By Tony Thomas
New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer lands his first portal commitment from his old team; the Miami Hurricanes pickup a solid defensive back; Louisville flipped a second defender yet again from Ole Miss; and Duke gets a talented defensive lineman from the portal.
QB Austin Mack
Alabama Crimson Tide (from Washington)
6’6”, 226 lbs.
A 4-star quarterback originally classified for the 2024 class, Austin Mack reclassified and enrolled early at Washington. But he never saw the field in live game action. That is because he was stuck behind a left-handed assassin at quarterback named Michael Penix, Jr., the runner up for the Heisman Trophy.
Mack was rated as the #8 quarterback nationally by 247Sports out of high school, having passed for 3,498 yards, 40 touchdowns, and only five INTs in his only year as the starter.
Washington transfer QB Austin Mack committed to Alabama @mfarrellsports https://t.co/x8uVtINnCl
— FarrellPortal (@farrellportal) January 18, 2024
As new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first portal commitment, Mack will have four years of college football remaining and provides depth to the Crimson Tide quarterback room. It remains to be seen if Mack can snatch the QB1 job from the jaws of competition and unseat incumbent starter Jalen Milroe.
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DB Mishael Powell
Miami Hurricanes (from Washington)
6’1”, 210 lbs.
Mishael Powell comes to Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes with 92 career tackles to his credit. In 2023, Powell picked off three passes (and returned one 89 yards for a touchdown), to go with 38 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and broke up six passes.
Washington transfer DB Mishael Powell committed to Miami-Florida @mfarrellsports https://t.co/scGqSg4qkb
— FarrellPortal (@farrellportal) January 18, 2024
QB Diego Pavia
Vanderbilt Commodores (from New Mexico State)
6’0”, 200 lbs.
A 2nd Team All-Conference USA selection, Diego Pavia was a dual-threat terror for the Aggies in 2023. Pavia passed for 2,973 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 9 INTs, completing 60% of his passes. In addition, Pavia added 923 rushing yards and seven more scores.
Here is my updated highlights- BEST DUAL-THREAT QUARTERBACK IN THE NATION‼️
2 Year starter @nmmibroncos ‼️
ON TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP🤟‼️ I’ll let my film do the rest of the talking😤🖤@CoachKyser @CoachNellyV @CoachRRod70 @CoachTaufaasau @myrondillard5 https://t.co/ZKuBRMyPsb pic.twitter.com/T86UqDrt1o— Diego Pavia (@diegopavia02) December 10, 2021
Pavia recorded three games with three TD passes, and threw two or more touchdown passes in seven of his first eight games. Against Sam Houston State, Pavia accounted for 401 total yards (286 passing, 115 rushing) and three total touchdowns in a 27-13 win. Pavia eases the pain of losing QB AJ Swann to the portal, who committed to LSU.
DL Kendy Charles
Duke Blue Devils (from Liberty)
6’0”, 280 lbs.
In 2023, Kendy Charles played in only eight games, but racked up 26 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks.
At 280 pounds, Charles helped clog up the middle, the ends, and every other place along the line of scrimmage to stop opposing ball carriers in their tracks. This resulted in the Liberty Flames ranking in the Top 30 in rushing defense (#26).
For his career, Charles has 107 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 13.5 sacks to his credit.
I be everywhere pic.twitter.com/4VE143W1gM
— Kendy Charles (@KendyCharles4) December 23, 2023
DB Tahveon Nicholson
Louisville Cardinals (flipped from Ole Miss)
5’11”, 180 lbs.
Last season for the Illinois Fighting Illini, Tahveon Nicholson recorded 36 tackles, two tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.
In 2022, Nicholson helped the Illini rank as one of the top teams in pass efficiency defense. For his efforts, Nicholson was named the team’s Howard Griffith Impact Player Award winner that season.
Nicholson is the second defender that Louisville has flipped from Ole Miss recently.
BOOOOM 💥
Tahveon Nicholson with a massive hit for @IlliniFootball 😤 pic.twitter.com/yPQmWlv9rS
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 7, 2023
