By Tony Thomas
Logan Diggs has punched his ticket on the Lane Train, Florida State lands an all-conference defensive lineman from the transfer portal, Sparty welcomes a highly productive linebacker to East Lansing, and a former Northwestern DB will be praying to Touchdown Jesus in the Fall.
RB Logan Diggs
Ole Miss Rebels (from LSU)
6’1”, 215 lbs.
The 2nd leading rusher on the LSU team behind only Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, Logan Diggs rushed for 653 yards and seven touchdowns. Diggs recorded three games over 100 yards rushing. Against Missouri, Diggs rushed for 134 yards and a TD in a 49-39 comeback win. For his college career, Diggs has rushed for 1,705 yards and 14 touchdowns.
— AJ Diggs (@ajdiggss) December 16, 2023
Diggs enters an Ole Miss running back room that is void of Quinshon Judkins, who has transferred to Ohio State. Ole Miss is arguably the best team in this portal cycle, consistently grabbing quality players from the portal on both sides of the ball.
LB Wayne Matthews III
Michigan State Spartans (from Old Dominion)
6’2”, 225 lbs.
A 3rd Team All-Sun Belt selection in 2023, Wayne Matthews III racked up 135 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Those 135 tackles were good enough to rank 11th in the country. Matthews recorded eight games of double-digit tackles, including a season-high 16 against Georgia State in a 25-24 win.
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Living’ in the Backfield 😤 @WayneM9_ #ReignOn | #DDT pic.twitter.com/AzqBaGlAJJ
— ODU Football (@ODUFootball) November 20, 2023
DB Kristian Story
Kentucky Wildcats (from Alabama)
6’1”, 211 lbs.
Kristian Story has traded in Sweet Home Alabama for My Old Kentucky Home. In 2023, Story recorded 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, one INT, and two pass break ups. Against his new team Kentucky, Story made four tackles and one tackle for loss.
Kristian Story read it and took it away from the Mocs.
pic.twitter.com/nPK1h6stU3— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) November 18, 2023
Story is just one of what may be many Crimson Tide players that might now be looking to play elsewhere after the news that Nick Saban is retiring from college football after 17 seasons as head coach at Alabama.
DL Sione Lolohea
Florida State Seminoles (from Oregon State)
6’3”, 266 lbs.
A 2nd Team All-PAC-12 selection, Sione Lolohea led the Beavers in tackles for loss with 8.5, to go with 47 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Against UCLA, Lolohea racked up 10 tackles in a 36-24 win. Lolohea comes to Tallahassee and will reunite with former Oregon State teammate QB DJ Uiagalelei.
Oregon State DL Sione Lolohea entered the portal. In his career at Oregon State, he recorded 88 tackles with 15 TFL. pic.twitter.com/6PekbCnxtO
— NCAA Transfer Portal (@RivalsPortal) January 5, 2024
DB Rod Heard II
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (from Northwestern)
5’11”, 190 lbs.
In 2023, Rod Heard II was third on the team with tackles with 85. In addition, he made four tackles for loss, one sack, picked off a pass, broke up four passes, and forced two fumbles. Heard II recorded six games of seven tackles or more, including 13 tackles vs Purdue and 12 vs Utah.
Notre Dame set to host Northwestern grad transfer Rod Heard II this weekend. https://t.co/7mOlnGhWmU pic.twitter.com/xB2vHCVYYX
— Irish Sports Daily (@ISDUpdate) January 1, 2024
He is an experienced defensive back, having played in 37 games at Northwestern, and will provide leadership to a young and inexperienced Fighting Irish secondary.
