S Keon Sabb – Michigan to Alabama
Sabb only started a handful of games in Ann Arbor, but plain and simple, he will HAVE to be an immediate impact at Safety for Alabama. Sabb is replacing arguably the best safety in the country, Caleb Downs, who went to Ohio State following Nick Saban’s retirement. In total, Alabama lost 12 defensive backs from last year’s team to the transfer portal and/or the NFL draft and will have to rely on a lot of young players in the secondary. Sabb should provide some veteran experience back there along with Malachi Moore.
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson – UGA to Kentucky
Kentucky has arguably the most underrated and overlooked front seven in the SEC and possibly the country. The Wildcats return six starters in the box, and the only new face in that front seven happens to be a former All-American from UGA, Jamon Dumas-Johnson. JDJ started 24 games at linebacker over the last two seasons including all 15 in 2022 when he was a finalist for the Butkus Award. He’s coming off an injury but will be one of the best LBs in the SEC and country once again.
EDGE Nic Scourton – Purdue to Texas A&M
A&M signed arguably the best defensive line class in recruiting history a few years ago. However, the roster is a skeleton of what that class was. But transfer Nic Scourton may end up being better than everyone in that class. He comes in off a season where he led the Big Ten in sacks with ten total and is projected to be a potential top 10 pick in next year’s draft. He and Shemar Turner may be the best edge rush combo in the country by the end of the season.
CB Trey Amos – Alabama to Ole Miss
Amos is the epitome of what a success story can be in the current transfer portal era of college football. After starting his collegiate career at Louisiana-Lafayette, he transferred to Alabama. He had his struggles early in the season but was a legitimate all-conference level corner by the end of the year. He is now in Oxford and has received nothing but rave reviews from the staff since he’s been there and has even garnered some first round buzz from way too early NFL mock drafts.
S Andrew Mukuba – Clemson to Texas
Texas struck out in the portal at safety a year ago when Jalen Catalon came in from Arkansas and underwhelmed. In steps Mukuba who started 31 games for Texas a season ago and heads back to Austin where he’s from despite choosing the Tigers over the Horns out of high school. He’ll provide veteran leadership and experience on the backend of a Texas defense that gave up over 300 yards passing in four of their last six games and ranked 116th in the country in pass yards allowed.
