A recent phenomenon seen at Arkansas and elsewhere in college football are so-called “boomerang” transfers.
With the advent of the transfer portal, it is easier than ever for players to leave their school and seek greener pastures elsewhere. However, that has also led to some realizing that the grass isn’t always greener, prompting them to transfer again.
Every once in a while, that can lead them back to where they came from. Former Arkansas linebacker Jaheim Thomas sort of experienced that this past offseason.
After joining the Razorbacks as a transfer from Cincinnati and leading the team in tackles last season, Thomas opted to hit the portal again. This time he landed at Wisconsin.
While not a true boomerang transfer, he has reunited with his former head coach with the Bearcats, Luke Fickell. It’s an opportunity he certainly appreciates.
“I feel like you just have to know what you want before you get into the portal,” Thomas said in an interview last month. “You have to make sure your head is fully on when you get into the portal because once you’re in, sometimes (there’s) a big chance that you can’t go back to that other school, or once you get to a school, you can’t go back to the old school.”
Apparently he’s never heard Jon Bon Jovi’s hit song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” — or forgot about his former teammate Vito Calvaruso.
Not only did the former Arkansas kicker transfer back to Fayetteville last season, when Thomas was a starting linebacker, but he spent the previous year at Wisconsin, Thomas’ new school.
Thomas should also be familiar with a couple of his other teammates, quarterback Jacolby Criswell and Lorando “Snaxx” Johnson, who had one-year stops with the Razorbacks before transferring back to North Carolina and Baylor, respectively, this offseason.
Regardless, the move has paid off for him. He’s a starting linebacker and has 12 tackles through the first two weeks of the season, posting an impressive 70.7 PFF grade on 92 defensive snaps.
He and the Badgers have quite the test this weekend with Alabama coming to town for a marquee non-conference game.
Wisconsin football fans are likely hopeful he can replicate his performance against the Crimson Tide a year ago, when he helped the Razorbacks nearly pull off an upset by racking up 10 tackles, including half of a sack.
Below is a look at how other former Arkansas football players have performed so far this year…
Arkansas Football Transfers
RB Isaiah Augustave — Colorado
One of the biggest signees in Arkansas’ 2023 recruiting class, Isaiah Augustave turned some heads in the preseason, but his role was hard to project because of what seemed to be a deep running back room. Despite that not really coming to fruition, it wasn’t until late in the season that the Florida native finally got extended work. All he did at that point was run for 101 yards against FIU and 80 yards against Missouri.
Despite sticking around for spring ball, Augustave never really got reps with the first-team offense and, unsurprisingly, hit the transfer portal during the spring window. He landed at Colorado, where he was battling several running backs — including Ohio State transfer Dallan Hayden, the younger brother of former Arkansas running back Chase Hayden — for the starting job.
Not only has he stayed on the bench for Colorado’s first two games, but he’s been third in the pecking order and played just six offensive snaps, gaining 6 yards on two carries against Nebraska after not playing in the opener against North Dakota State.
DT Anthony Booker Jr. — SMU
A graduate transfer from Maryland, Anthony Booker Jr. spent just one season at Arkansas before re-entering the transfer portal. Nicknamed “Tank,” the 6-foot-4, 351-pound defensive tackle didn’t start any games for the Razorbacks, but was a key rotational piece and finished with 19 tackles while playing 194 snaps in 11 games.
Although he also visited Texas Tech, Booker ultimately committed to SMU for his super senior season. With the Mustangs, he has started all three games and played 82 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus has given him a 65.2 grade while Booker officially has just two tackles, one of which was a TFL.
DT Taurean Carter — Colorado
The last remaining player of the three Mansfield Legacy signees in the 2019 class that also featured Jalen Catalon, Taurean Carter spent five seasons at Arkansas. He was primed for a breakout year in 2022, but was derailed by a torn ACL at the end of spring ball. Carter returned from that injury last season and started four games, finishing with 25 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 261 snaps.
It looked like he’d be returning home when he announced a commitment to SMU, but he backed off that pledge and flipped to Colorado, which he admitted he was thinking about even during the season. Now a super senior, Carter has come off the bench in each of the Buffaloes’ first two games and played 28 total defensive snaps, which is the fourth-most among their defensive tackles this season. He has one tackle so far and a 50.5 PFF grade.
Before the season, Carter told Colorado coach Deion Sanders: “I knew I wanted to be here, because you let people be a dawg!”
Colorado is currently 1-1 after getting blown out by Nebraska, earning Sanders a savage new nickname from Colin Cowherd.
OL Andrew Chamblee — SMU
Considered a four-star recruit by some outlets coming out of Maumelle High, Andrew Chamblee chose to stay in state and play for the Razorbacks. He didn’t appear in any games his first year in college, but was thrust into a starting role as a redshirt freshman because of an injury to Devon Manuel. They ended up essentially splitting the snaps at left tackle, with Chamblee earning a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Sam Pittman revealed at the start of spring ball that he had left the team, saying he had lost his love for the game, but Chamblee seemingly refuted that on social media and eventually entered the transfer portal. He’s continuing his career at SMU, where he’ll play for Arkansas native Rhett Lashlee, a potential Sam Pittman successor one day.
Although he was left off the Mustangs’ initial depth chart, Chamblee is now listed as their backup right tackle. He didn’t play in the opener, but did play 37 snaps against FCS Houston Christian and 2 snaps against BYU, with PFF giving him a season grade of 59.1. That’s slightly higher than his 52.7 grade at Arkansas last season.
DB Malik Chavis — UNLV
An in-state signee out of Rison in the 2019 class, Malik Chavis was a versatile defensive back for the Razorbacks, bouncing between cornerback and safety over the last five seasons. He started nine total games at Arkansas, but was hampered by a hand injury this past season.
Rather than return for his super senior season, Chavis continued the Arkansas-to-Las Vegas pipeline. He reunited with Jalen Catalon, who spent the 2023 season at Texas, in UNLV’s secondary, as well as fellow former teammates Mani Powell, Jackson Woodard, Jalen St. John and Landon Rogers. The Rebels are of course coached by former Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom, with former linebackers coach Michael Scherer serving as the defensive coordinator.
UNLV is off to a 2-0 start, in which Chavis has played 55 snaps at safety off the bench. He’s made 5 tackles and forced a fumble, earning a 60.0 PFF grade, while also playing 19 snaps on special teams.
QB Jacolby Criswell — North Carolina
Sam Pittman didn’t have enough time after being hired to flip him from North Carolina, but he still made an impression on Jacolby Criswell back in 2020 when he was a four-star recruit at Morrilton. That’s why he chose to return home when he entered the transfer portal after the 2022 season. Criswell served as KJ Jefferson’s backup last year and completed 17 of 27 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns.
Expected to compete with Taylen Green for the starting job this year, he not only didn’t factor into the quarterback battle, but he failed to even lock down the backup job. Not surprisingly, he hit the transfer portal and ended up back at North Carolina as a so-called “boomerang” transfer.
Criswell apparently finished third in a three-way battle for the starting job with the Tar Heels. Even with starter Max Johnson going down with a season-ending injury in the opener, he’s played only eight offensive snaps, as Conner Harrell took over for Johnson. In that limited action, which came late in an 18-point win over Charlotte, Criswell completed his lone pass for 2 yards and was sacked for a loss of 7 yards.
LB Jordan Crook — Arizona State
Jordan Crook was a high three-star recruit out of Duncanville High in the 2022 class and immediately became a contributor for the Razorbacks. He played 122 defensive snaps as a freshman and even started the Liberty Bowl against Kansas. That didn’t carry over into this season, though, as his playing time was very sporadic even though he ended up getting 142 snaps.
Instead of staying at Arkansas, where likely would have competed for a starting job in 2024, Crook opted to hit the transfer portal and landed at Arizona State. He looked like he had a shot at starting anyways, but he missed the Sun Devils’ first two games because of an injury and isn’t expected back for Thursday’s showdown with Chad Morris and Texas State.
P Max Fletcher — Cincinnati
A native of Australia who had never played in an organized football game before college, Max Fletcher signed with the Razorbacks as a scholarship punter. He had an up-and-down freshman campaign, eventually losing the job to Reid Bauer, but was a breakout performer as a sophomore. His 46.9-yard average not only ranked seventh nationally and earned him second-team All-SEC accolades, but also ranked second in school history.
Despite the successful season, Fletcher found himself in a real battle with Devin Bale this spring. He still figured to win the job, but opted to hit the transfer portal. Interestingly, he landed at Cincinnati with his brother, another standout punter. Because his brother has only one year of eligibility remaining, Fletcher is expected to be the Bearcats’ backup and redshirt this season. So far, he hasn’t appeared in either of Cincinnati’s first two games.
RB AJ Green — Oklahoma State
Known for his speed as a four-star recruit at Union High School in Tulsa, AJ Green was part of Arkansas’ backfield for three seasons, primarily as a backup. He rushed for 953 yards and six touchdowns, plus added another 19 receptions for 184 yards and two scores, during his time with the Razorbacks.
Tulsa announced him as a signee, but Green ultimately backed out of that and chose to transfer to Oklahoma State instead. He was expected to back up Ollie Gordon II and get a crack at revenge when Arkansas visited Stillwater in Week 2, but he’s been sidelined with a lower leg injury that could cause him to miss “the first few months” of the season.
QB KJ Jefferson — UCF
It didn’t end on a high note, but KJ Jefferson enjoyed one of the most successful careers by a quarterback in Arkansas football history. He leaves the Razorbacks as their all-time leader in passing yards (7,911), passing touchdowns (67), total yards (9,787) and total touchdowns (88), all while completing 65.1% of his passes and throwing only 18 interceptions.
Despite plenty of speculation that he’d end up somewhere in the SEC, with both Mississippi schools, South Carolina and Auburn each rumored to be interested, Jefferson left the conference entirely to play for Gus Malzahn at UCF in the Big 12, where he was picked to be the conference’s Newcomer of the Year by the media.
Things got off to a rocky start in a season-opening win over New Hampshire, but he bounced back with a great performance against Sam Houston State in which he was the fourth-highest graded quarterback in the country, according to PFF. Overall, Jefferson is 19 of 29 passing (65.5%) for 333 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, plus has 89 yards and another score on 20 carries.
RB Dominique Johnson — TCU
After a quiet freshman year in which he primarily played on special teams, Dominique Johnson was a surprise breakout star during the Razorbacks’ stellar 2021 season. He took over as the starter about midway through the year and ran for 575 yards and seven touchdowns on only 97 carries — an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in the Outback Bowl and then tore it again early in 2022.
Johnson was never the same after those injuries, but did manage to run for 210 yards on 39 carries (5.4 ypc) in limited action over the last two seasons. He went through spring ball, but seemed to be well down the depth chart, so it wasn’t surprising when he entered the transfer portal.
TCU made sense as a landing spot because former Arkansas running backs coach Jimmy Smith is now on staff there. He hasn’t started any games, but Johnson’s 22 offensive snaps are the second most among the Horned Frogs’ running backs and he has 28 yards on eight carries, including a touchdown, plus one reception for 2 yards.
DB Lorando Johnson — Baylor
One of the Razorbacks’ bigger additions from the transfer portal last offseason, Lorando Johnson was a four-star recruit who initially played nickel before becoming a starting cornerback at Baylor. At Arkansas, he split time between those two positions and started all 12 games last year, finishing with 29 tackles — including 4 tackles for loss and 1 sack — as well as 5 pass breakups and 1 interception.
Despite having him back, the Razorbacks brought in several defensive backs as transfers, including Doneiko Slaughter from Tennessee. They were in the midst of a position battle this spring before Johnson decided to hit the portal again. He is another “boomerang” transfer, as he’ll end his career back at Baylor.
After coming off the bench in the Bears’ opener, Johnson started at cornerback against Utah last week and has earned a 70.6 PFF grade on 75 total defensive snaps. Officially, he has four tackles and two pass breakups.
DB RJ Johnson — Colorado
As a three-star defensive back coming out of high school, Johnson was a developmental piece of Arkansas’ 2023 recruiting class. He appeared in just one game — against Western Carolina — last season and didn’t record any statistics.
Rather than play a second season in Fayetteville, Johnson entered the transfer portal during the spring window and landed at Colorado. He’s yet to play on defense for the Buffaloes, but he has played 12 special teams snaps in their first two games.
DB Jaylen Lewis — Temple
One of two defensive backs from Tennessee to sign with Arkansas in 2022, Jaylen Lewis lasted only a couple of seasons in Fayetteville. He got some run at nickel in the Liberty Bowl at the end of his freshman year, but couldn’t parlay that into a spot in the rotation this season. Unsurprisingly, he chose to leave the team the week of the Missouri game.
His landing spot makes a lot of sense, as Temple is where former Arkansas assistant Dominique Bowman coaches cornerbacks. Bowman was Lewis’ position coach with the Razorbacks in 2022. As a backup for the Owls, Lewis has played 35 defensive snaps between nickel and safety, according to Pro Football Focus.
OL Devon Manuel — Florida
He was a bit of an under-the-radar recruit and extremely overweight, but Sam Pittman saw potential in Devon Manuel even though he was close to 400 pounds when he arrived on campus. The 6-foot-9 Louisiana native worked to get that weight down to 310 pounds and was in position to take over as the Razorbacks’ starting left tackle this season, but he was hindered by multiple injuries and ended up starting only four games.
Considering his solid 70.1 PFF grade on 417 snaps and the nature of the position, Manuel was a coveted prospect in the transfer portal and ultimately committed to Florida over USC, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Miami (Fla.), Missouri and others. He was expected to compete for a spot on the Gators’ offensive line, but has been their backup left tackle with 58.7 PFF grade on 41 snaps through two weeks.
WR Sam Mbake — Kilgore College (JUCO)
A four-star recruit in the 2022 class, Sam Mbake carved out a role on special teams as a freshman even though he didn’t get many reps on offense. Based on his performance in spring ball and early fall camp, he seemed like he was on his way to being a major factor at wide receiver this past season, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first preseason scrimmage.
Mbake was dismissed from the team late in the season, with him later claiming the last straw was a speeding ticket he received. It seems unlikely, but he’s said he’d like to return to Arkansas at some point. He’ll be looking for a landing spot again next offseason, as he has taken the JUCO route by heading to Kilgore C.C., where he caught three passes for 56 yards in his first game.
OL Paris Patterson — SMU
Despite being a four-star recruit out of East St. Louis, Paris Patterson didn’t appear in a game during his freshman year at Arkansas. He was buried on the depth chart, usually getting reps with the third-team offensive line.
Patterson entered the transfer portal during the spring window and landed at SMU, where he’ll once again play with fellow offensive lineman Andrew Chamblee. He is not listed in the Mustangs’ two-deep depth chart and has played just two offensive snaps through three games, both coming at left guard in a blowout win over FCS Houston Christian.
LB Chris Paul Jr. — Ole Miss
Perhaps the most surprising transfer portal departure of the offseason was one of the first players to leave, as Chris Paul Jr. announced he was leaving just a few days after the end of the regular season. Known as “Pooh,” he was a starting linebacker for the Razorbacks this year and made 137 tackles, including 15 for loss and six sacks, during his three seasons in Fayetteville.
Less surprising was just how coveted he was in the transfer portal. As On3’s third-best transfer linebacker, he had offers from TCU, Auburn, Missouri, Florida State, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Oklahoma and several other schools, but ultimately chose to stay in the SEC by committing to Ole Miss.
Even though he’s started only one of two games, Paul is off to a great start with the Rebels. He’s racked up 14 tackles, including 4 for a loss and half of a sack, and a pass breakup while earning an incredible 90.0 PFF grade on 68 snaps.
LB Mani Powell — UNLV
Originally from Ohio, Mani Powell moved to Fayetteville for his senior year of high school after committing to the Razorbacks. He played a decent amount of special teams as a true freshman and then was on five different units this past season, but hardly saw the field on defense.
He is another member of that aforementioned Arkansas-to-Las Vegas pipeline, as he’s continuing his career at UNLV. In two games with the Rebels, Powell has played 49 defensive snaps and made 6 tackles. PFF gives him an impressive 76.2 overall grade and he’s contributed 27 special teams snaps across five different units.
RB Rocket Sanders — South Carolina
Injuries, plus a struggling offensive line, prevented Rocket Sanders from having the kind of junior season many expected from him last year. He was very good as the Razorbacks’ No. 2 running back his freshman year and then burst onto the national scene with a 1,443-yard sophomore campaign in which he earned All-SEC accolades. Unfortunately, Sanders got hurt in the opener and was never himself in 2023.
Instead of trying his hand at the NFL Draft, he decided to enter the transfer portal and play his senior year elsewhere. Sanders landed at South Carolina, where Dowell Loggains is the offensive coordinator.
He hasn’t put up super impressive numbers, but the Gamecocks are 2-0 with a dominant win at Kentucky last weekend and Sanders has put up 142 yards and two touchdowns so far. That’s come on 37 carries, though, so he’s averaged just 3.8 yards per attempt. PFF has given him a 67.2 grade on 107 snaps.
OL Joey Su’a — Arizona State
A transplant from California who finished his high school career at Bentonville, Joey Su’a chose to stay close to home as a high three-star recruit in the 2023 class. Unfortunately, injuries sidelined him for most of the year and he redshirted.
Rather than sticking around for a second season with the Razorbacks, Su’a hit the transfer portal and headed back west, signing with Arizona State. He’s played just three snaps at left guard, but appears to be a starter on the field goal unit, with 16 snaps across two games.
LB Jaheim Thomas — Wisconsin
Part of the Cincinnati team that visited Fayetteville and lost to open the 2022 season, Jaheim Thomas was a former four-star recruit who initially chose to stay close to home by signing with the Bearcats. He was a key addition to the Razorbacks’ transfer portal haul last offseason and ended up being the team’s leading tackler.
However, late in the season, Thomas lost his starting job and played sparingly. He sent – and quickly deleted – a cryptic tweet following the loss to Missouri in the regular-season finale and then hit the portal when the NCAA loosened its restrictions on multi-time transfers. Thomas landed at Wisconsin, where he’s playing for his former head coach at Cincinnati, Luke Fickell.
Now a starter for the Badgers, Thomas has made 12 tackles and earned an impressive 70.7 PFF grade on 92 defensive snaps through two weeks.
Non-Scholarship Players in the Transfer Portal
- WR Marlon Crockett — Stephen F. Austin (FCS)
- No longer listed on SFA’s roster
- K Blake Ford — North Texas
- Hasn’t attempted any FGs or PATs, but is UNT’s kickoff specialist with 13 touchbacks on 15 kickoffs through two games
- K/P Tyler Larco — McNeese State (FCS)
- 2/4 on FGs, 6/7 on PATs and 6 touchbacks on 11 kickoffs… Missed potential game-tying field goal in closing seconds of season-opening loss to Tarleton State
- P Owen Lawson — Albany (FCS)
- Averaged 44.0 yards on 10 punts this season, with 2 downed inside the 20, 2 fair caught and 3 traveling at least 50 yards
- WR/DB Chris Rhodes — UT-Martin (FCS)
- Listed as a cornerback on UT-Martin’s roster… Hasn’t played in either of the first two games
- TE Hunter Talley — New Mexico State
- Initially transferred to Missouri State, but re-entered portal and ended up at New Mexico State… Has yet to be targeted with a pass, but has started each of the Aggies’ games and played 83 total snaps
Past Arkansas Football Transfers
- DB Anthony Brown — Purdue
- 2023 Stats: 12 games/0 starts (128 ST snaps), 3 tackles (2 solo), 1 FF
- 2024 Stats: 1 game/0 starts (3 D snaps, 8 ST snaps)
- NOTE: Second season at Purdue… Reunited with former Arkansas DBs coach Sam Carter
- S Jalen Catalon — UNLV
- 2023 Stats: 8 games/5 starts (142 snaps), 17 tackles (15 solo), 1 TFL, 1 FF
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/2 starts (78 snaps), 8 tackles (7 solo), 1 TFL, 2 INT, 1 PBU
- NOTE: Spent last season at Texas… Now reunited with former Arkansas DC Barry Odom… Made 2 INT in opener at Houston, including a pick-six
- NT Collin Clay — Oklahoma State
- 2023 Stats: 14 games/8 starts (363 snaps), 14 tackles (10 solo), 3.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/2 starts (76 snaps), 5 tackles (2 solo)
- NOTE: Injuries prevented him from playing in 2020 and 2021… Started 11 games over the last two years… Now a sixth-year super senior… Posted a 58.2 PFF grade on 44 snaps vs. Arkansas
- QB Lucas Coley — Prairie View A&M (FCS)
- 2023 Stats: 1 game/0 starts (3 ST snaps)
- 2024 Stats: 1 game/1 start (32 snaps), 8 of 20 passing, 108 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 6 carries, minus-17 yards
- NOTE: Spent the last two seasons at Houston before dropping down to the FCS level… Completed 3 of 3 passes for 8 yards in 2022… Started the opener for Prairie View A&M, but suffered an injury in the first half and will miss 4-6 weeks
- DB Jermaine Hamilton-Jordan — Alcorn State (FCS)
- 2023 Stats: 10 games, 32 tackles (20 solo), 3 TFL, 0.5 sack, 2 PBU, 1 FF
- 2024 Stats: 1 game/0 starts (1 D snap, 17 ST snaps)
- NOTE: Spent the last couple of years at Hutchinson C.C. before committing to Alcorn State… Lone appearance this season was vs. Vanderbilt
- QB Malik Hornsby — Arkansas State
- 2023 Stats: 7 games/0 starts (84 snaps), 8 of 15 passing (53.5%), 83 yards, 1 INT; 35 carries, 229 yards, 6 TD; 1 reception, 2 yards
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/0 starts (16 snaps), 1 reception, 4 yards
- NOTE: Spent last season at Texas State, where he lost the QB battle with Auburn transfer TJ Finley… Now listed as a wide receiver at Arkansas State…
- WR Ketron Jackson Jr. — Baylor
- 2023 Stats: 10 games/10 starts (536 snaps), 28 receptions, 489 yards, 1 TD; 1 carry, 3 yards
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/0 starts (81 snaps), 2 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
- NOTE: In two seasons at Arkansas, Jackson caught 21 passes for 374 yards and 4 TD… Both catches this season were against Tarleton State
- DB Khari Johnson — Boston College
- 2023 Stats: 10 games/5 starts (273 snaps), 28 tackles (12 solo), 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 PBU, 1 FR (19 yards, TD)
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/2 starts (88 snaps), 6 tackles (3 solo), 1 INT, 1 PBU
- NOTE: Scored on a scoop-and-score against Florida State last year… Had a 45-yard pick-six against FCS Duquesne last week… Starting nickel for Boston College
- RB James Jointer Jr. — Liberty
- 2023 Stats: 9 games/0 starts (84 snaps), 43 carries, 251 yards, 2 TD; 1 reception, 7 yards
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/0 starts (7 O snaps, 15 ST snaps), 3 carries, 24 yards
- NOTE: Earned an impressive 79.7 PFF grade last year… Only action on offense this year was against FCS Campbell
- CB Keuan Parker — Tulsa
- 2023 Stats: 6 games/5 starts (264 snaps), 18 tackles (11 solo), 1 PBU
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/2 starts (95 snaps), 11 tackles (6 solo), 3 PBU
- NOTE: Originally signed with New Mexico State out of the transfer portal, but ended up at Tulsa
- WR Landon Rogers — UNLV
- 2023 Stats: 2 games/0 starts (28 snaps), 1 reception, 7 yards
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/0 starts (5 O snaps, 15 ST snaps)
- NOTE: Signed with Arkansas as a QB, but moved to TE and eventually WR… Now in second season at UNLV
- OL Jalen St. John — UNLV
- 2023 Stats: 12 games/9 starts (639 snaps)
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/2 starts (107 snaps)
- NOTE: Tenure at Arkansas ended with a felony theft arrest the day before Thanksgiving… Now in second season at UNLV… Started at left tackle in UNLV’s last nine games of 2023 after dealing with an injury early on… Has 64.7 PFF grade through two weeks this season
- DE Eric Thomas Jr. — Southern Miss
- 2023 Stats: 9 games/0 starts (152 snaps), 7 tackles (3 solo), 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 PBU
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/0 starts (23 snaps), 1 tackle (1 solo), 1 TFL, 1 sack
- NOTE: Now entering second season at Southern Miss as a super senior
- DE Blayne Toll — Arkansas State
- 2023 Stats: 13 games/1 start (222 snaps), 19 tackles (11 solo), 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/0 starts (41 D snaps, 19 ST snaps), 2 tackles (1 solo)
- NOTE: Played tight end and defensive end at Arkansas… Spent some time at Colorado before transferring back home to Arkansas State, where he’s a defensive lineman… Now a fifth-year super senior
- LB TJ Towers — Ouachita Baptist (DII)
- 2023 Stats: 9 games/2 starts, 22 tackles, 1 QBH
- 2024 Stats: 1 game/1 start, 3 tackles (0 solo), 0.5 TFL
- NOTE: Now in third season at OBU as a fifth-year senior
- DB Jacorrei Turner — Georgia State
- 2023 Stats: DNP
- 2024 Stats: DNP
- NOTE: Now entering second season at Georgia State… Listed as an inside linebacker on Georgia State’s roster… Sat out last season
- DB Nick Turner — Grambling State (FCS)
- 2023 Stats: 1 game/0 starts (11 snaps), 1 tackle
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/0 starts, 1 tackle (1 solo)
- NOTE: Spent the last two years at Toledo… Played 30 snaps off the bench vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, but snap counts not available from Week 2 game vs. DII Tuskegee
- DT Jalen Williams — Southern Miss
- 2023 Stats: 11 games/8 starts (321 snaps), 30 tackles (9 solo), 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/2 starts (77 snaps), 7 tackles (2 solo), 1.5 TFL
- NOTE: Earned honorable mention All-Sun Belt honors in 2022, when he had 7.5 TFLs and 2 sacks
- LB Jackson Woodard — UNLV
- 2023 Stats: 14 games/14 starts (841 snaps), 116 tackles (55 solo), 9 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 4 PBU, 1 INT
- 2024 Stats: 2 games/2 starts (79 snaps), 12 tackles (8 solo), 4 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 PBU
- NOTE: Former walk-on at Arkansas who eventually earned a scholarship… Elected a team captain last year, his first at UNLV… Earned first-team All-MWC honors in 2023… Voted as the Preseason co-Defensive Player of the Year in the MWC… Notched 11 tackles, 4 TFL, 3 sacks and 1 PBU in win at Houston
- LB Zach Zimos — Louisiana Tech
- 2023 Stats: 12 games/5 starts (367 snaps), 60 tackles (26 solo), 3.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 QBH
- 2024 Stats: 1 game/1 start (48 snaps), 7 tackles (1 solo), 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sack
- NOTE: Moved to DB at Arkansas, but now back at LB… Preseason second-team All-CUSA by Phil Steele… Will return to Fayetteville with Louisiana Tech on Nov. 23
Past Non-Scholarship Players in Transfer Portal
- LS Francisco Castro — Holy Cross (FCS)
- Starting long snapper at Holy Cross
- P Patrick Foley — UAB
- Will return to Fayetteville as UAB’s starting punter on Sept. 14
- Averaging 48.3 yards on three punts this season
- LS John Oehrlein — Texas State
- Starting long snapper for the Bobcats
- QB Kade Renfro — Mary Hardin-Baylor (DIII)
- Left the team amid controversy last summer
- Not listed on Mary Hardin-Baylor’s online roster
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