'25 Portal Thread

[FBtime]

Barion brown in the portal

Wait seriously?? /s

 

[LotteryPick]

Why we need a WR from the portal if we have Brazzell, Squirrel, and MM as the projected starters? Still would have Leacock (total unknown), Nimrod, Webb, Staley, and 3 freshman WRs. Is that portal WR suppose to take MM or Brazzell spot????

Same goes for LBer. Everyone that is currently playing is coming back (6 total) and we bringing in 3 additional freshman LBers.

I don't see a need at either spot unless someone leaves.

They need a better rotation at WR. Leacock, Nimrod and Webb probably aren’t in the mix, and maybe they shouldn’t be.

The current LB group got beat up against UGA. Desperately need more athleticism there.

 

[Carp]

We may not have a clear starting RB but we have 2 clear contenders. Again, by definition a portal RB is looking for more PT than he's getting AND/OR more money. We cannot guarantee that opportunity, IMO.

We can guarantee them a clear opportunity to a lead back position though. Any portal RB that wasn't a bell cow at his previous school will be in the same situation pretty much no matter where they go, unless they go to a Group 5 school. And even then, they are still competing, but generally against weaker talent. And that sort of RB also isn't getting a big bag of money no matter where they go, unless they are a former 5 star back on UGA/Bama/Texas.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Unlike Samson last year, none of our RBs have significant experience. We need a portal RB. It doesn't have to be 1k yard rusher like the Hardy kid from ULM. But we need a RB with experience nonetheless.

Someone like TJ Harden from UCLA would along the lines of what we need.

I am satisfied with our running back room as it stands with the guys we already have signing tomorrow. he only think we need to do is teach them to better the QB. They will run the ball with authority.

 

[NighthawkVol]

We can guarantee them a clear opportunity to a lead back position though. Any portal RB that wasn't a bell cow at his previous school will be in the same situation pretty much no matter where they go, unless they go to a Group 5 school. And even then, they are still competing, but generally against weaker talent. And that sort of RB also isn't getting a big bag of money no matter where they go, unless they are a former 5 star back on UGA/Bama/Texas.

And then you run off one of your returning RBs. Say you sign the Tulane or ULM kid...then you probably lose a guy like Peyton Lewis.

There's a reason this staff never gets RBs out of the portal. You'd just be swapping one for the other. Might as well keep the guy you signed and have been developing...at the NIL price you've had him at. It's just a different type of position than WR or DL, where more guys play.

 

[Carp]

I just don't see how anyone can be satisfied when we haven't seen much of any of them. Bishop has the most production and while he's played well at times, he has never looked explosive to me. And that ignores the injury factor. If Bishop gets hurt, all of sudden our top returning back is.... Peyton Lewis. So not only do we have a clear lead back going into next year, but our depth has practically no experience. We are very lucky Sampson has held up as well as he has this year. That isn't typically the case with RBs.

 

[TrippieRedd]

I just don't see how anyone can be satisfied when we haven't seen much of any of them. Bishop has the most production and while he's played well at times, he has never looked explosive to me. And that ignores the injury factor. If Bishop gets hurt, all of sudden our top returning back is.... Peyton Lewis. So not only do we have a clear lead back going into next year, but our depth has practically no experience. We are very lucky Sampson has held up as well as he has this year. That isn't typically the case with RBs.

At least you understand.

Perfectly explained.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

 

[VOLED]

Vysen Lang just announced he's entering the portal according to a post in the FF.

I'm thinking Satterwhite has moved ahead of him.

 

[Carp]

And then you run off one of your returning RBs. Say you sign the Tulane or ULM kid...then you probably lose a guy like Peyton Lewis.

There's a reason this staff never gets RBs out of the portal. You'd just be swapping one for the other. Might as well keep the guy you signed and have been developing...at the NIL price you've had him at. It's just a different type of position than WR or DL, where more guys play.

Again, I am not advocating going after the Tulane kid or the ULM kid, or any of the top RBs. I am advocating we target an experienced RB but who hasn't been a bell cow. A RB similar to Dallan Hayden in last years portal class. Or Jordan Waters from last years portal class. These were productive RBs that were looking for an opportunity to start. And they went to schools were they weren't guaranteed anything (though Colorado reportedly did give Hayden a decent sized bag).

But if we target a top level RB, if the staff feels someone like that is considerably better than what we have, than isn't that still a net gain?

Also the staff pulled Evans from Juco in year 1. We also had interest in RBs in Jan 2023 when it looked like Wright might enter the portal. We also took that Clemson RB in the portal before he got kicked off the team. So we clearly have had interest in portal RBs in the past.

 

[LittleVol]

And then you run off one of your returning RBs. Say you sign the Tulane or ULM kid...then you probably lose a guy like Peyton Lewis.

There's a reason this staff never gets RBs out of the portal. You'd just be swapping one for the other. Might as well keep the guy you signed and have been developing...at the NIL price you've had him at. It's just a different type of position than WR or DL, where more guys play.

If Khalifa Keith could play LB....

 

[Carp]

Certainly in the top 3 of my wants right now. This kid is very good.

 

[jvols1999]

I'm thinking Satterwhite has moved ahead of him.

Anderson, too

 

[hjeagle1vol]

 

[NighthawkVol]

I just don't see how anyone can be satisfied when we haven't seen much of any of them. Bishop has the most production and while he's played well at times, he has never looked explosive to me. And that ignores the injury factor. If Bishop gets hurt, all of sudden our top returning back is.... Peyton Lewis. So not only do we have a clear lead back going into next year, but our depth has practically no experience. We are very lucky Sampson has held up as well as he has this year. That isn't typically the case with RBs.

Simple. It doesn’t matter what we’ve seen and it doesn’t matter if we’re satisfied.

What matters is what the coaches have seen and if they’re satisfied.

They see more than we do. They can evaluate better than we can. If they’re think they should add another RB from the portal, they will. I doubt they do.

 

[sonofUT62]

And then you run off one of your returning RBs. Say you sign the Tulane or ULM kid...then you probably lose a guy like Peyton Lewis.

There's a reason this staff never gets RBs out of the portal. You'd just be swapping one for the other. Might as well keep the guy you signed and have been developing...at the NIL price you've had him at. It's just a different type of position than WR or DL, where more guys play.

Thats fine but they cant go into next year with Bishop/ Lewis and 2 Freshman. Either keep Seldon and develop him and give him as much run next year as Lewis got this year or portal guy. No portal is fine as long as Seldon stays. I would rather do that anyway.

 

[Vols410]

Just finished up some receiver rankings. Hoping to have player cards or something in the near future. Here's some of the guys in the portal and comparisons with the current roster.

FYI - these take into account historical performance weighted across 30-40 metrics for the player's entire career, and also has a little bit of recruiting baked in with a bunch of testing (kind of like a player version of ESPN's FPI).

 

[NighthawkVol]

Again, I am not advocating going after the Tulane kid or the ULM kid, or any of the top RBs. I am advocating we target an experienced RB but who hasn't been a bell cow. A RB similar to Dallan Hayden in last years portal class. Or Jordan Waters from last years portal class. These were productive RBs that were looking for an opportunity to start. And they went to schools were they weren't guaranteed anything (though Colorado reportedly did give Hayden a decent sized bag).

But if we target a top level RB, if the staff feels someone like that is considerably better than what we have, than isn't that still a net gain?

Also the staff pulled Evans from Juco in year 1. We also had interest in RBs in Jan 2023 when it looked like Wright might enter the portal. We also took that Clemson RB in the portal before he got kicked off the team. So we clearly have had interest in portal RBs in the past.

Evans wasn’t a Heupel recruit. He was a Pruitt recruit who held over.

The Clemson kid was an out of character take that didn’t work out. We’re not in that place anymore. But yeah, he was a portal guy. Forgot about him, for obvious reasons.

I’d be very surprised if Tennessee takes a portal RB. I think next year’s starter and backup are currently on the roster.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

 

[NighthawkVol]

Thats fine but they cant go into next year with Bishop/ Lewis and 2 Freshman. Either keep Seldon and develop him and give him as much run next year as Lewis got this year or portal guy. No portal is fine as long as Seldon stays. I would rather do that anyway.

We went into this year with Sampson (who was unproven as a bell cow, questionable in pass protection, and had been 3rd string behind Wright/Small), an injured Seldon, a RS freshman walk-on in Bishop, and a true freshman in Lewis. Oh, and Keith, another RS freshman.

That’s a bigger unknown situation than the one you describe for next year. Folks wanted UT to get a portal RB, but Heupel stood pat and we ended up seeing why.

They know what they have.

 

[LittleVol]

Evans wasn’t a Heupel recruit. He was a Pruitt recruit who held over.

The Clemson kid was an out of character take that didn’t work out. We’re not in that place anymore. But yeah, he was a portal guy. Forgot about him, for obvious reasons.

I’d be very surprised if Tennessee takes a portal RB. I think next year’s starter and backup are currently on the roster.

I think they worked too hard to flip Duane Morris
for them to just go hard after a transfer RB.

Everybody has seen our freshman RB this year
(Bishop and Lewis).
We're obviously always hoping that Seldon is physically ready to compete.

At the same time, went after Morris hard for a reason.

I think neither Morris or Baker redshirt.
I think Both will get 30+ carries as freshman.

 

[sonofUT62]

We went into this year with Sampson (who was unproven as a bell cow, questionable in pass protection, and had been 3rd string behind Wright/Small), an injured Seldon, a RS freshman walk-on in Bishop, and a true freshman in Lewis. Oh, and Keith, another RS freshman.

That’s a bigger unknown situation than the one you describe for next year. Folks wanted UT to get a portal RB, but Heupel stood pat and we ended up seeing why.

They know what they have.

We also went into this season with only 2 scholarship QBs and almost started a walk on in Athens. Now we will have 3. If Sampson had been seriously hurt on that play when Bishop was already out (against Miss State) we would have gone to Athens with Lewis and a banged up Seldon. Im not saying they have to take a portal. Im saying they have to take a portal if Seldon leaves. They need to have 3 scholarship RBs who arent freshman.

 

[OmegaVoLL]

When is recruiting for portal players available?

 

[LittleVol]

When is recruiting for portal players available?

December 9-28

Then April 16-25

 

[sonofUT62]

When is recruiting for portal players available?

Tampering season has begun for those who celebrate.