (Texas A&M)
The skinny: Considered one of the elite young defensive players in the country, the Rebels hit a home run with Nolen’s addition. Possessing athleticism and versatility on the line, he impressed as a true freshman and then took his game to the next level in 2023 with 37 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks. Expectations are that he will produce an All-American season in 2024 with the Rebels.
2. Trey Moore – Texas (UTSA)
The skinny: UTSA has experienced plenty of recent success on the field, but playing in the AAC has kept some of their player’s accomplishments under-the-radar. Which explains why many casual fans didn’t notice that Moore had totaled 104 tackles, 35.5 tackles for a loss and 22 sacks over his last two seasons with the Roadrunners. Beating out Alabama and Ohio State for his services, the Longhorns added a player who will be a playmaker on defense while helping replace the likes of Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat.
3. Nic Scourton – Texas A&M (Purdue)
The skinny: The 2023 season was Scourton’s first as a starter at Purdue, and he responded by leading the Big Ten in sacks with 10. On top of that he added 50 tackles and 15 tackles for a loss. A native of Bryan, Texas, which is 15 minutes from the Texas A&M campus, his decision to play for the Aggies was a natural fit once he entered the portal. While he played outside linebacker for the Boilermakers, he will play on the line in College Station, where he should flourish this fall.
4. Tyler Baron – Louisville (Tennessee)
The skinny: Baron was one of two Tennessee transfers who Louisville was able to flip from Ole Miss. While Tamarion McDonald’s addition should also prove to be very important, Baron’s presence on the Cardinal’s defensive line could be a game changer in Louisville and in the ACC. Arriving after totaling 101 tackles, 27 tackles for a loss and 13.5 sacks in the SEC, Baron is exactly the type of player that Cardinals needed in order to take the next step nationally.
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5. Princely Umanmielen – Ole Miss (Florida)
The skinny: For most schools, signing a player of Umanmielen’s talent would be the marquee addition at the position. But due to Walter Nolen (see above) some seem to have glossed over the importance of this get for the Rebels. Umanmielen totaled 78 tackles, 21 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks during his last two seasons with the Gators. Now he joins a more talented defensive line where he won’t be the focus of blocking schemes and in turn should produce a monster season.
6. Ja’Maree Caldwell – Oregon (Houston)
The skinny: The Ducks needed to add depth to their interior defensive line, and instead may have found a starter. While Keyon Ware-Hudson returns for Oregon, expectations are that Caldwell will play with the first unit when the season begins August 31st against Idaho. At 6-foot-1 and 325-pounds, he is powerful, quick and plays with great leverage, which will make him a an important part of the Ducks’ defensive unit in their first season in the Big Ten.
7. Aeneas Peebles – Virginia Tech (Duke)
The skinny: Defensive tackles who total 8.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks in a season in P5 play aren’t the norm, so when Peebles became available there was a long list of suitors. The All-ACC performer trimmed his list of schools down to the Hokies, Colorado, Missouri, Louisville and SMU before choosing Blacksburg as his destination. Virginia Tech has quietly done very well in the portal over the last two cycles, and Peebles should be another huge addition.
8. Sione Lolohea – Florida State (Oregon State)
The skinny: The Seminoles were able to add experience and a player coming off his best collegiate season when they signed Lolohea. With the Beavers he finished 2023 with 47 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, while earning second-team All-Pac 12 honors. Expect him to be a integral part of Florida State’s defensive unit this fall as they undergo some significant changes to their roster.
9. Anton Juncaj – Arkansas (Albany)
The skinny: Beating out schools like Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Houston and Maryland, the Razorbacks worked overtime to grab one of the top FCS transfers of this portal cycle. Juncaj was dominant in 2023 with 55 tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss, 15 sacks and five forced fumbles. The 15 sacks led FCS nationally and set a new program record. While Arkansas isn’t expecting him to duplicate these numbers in the SEC, the potential is there for him to excel at the FBS level.
10. Caiden Woullard – Oklahoma (Miami-Ohio)
The skinny: After losing Marcus Stripling to the NFL Draft, Rondell Bothroyd to graduation and Reggie Grimes to the portal, the Sooners scoured the portal for an experienced defensive end. Adding Woullard, who had 12 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks in 2023, should immediately help the Sooners at a position where they have promising, yet young and unexperienced, talent.
