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SEC Transfer Portal Day 4: Red Carpet Official Visits underway

Apr 10, 2026 | 8:47 AM
Kim Mulkey

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

By Chris Marler

The first weekend of the transfer portal is underway. That means programs everywhere are rolling out the red carpet, and double checking their bank account before the spending spree for next season begins now.

By the numbers 

In less than 24 hours from yesterday’s portal update, 70 more players entered their name in the transfer portal. That balloons the total up to 966 for the men’s side. 

There was finally some action on the commitment side of things, but not much. Eight players committed to programs on Thursday. That may not seem like much, but it was nearly half of what the previous total was through the first three days. 

SEC switcheroo in the works

There are no trades in college sports like the NFL. At least not yet. Two teams in the SEC, however, may end up pulling off the closest thing to one in the next week or so. 

Alabama’s Aiden Sherrell officially entered his name in the portal on Thursday after announcing his intention to do so earlier in the week. The Detroit native was expected to return closer to home with a program like Michigan or Michigan State. That could still happen, but not before visits to Missouri and LSU.

The LSU part of the equation is especially interesting because former Tiger Dedan Thomas, who was one of the first people to announce entering the portal this cycle, has reportedly taken a mutual interest with Alabama. 

No visit has been scheduled yet, but Thomas is one of the premiere guards in the country. Even if his three point shooting isn’t an ideal fit for the Tide, his ability to score at all levels and run the offense mirrors Labaron Philon’s freshman season, when he also struggled from deep.

Positions are pivotal 

Another interesting note on the Sherrell recruitment is that his position in the media guide is Center. That makes sense since he’s 6-foot-11. In Alabama’s offense, though, he played beyond the arc nearly as much as he did inside at times. Him not being a true “big man” center may cost him some money. 

Sherrell’s current NIL valuation sits at $1.8 million, and he’s the No. 13 ranked player in this year’s cycle. One spot behind him is former Georgia center Somto Cyril. 

Cyril is a true center who led the SEC in blocks per game this season at 2.2 per game. His position is expected to be the highest paid of any this cycle, and Cyril is expected to land a deal at around $3.5 million, almost double what Sherrell’s valuation is. 

Kim Mulkey loses another one

Just days ago Kim Mulkey did an interview with Jacques Doucet discussing the upcoming portal cycle, and what kind of impact she was expecting it to have on LSU. There was no arrogance in her response, but her belief they could keep their young core out of the portal didn’t age well.

“You cannot understand the value of having all of them come back,” Mulkey told Doucet. “That’s how you build it. That’s how you get over that hump of an Elite Eight.”

The latest player to announce their departure is starting PG Jada Richard. Richard is a homegrown recruit from Lafayette who started all but one game for the Tigers last season.. She averaged 9.5 ppg and 26 minutes per game. 

That is now two underclassmen in the last three days who have shocked almost everyone by leaving. 

Chris Marler

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