By Tony Thomas
The mass exodus from Alabama dominates the headlines. The Lonestar State continues to reap the benefits from the transfer portal, A.K.A. collegiate free agency, as Texas and Texas A&M continue to land talented players to improve their rosters in 2024. Ole Miss, Oregon, and Louisville also continue to improve. Here is a rundown of the latest commitment news.
WR/KR Silas Bolden
Texas Longhorns (from Oregon State)
5’8”, 157 lbs.
As the leading receiver for the Beavers in 2023, Silas Bolden hauled in 54 passes for 746 yards and five touchdowns. In addition, he added a punt return for a score, and 392 kick-off return yards. Bolden averaged 32 yards per punt return and 23 yards on kick-off returns, on his way to earning 2nd Team All-PAC-12 honors as a return specialist.
https://twitter.com/HookemHeadlines/status/1747394612161810835
Bolden posted one game of 100 yards receiving, against Utah, in which he caught six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, and recorded six games of five or more catches. He joins former Alabama WR Isaiah Bond and former Houston wideout Matthew Golden in the Longhorns portal class. QB Quinn Ewers will certainly have plenty of talented targets to throw to.
CB Dezz Ricks
Texas A&M Aggies (from Alabama)
6’1”, 170 lbs.
A former 5-star prospect, Dezz Ricks was rated the #2 cornerback nationally by 247Sports Composite Rankings in the 2023 class. Ricks saw limited, if any, action as a freshman for the Crimson Tide, playing behind fellow freshman Caleb Downs and sophomore Terrion Arnold.
Ricks did see action on special teams in two games in 2023. A physical corner with track speed (he was a 200-meter champion in high school), Ricks is one of eight defensive backs in the Aggies portal class.
More Sports News
https://twitter.com/farrellportal/status/1747581859398087105
DB Brandon Johnson
Oregon Ducks (from Duke)
5’10”, 182 lbs.
In 2023 for the Blue Devils, Brandon Johnson racked up 56 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and four pass breakups. As a result, Johnson was named honorable mention All-ACC. For his college career, Johnson has 139 tackles, two INTs, 16 tackles for loss, 11 pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.
https://twitter.com/barntwn/status/1568679530306629633
Edge Tyler Baron
Louisville Cardinals (flipped from Ole Miss)
6’5”, 260 lbs.
Flipping his commitment from Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss to Jeff Brohm and Louisville, Tyler Baron is a holy terror in the opposing team’s backfield. Baron racked up 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, to go with 28 tackles and two pass breakups in 2023.
https://twitter.com/farrellportal/status/1747429376373801351
Going into his fifth season, Baron has recorded 101 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. Louisville is ranked as the #4 team in the transfer portal with 26 commitments, according to 247Sports.
DB Amorion Walker
Ole Miss Rebels (from Michigan)
6’3”, 180 lbs.
A 3-star prospect out of high school, Amorion Walker saw very limited playing time for the Wolverines in 2023, but did get in the game vs Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game. Walker has good height and speed (4.5 in the 40-yard dash, 10.8 in the 100 meters), but could use some bulking up to his frame.
Walker received 20 scholarship offers as a high school senior, and chose Michigan over such schools as Notre Dame, Alabama, LSU, and Florida State.
https://twitter.com/farrellportal/status/1747708698930126904
