By Tony Thomas
With the hiring of new coaches at Alabama, Washington, and now Arizona, players are jumping ship, seeking better situations for themselves.
Here we profile a quarterback from the Valley of the Sun, a reunion for a wide receiver with his former offensive coordinator in Big D, a talented wide receiver is moving on to the Big Easy, another talented wide receiver will be catching balls from a seventh-year QB In Salt Lake City, and a talented defensive back is now shouting “War Eagle.”
QB Jayden de Laura
Texas State Bobcats (From Arizona)
6’0”, 205 lbs.
With a college career that includes two years at Arizona and two years at Washington State, Jayden de Laura will be playing for his third team in 2024. Last season, de Laura completed 69% of his passes for 1120 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five INTs in seven games of work. In addition, he scored three rushing TDs. His best season for the Wildcats came in 2022 with 3,685 yards passing, 25 INTs, 13 INTs, and four rushing touchdowns.
Arizona back on top! 🔥
Jayden de Laura ➡️ Tetairoa McMillan for the @ArizonaFball TD 👏 pic.twitter.com/Dyu514M3N8
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2022
For his college career, de Laura has 8,480 passing yards, 63 touchdowns, and 31 INTs. de Laura will battle the Bobcats incumbent starting QB TJ Finley, who has announced that he will return in 2024. Finley passed for 3,439 yards, 24 TDs, and only eight INTs (in 414 pass attempts).
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de Laura comes to San Marcos to play in a GJ Kinne offense that has roots in the spread/RPO scheme that relies on a balanced attack and running the ball when the situation dictates. The Bobcats were #2 in the Sun Belt Conference in rushing, averaging 186 yards per game, and led the SBC in rushing touchdowns as a team with 33.
WR Brashard Smith
SMU Mustangs (from Miami (FL.))
5’10”, 196 lbs.
A versatile athlete, Brashard Smith caught 22 passes for 263 yards and 2 TDs. In addition, Smith added a rushing touchdown, and 20 kickoff returns for 579 yards and scored a kickoff return touchdown.
Who else thinks Brashard Smith has a big second year? pic.twitter.com/1LT9enUqmR
— 4’s Up Podcast (@4sUpPodcast) February 26, 2022
Smith reunites with Rhett Lashlee, who was the offensive coordinator at Miami in 2020-2021. Lashlee led the Mustangs to the 2023 American Athletic Conference title and an 11-3 record.
WR Mario Williams
Tulane Green Wave (from USC)
5’9’, 175 lbs.
In 2023, Mario Williams caught 29 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, stuck behind Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. Williams had followed head coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to Los Angeles, as Williams caught 35 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman for the Sooners.
USC transfer WR Mario Williams committed to Tulane @mfarrellsports https://t.co/UBt4kqIwM0
— FarrellPortal (@farrellportal) January 15, 2024
For his collegiate career, Williams has caught 104 passes for 1,316 yards and 11 touchdowns, and is seeking a breakout season in the Big Easy.
WR Dorian Singer
Utah Utes (from USC)
6’1”, 180 lbs.
A big target in the passing game, Dorian Singer caught 24 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. His best season came in 2022 as a member of the Arizona Wildcats, where he caught 66 balls for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 16 yards per catch.
Rising, Singer, Touchdown@crising7 @dorian_singer1 pic.twitter.com/IPwbQxAwfO
— Utenited States (HUNTER ALLAN) (@aHunter_35) January 15, 2024
In his three-year college career, Singer has caught 108 passes for 1,695 yards, and nine touchdowns. Singer will be a dependable target for Utes QB Cam Rising, who will return to lead Utah on the field in 2024 for his seventh year of college football.
DB Jerrin Thompson
Auburn Tigers (from Texas)
6’0”, 191 lbs.
Tied for the lead in INTs for the Longhorns with three, Jerrin Thompson recorded 38 tackles and broke up seven passes. Thompson returned one of those INTs 27-yards for a touchdown vs Wyoming. For his career, Thompson has 176 tackles, five INTs, and 17 pass breakups.
#Auburn bringing in veteran DB Jerrin Thompson, who has five career interceptions.
Here are all five in chronological order: pic.twitter.com/m0UZukiYqI
— Caleb Jones (@CalebAUSports) January 15, 2024
Thompson comes to an Auburn team that was ranked 3rd in the SEC in pass defense, allowing 202 yards passing per game. The Tigers also ranked third in the conference in INTs with 12.
