'25 Portal Thread

#951
#951
Smokey'sHandler said:
The fact that he is in the portal and available makes him a potential upgrade over anyone on our roster to folks. He’s a good player. Is he a great player? No but a good player. Would he represent enough production to warrant limiting Mike Matthews and the 25 class receivers development for a year?

Absloutely not
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I don’t think he would start here
 
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#955
#955
Many of the premier transfers have already decided where they are transferring to through back channels. Simply looking at transfer lists and hoping they transfer here is fun, but normally useless. High end transfers will contact schools they are interested in before they officially enter portal.
 
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#957
#957
Ace said:
Many of the premier transfers have already decided where they are transferring to through back channels. Simply looking at transfer lists and hoping they transfer here is fun, but normally useless. High end transfers will contact schools they are interested in before they officially enter portal.
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True

But we need a few of those
 
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#958
#958
peaygolf said:
Of course not. And it’s not the way to do things.

But……if my $2 million dollar player can break an NIL deal and go transfer for more money, then I can cut your NIL and find someone else.
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This.

Go watch the film breakdown of the Arkansas game. They make fun of Heard because he was absolutely horrible. Guys running right around him like he wasnt there. Then, when we are trying to get downfield at the end of the game to clock the ball...Heard was so out of shape he couldnt get up off the ground and get 20 yards downfield like EVERY other 300+lb guy on our Oline. He graded in the low 40s...which is absolutely HORRIBLE vs both Arkansas and UGA. We just so happened to lose both those games...and Nico ran for his life in both.

If Heard is not greatly improved by spring then he should 100% be replaced in my opinion...but thats up to the coaches. This was his 1st year starting. Theres no excuse for the conditioning BS though...none. Our players have the best nutritionists and strength coaches that money can buy. Campbell had a few bad games this year also...but he was hurt all season and only played about half the snaps. Go look at Heards grades from PFF for each game. Not good.

We have historically done an amazing job in the portal. All these players have made big plays for us, from the top of my head:

Bru
Thornton
Brazzell
McCoy
Norman Lott
These are all just on THIS years team. We do a great job evaluating talent from film apparently. That said, Heard was a "bottom third of the SEC" Left Tackle this season. If he cannot improve quite a bit for next season, then he needs to be replaced. Left Tackle can and will absolutely cripple an offense. We need better Oline play next season in passing situations. We did well running the ball, as usual. Even Heard has done quite well sometimes in the run game. He has also been an absolute liability in passing situations, especially in both of our losses.
 
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#959
#959
marcusluvsvols said:
This.

Go watch the film breakdown of the Arkansas game. They make fun of Heard because he was absolutely horrible. Guys running right around him like he wasnt there. Then, when we are trying to get downfield at the end of the game to clock the ball...Heard was so out of shape he couldnt get up off the ground and get 20 yards downfield like EVERY other 300+lb guy on our Oline. He graded in the low 40s...which is absolutely HORRIBLE vs both Arkansas and UGA. We just so happened to lose both those games...and Nico ran for his life in both.

If Heard is not greatly improved by spring then he should 100% be replaced in my opinion...but thats up to the coaches. This was his 1st year starting. Theres no excuse for the conditioning BS though...none. Our players have the best nutritionists and strength coaches that money can buy. Campbell had a few bad games this year also...but he was hurt all season and only played about half the snaps. Go look at Heards grades from PFF for each game. Not good.

We have historically done an amazing job in the portal. All these players have made big plays for us, from the top of my head:

Bru
Thornton
Brazzell
McCoy
Norman Lott
These are all just on THIS years team. We do a great job evaluating talent from film apparently. That said, Heard was a "bottom third of the SEC" Left Tackle this season. If he cannot improve quite a bit for next season, then he needs to be replaced. Left Tackle can and will absolutely cripple an offense. We need better Oline play next season in passing situations. We did well running the ball, as usual. Even Heard has done quite well sometimes in the run game. He has also been an absolute liability in passing situations, especially in both of our losses.
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Heard has gotten significantly better since the Arkansas game. He is the unquestioned starting LT next year. And I think he will either be our best or one of our best OL.
 
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#961
#961
Deathandtaxes said:
I want the guy from NW or the guard from Arkansas… should have a pretty good idea of what he brings to the table and what he needs to improve on.
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If I may, I suggest you don't get too attached to portal guys this early. This board was head over heels for Joly last offseason and raised absolute hell when we didn't land him. Instead we got Kitselman AND Staes who have both made big impacts on this team in addition to the handful of other team oriented big picture guys that committed (McMurray, Moi, Thomas).) Those guys in addition to the big time portal guys (McCoy, Heard, Brazzell) proved to me how good this coaching staff is at evaluating "ready to play" talent and I'll never question their ability again. Just sit back and let Heupel and Spyre cook. They've proven that they know what they're doing.
 
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#962
#962
Heupel's Offseason Beard said:
If I may, I suggest you don't get too attached to portal guys this early. This board was head over heels for Joly last offseason and raised absolute hell when we didn't land him. Instead we got Kitselman AND Staes who have both made big impacts on this team in addition to the handful of other team oriented big picture guys that committed (McMurray, Moi, Thomas).) Those guys in addition to the big time portal guys (McCoy, Heard, Brazzell) proved to me how good this coaching staff is at evaluating "ready to play" talent and I'll never question their ability again. Just sit back and let Heupel and Spyre cook. They've proven that they know what they're doing.
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Only concern is that those guys were all December/January transfers and we're gonna be focused on the playoffs this year.
 
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#963
#963
TrippieRedd said:
That’s fair.

It’s hard to explain, and my frustration could come from how hard the SEC actually is. The only thing I got, is this kid is more of a polished passer and Nico is the better all around athlete.

This kid has three 300+ games and seven 200+ yard games.

Nico has one 300 yard games, and five 200+.


So like you said, very comparable. Maybe I just haven’t been fair to Nico.
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Nico’s much, much better imo. Can’t just go by the counting stats. Nico’s numbers would’ve been ridiculous against Tulane’s schedule.
 
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#964
#964
Vols410 said:
Nico’s much, much better imo. Can’t just go by the counting stats. Nico’s numbers would’ve been ridiculous against Tulane’s schedule.
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I wasn’t just counting the stats.

I’ve watched 5/6 Tulane games. Mensah is far and away a better passer. Nico is far and away the better athlete, BUT it’s all opinion based.

That’s fair to say, but it’s also fair to say this kid could put up good numbers with a better all around cast around him.
 
#967
#967
TrippieRedd said:
I wasn’t just counting the stats.

I’ve watched 5/6 Tulane games. Mensah is far and away a better passer. Nico is far and away the better athlete, BUT it’s all opinion based.

That’s fair to say, but it’s also fair to say this kid could put up good numbers with a better all around cast around him.
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Oh for sure. I’m just saying the stats you quoted can be deceiving. A lot more open receivers when you’re Tulane playing against Rice, Charlotte, and Temple with a supporting cast far better than most of the rest of the AAC. I’d take Nico as an athlete and a passer.
 
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#969
#969
Vols410 said:
Oh for sure. I’m just saying the stats you quoted can be deceiving. A lot more open receivers when you’re Tulane playing against Rice, Charlotte, and Temple with a supporting cast far better than most of the rest of the AAC. I’d take Nico as an athlete and a passer.
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At you didn’t call me stupid lol
 
#970
#970
Imagine being one of best safeties in the country as a freshman and you tweet

“Don’t worry Gopher Nation, I’m not going anywhere”

Waste of talent.
 
#971
#971
marcusluvsvols said:
This.

Go watch the film breakdown of the Arkansas game. They make fun of Heard because he was absolutely horrible. Guys running right around him like he wasnt there. Then, when we are trying to get downfield at the end of the game to clock the ball...Heard was so out of shape he couldnt get up off the ground and get 20 yards downfield like EVERY other 300+lb guy on our Oline. He graded in the low 40s...which is absolutely HORRIBLE vs both Arkansas and UGA. We just so happened to lose both those games...and Nico ran for his life in both.

If Heard is not greatly improved by spring then he should 100% be replaced in my opinion...but thats up to the coaches. This was his 1st year starting. Theres no excuse for the conditioning BS though...none. Our players have the best nutritionists and strength coaches that money can buy. Campbell had a few bad games this year also...but he was hurt all season and only played about half the snaps. Go look at Heards grades from PFF for each game. Not good.

We have historically done an amazing job in the portal. All these players have made big plays for us, from the top of my head:

Bru
Thornton
Brazzell
McCoy
Norman Lott
These are all just on THIS years team. We do a great job evaluating talent from film apparently. That said, Heard was a "bottom third of the SEC" Left Tackle this season. If he cannot improve quite a bit for next season, then he needs to be replaced. Left Tackle can and will absolutely cripple an offense. We need better Oline play next season in passing situations. We did well running the ball, as usual. Even Heard has done quite well sometimes in the run game. He has also been an absolute liability in passing situations, especially in both of our losses.
Click to expand...
Heard had been injured before the Arky game and missed a lot of camp. So yes, he was "out of shape" in relation to our offense. But he quickly got better and has been playing well of late.
 
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#973
#973
HoleInTheRoof said:
So, I’m gonna update the OP with players we are either confirmed or reported to be interested in.

If you know of anyone, please post and tag me.
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I don't know about "confirmed" interest, but this tweet lists us as Contenders for Micah Hudson.




Of course, my immediate question when a guy enters the portal when he was a 5 star a year ago, is why? Looking at Hudson's season, it looks like he didn't get on the field very often, and only in certain packages (like 5 wide). And while you could chalk that up to being a freshman or simply bad coaching personnel decisions, it isn't like he's at LSU with a bevy of 4-5 star guys ahead of him on the depth chart.

There really isn't a reason a guy with his talent shouldn't have been running with the 1st string offense. Which to me screams that this kid is all about the money. Which is fine. Good for the kid and I hope he gets it. But he doesn't strike as someone who was working his ass of to get more playing time. Maybe that's an unfair statement. But we don't "need" a WR in the portal. So I would rather not throw a big bag at WR that hasn't been productive.
 
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