The transfer portal has been a major key to Sam Pittman’s revival of the Arkansas football program.
He’s had a ton of success with players he brought in, from Feleipe Franks in Year 1 to Drew Sanders last season and several others in between and still playing for the Razorbacks.
On the flip side of that, Arkansas has seen numerous players leave the program via the transfer portal, as well. That includes 27 scholarship players in the most recent cycle, which was one of the higher totals in the country.
Two of those players — defensive back Trent Gordon and wide receiver Jaquayln Crawford — did not find a new home for this season, as far as Best of Arkansas Sports can tell. The other 25 announced destinations, but not even all of them are still at that new school.
Here’s a rundown of those Razorbacks, as well as 18 other former Arkansas football players who previously transferred out and are still active in college football.
Noticeably absent from that list is kicker Vito Calvaruso, who spent last year at Wisconsin but has since returned to Fayetteville. While he has to sit out this season because it’s his second transfer, he’ll be back in the fold in 2024.
Former Razorbacks on New Teams in 2023
*walk-on at Arkansas
P Reid Bauer — Memphis
A former walk-on who eventually earned a scholarship, Reid Bauer beat out numerous punters brought in by multiple coaching staffs and quietly put together a very solid career with the Razorbacks. He ended his career with a 42.01-yard average, which just edged out Sam Irwin-Hill for seventh all-time in UA history, but he’ll likely be remembered for the pair of fakes he pulled off during the 2021 season, when he won the 2021 Peter Mortell Holder of the Year award.
Now at Memphis, Bauer is the starting punter and holder for the Tigers. His eight punts through two games have averaged 42.0 yards, with five of them fair caught and three pinned inside the 20. Pro Football Focus gives him a solid 73.5 punting grade, which ranks 10th nationally — three spots behind Arkansas’ Max Fletcher (75.1).
S Simeon Blair — Memphis
Another former walk-on, Simeon Blair saw his role steadily increase during his Arkansas football career until he was a full-time starter and team captain last season. However, he struggled mightily, earning an abysmal 50.8 grade from PFF and allowing an SEC-high seven touchdown passes.
The Pine Bluff native transferred to Memphis for his super senior season and it seems to have been a great move. He earned a ton of praise from the coaching staff over the offseason and was elected a team captain. Through two games, Blair is also playing pretty well. Although he officially has only seven tackles — including 1.5 for loss — and one fumble recovery, PFF gives him an 80.7 grade on a team-high 99 defensive snaps.
DB Anthony Brown — Purdue
Although he didn’t see the field during his lone season with Arkansas football, Anthony Brown did find his way into the headlines when he and teammate Myles Slusher were arrested for disorderly conduct in November.
Reuniting with former Arkansas defensive backs coach Sam Carter, Brown is listed as a backup safety at Purdue — which would be good as a redshirt freshman, except for the fact that he’s behind a true freshman. He has yet to play on defense for the Boilermakers, but has played 17 special teams snaps across three units. PFF credits him with one missed tackle.
*LS Francisco Castro — Holy Cross
A preferred walk-on at Arkansas, Francisco Castro’s only action in Fayetteville came in last year’s regular-season finale at Missouri when he snapped for four punts because of an injury to starter Eli Stein. He transferred down to the FCS level, but appears to have been beaten out by a freshman at Holy Cross because he has yet to appear in a game this season.
S Jalen Catalon — Texas
When he was healthy, Jalen Catalon was an All-SEC caliber safety for the Razorbacks. Unfortunately, his time in Fayetteville was derailed by a pair of season-ending shoulder injuries. Rather than declare for the NFL Draft, Catalon surprisingly entered the transfer portal.
Landing with former SWC rival Texas, he has established himself as a starter, but his first two games with the Longhorns haven’t been great. Although he has seven tackles and one TFL through two games, one of which was an upset win at Alabama, Catalon has also been credited with three missed tackles by PFF and has an uncharacteristic 51.4 overall grade. It’s also worth noting that he played just 18 snaps against Rice and 32 against the Crimson Tide, as he’s splitting time at the free safety spot.
DE Jordan Domineck — Colorado
In a surprising about-face, Jordan Domineck decided to enter the transfer portal just a month after announcing he’d return to Arkansas as a super senior. It was a significant blow to the Razorbacks’ defense, as he tied for third in the SEC with 7.5 sacks last season.
He landed at Colorado, where he was one of 50 or so transfers brought in by Deion Sanders. Despite being listed as a third-team outside linebacker on the depth chart, Domineck played 46 snaps off the bench in the Buffaloes’ shocking upset win over TCU and then started last week against Nebraska, playing 29 snaps. He is officially credited with eight tackles, including a team-high 2.5 tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery, plus has a solid 62.1 grade from PFF.
In the aforementioned win over TCU, Domineck actually pressured TCU quarterback Chandler Morris on the final fourth-down play with a minute left, contributing to Colorado holding on for a 45-42 win.
*P Patrick Foley — UAB
A preferred walk-on at Arkansas, Patrick Foley did not appear in any games during his two seasons in Fayetteville. He is now at UAB, where he’s the starting punter and holder. Through two games, Foley has punted twice for a 42.5-yard average.
*LB Jordan Hanna — UNLV
Another walk-on for the Razorbacks, Jordan Hanna never saw any action during his two seasons at Arkansas. He decided to follow former defensive coordinator Barry Odom and linebackers coach Michael Scherer to UNLV. His collegiate debut came this past weekend when he played two kickoff coverage snaps against Michigan after not appearing in the opener.
OL Marcus Henderson — Memphis
Despite being a highly touted prospect who committed on National Signing Day 2020 with plenty of fanfare, Marcus Henderson struggled to get on the field in three seasons at Arkansas. He was a mainstay in the two-deep, but played just nine total offensive snaps.
Even though he’s the backup right guard at Memphis, Henderson surpassed that total in his first game with the Tigers by playing 12 snaps late in the 56-14 blowout win over Bethune-Cookman. PFF gave him a 59.1 grade.
QB Malik Hornsby — Texas State
One of the fastest players on the team during his three seasons in Fayetteville, Malik Hornsby struggled to be a consistent passer. In limited opportunities, he completed only 46.2% of his passes for 314 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Entering the transfer portal for a second time this offseason, Hornsby visited Nebraska before ultimately ending up at Texas State. He failed to win the job during spring ball, though, and the Bobcats brought in another transfer in TJ Finley from Auburn. Finley got the nod in the opener and likely won’t be giving the job back any time soon after leading Texas State to an upset win at Baylor. Hornsby has yet to appear in a game.
RB Javion Hunt — Abilene Christian (FCS) / unknown
Despite being an ESPN four-star recruit, Javion Hunt quickly found himself behind fellow 2021 signees Rocket Sanders and AJ Green on the depth chart. Throw in Dominique Johnson and Rashod Dubinion and it made sense that he left the team early last season.
Although Abilene Christian announced him as a signee, Hunt is not listed on the Wildcats’ roster and it’s unclear where he ended up.
WR Ketron Jackson — Baylor
In a surprising move, Ketron Jackson Jr. entered the portal just one day after Sam Pittman mentioned him getting an opportunity to play in the slot in the Liberty Bowl. He was in line to potentially be the Razorbacks’ go-to receiver in 2023.
Instead, after catching just 21 passes for 374 yards and four scores in two seasons at Arkansas, Jackson is continuing his career at Baylor. Not only has he emerged as a starter for the Bears, but he’s also played nearly twice as many snaps as any other Baylor receiver with 121 in two games. Despite all of that playing time, Jackson still has just eight catches for 139 yards. Pro Football Focus is high on the Texas native, giving him a 72.2 grade.
DB Khari Johnson — Boston College
A lightly recruited two-star prospect, Johnson was a versatile defensive back for the Razorbacks during his three seasons in Fayetteville, starting four games and manning both cornerback and safety.
Now at Boston College, he is playing nickel, but appears to be buried on the depth chart. He is listed as a co-backup alongside a 5-foot-7, 173-pound redshirt freshman, but the starter — a redshirt sophomore — has taken almost all of the snaps at the position. In fact, Johnson has yet to play a snap on defense. He has contributed some three special teams units, though, getting 10 snaps on kickoff coverage, nine on punt returns and one on a kickoff return.
RB James Jointer Jr. — Liberty
One of two running backs in Arkansas’ 2022 signing class, James Jointer Jr. found himself quickly buried on the depth chart and ultimately announced his decision to leave the team the week of the regular-season finale at Missouri.
He landed at Liberty, but is once again buried on the depth chart. He’s listed as the third-team “B” running back, but the first two have split the reps at that spot. Even the two “A” running backs have seen some action. In fact, Jointer has yet to see the field at all — on offense or special teams.
TE Trey Knox — South Carolina
Originally a four-star wide receiver, Trey Knox stuck around through a coaching change, dip in production and position switch before finally choosing to enter the transfer portal for his super senior season.
There was a lot of hype surrounding his addition, especially with him reuniting with both Dowell Loggains and Justin Stepp, but it hasn’t come to fruition just yet. He’s started both games and played 94 snaps, but has just three receptions for 29 yards. Pro Football Focus gives him a 55.9 grade, as well.
DT Taylor Lewis — Marshall
A late addition to Arkansas’ 2022 signing class, Taylor Lewis was in Fayetteville for only a couple of months before deciding to leave the program. He ultimately committed to Marshall, but was unfortunately ruled ineligible to play, according to a source, ending his career.
DB Chase Lowery — Garden City C.C. (JUCO)
After not appearing in a game as a true freshman in 2021 and then being left off the 110-man fall camp roster the following year, the writing appeared to be on the wall for Chase Lowery. He did try playing wide receiver early last year, but ended up leaving the team a few weeks into the season.
It was originally believed that Lowery was heading to Blinn C.C. in his home state of Texas, but he ended up at Garden City C.C. in Kansas instead. He’s back on defense with the Broncbusters, notching two tackles and a pass breakup through three games as a cornerback.
DT Isaiah Nichols — Purdue
In five seasons with the Razorbacks, Isaiah Nichols logged more than 1,500 defensive snaps and was an everyday starter in 2022. Rather than return to Arkansas, he chose to use his extra year of eligibility elsewhere and ultimately landed at Purdue.
Nichols is a starting defensive lineman and has actually been pretty productive for the Boilermakers so far. In games against Fresno State and Virginia Tech, he has nine total tackles, including two tackles for loss and one sack. According to PFF, he’s also generated three hurries, helping him earn a solid 73.0 grade.
*LS John Oehrlein — Texas State
A walk-on, John Oehrlein was the backup long snapper for Arkansas last season and was thrust into action when Eli Stein got injured late in the season. He made snaps against Missouri and Kansas. Now at Texas State, he is the starter, with 10 punt snaps and nine field goal/PAT snaps.
TE Erin Outley — North Alabama (FCS)
Injuries played a role in Erin Outley never really getting a chance to do much in two seasons with the Razorbacks, as he transferred without ever seeing the field.
He dropped down to the FCS ranks, landing at North Alabama, but has still yet to make his collegiate debut through three games this season. He is not included in the Lions’ two-deep.
CB Keuan Parker — Tulsa
Despite steady praise from the coaching staff heading into his redshirt freshman season, Keuan Parker didn’t get significant playing time at cornerback for the Razorbacks until numerous injuries ravaged the secondary. That resulted in him getting 48 snaps against BYU.
Rather than return to Fayetteville, Parker hit the transfer portal and, after initially signing with New Mexico State, ended up returning home to play for Tulsa. Listed as a backup on the Golden Hurricane’s depth chart, Parker didn’t play in the opener as he was returning from an injury, but got on the field early against Washington last week and made five tackles while playing 41 snaps. He earned a 59.0 grade from PFF.
WR Landon Rogers — UNLV
Originally a quarterback coming out of Little Rock Parkview, Landon Rogers was moved to tight end soon after arriving on campus and eventually ended up at wide receiver. He appeared in only one game for the Razorbacks before entering the transfer portal.
Dropping down to the Group of Five level, Rogers found his way into UNLV’s two-deep and actually played 24 snaps in the Rebels’ opener. He caught one pass for seven yards and earned a 63.7 grade from PFF. However, he didn’t play at all the following week at Michigan.
DB Myles Slusher — Colorado
The crown jewel of Sam Pittman’s first class at Arkansas, Myles Slusher made an immediate impact in Fayetteville and ultimately played more than 1,000 defensive snaps and made 15 starts over the last three seasons. Unfortunately, his career was marred by injuries and a disorderly conduct arrest.
He initially committed to Louisville out of the transfer portal, but flipped to Colorado and earned a starting spot at nickel. He played 77 snaps in the opener against TCU and made six tackles, but then missed last week’s game against Nebraska with an injury. It’s unclear when he’ll return to action.
In that win over the Horned Frogs, Slusher earned a 55.7 grade from PFF. However, he did make a really nice open-field tackle on fourth down to seal the victory after former Arkansas teammate Jordan Domineck generated the pressure.
OL Jalen St. John — UNLV
Another four-star recruit in that 2020 class, Jalen St. John followed Barry Odom to Fayetteville by flipping his commitment from Missouri to Arkansas football. Even though he was regularly brought up in press conferences, he struggled to find playing time beyond special teams.
St. John’s tenure with the Razorbacks ended with a felony theft arrest the day before Thanksgiving, leading to an indefinite suspension. After entering the transfer portal, he once again followed Odom, this time to UNLV. Despite being listed as the starting left tackle on the Rebels’ depth chart, St. John missed the opener and played just three snaps against Michigan. However, reports out of Las Vegas indicate he’s practiced with the first unit this week and could be in line for his first start.
DE Eric Thomas Jr. — Southern Miss
Despite playing sparingly on defense, Eric Thomas Jr. carved out a role for himself on special teams during his three years with Arkansas football. In fact, he never redshirted with the Razorbacks. There was also a brief moment early in his career that he got a look at tight end.
Now at Southern Miss, where he reunited with former Arkansas defensive tackle Jalen Williams, Thomas is listed as a backup strong-side linebacker on the depth chart. He still shows up as a defensive end on the roster and is considered an “edge” on Pro Football Focus, though. According to PFF, he’s played eight defensive snaps in each of the Golden Eagles’ first two games, but he’s yet to record any statistics.
WR Warren Thompson — TCU
A top-100 recruit who originally signed with Florida State, Warren Thompson followed Kendal Briles to Arkansas as a walk-on and earned a scholarship before his first season with the Razorbacks. During his two seasons in Fayetteville, he struggled with consistency, but did catch 31 passes for 482 yards and four touchdowns before quitting the team with two games remaining last season.
No announcements were ever made, but Thompson entered the transfer portal and eventually resurfaced at TCU, where he once again reunited with Briles. Listed as one of three players with an “or” at the right wide receiver spot, Thompson came off the bench against Colorado before starting against Nicholls. So far, his 88 total snaps are the highest among receivers for the Horned Frogs.
After catching only one pass for 18 yards in the opener, Thompson set career highs with eight receptions for 92 yards last week. Pro Football Focus gives him a 70.9 overall grade through the two games.
DB Jacorrei Turner — Georgia State
Most of Jacorrei Turner’s action with Arkansas football — 22 of 32 total defensive snaps — came in the 2021 win over UAPB, but he did contribute on special teams. However, when he never saw the field on defense despite numerous injuries in the secondary last season, it became clear he was not in the plans moving forward.
He entered the transfer portal and ultimately landed back home in Atlanta at Georgia State. He isn’t listed on the Panthers’ two-deep, nor is one of the 11 defensive backs who’ve played on defense. On top of that, Turner hasn’t taken any special teams snaps, either.
LB Jackson Woodard — UNLV
A former walk-on who eventually earned a scholarship with Arkansas football, Jackson Woodard packed on about 50 pounds upon his arrival to Fayetteville and actually found his way onto the field as a true freshman. He ended up playing 72 defensive snaps over three years and was a special teams ace, playing a team-high 215 special teams snaps across four units in 2022.
Woodard followed Barry Odom and Michael Scherer to UNLV and has thrived. Not only is he the Rebels’ starting weak-side linebacker, but he was elected a team captain. Through two games, he has 20 tackles, which is second in the Mountain West — and only one behind the leader, who has played three games. According to PFF, he has played 115 snaps and has a 57.6 grade.
DB Zach Zimos — Louisiana Tech
A four-star linebacker coming out of high school, Zach Zimos eventually converted to safety at Arkansas. In four seasons with the Razorbacks, he didn’t play much on defense, but did contribute on special teams.
Now a fifth-year senior and back at linebacker, Zimos is listed as a backup on Louisiana Tech’s depth chart and he’s played 42 total defensive snaps through three games. He’s made six tackles, including one for a loss, in those games, earning him a 74.2 grade from PFF. On top of that, he has played 45 special teams snaps across five different units.
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