All Hogs

Assessing Razorbacks' Current Transfer Haul, Projecting Others

Unknown if Hogs' recent additions through the portal are going to pay off, need more proven commodities

Jacob Davis

Alabama wide receiver Kendrick Law (1) runs with the ball during an SEC conference game between Tennessee and Alabama in Neyland Stadium.
Alabama wide receiver Kendrick Law (1) runs with the ball during an SEC conference game between Tennessee and Alabama in Neyland Stadium. / Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — After one week of activity in the transfer portal, Coach Sam Pittman and his coaching staff have lost a bunch and gained a little.

One major talking point to this point is whether these additions will be immediate impact transfers or only depth pieces with major surprises in store. The Razorbacks currently have commitments from six players in the portal and a junior college defensive back ranked as the No. 1 player at his position.

Pittman has lost plenty production offensively this offseason after he planned on much of his core group off a 6-6 team to return for 2025. However, the Razorbacks are now down to just four offensive starters who started against Missouri in the season finale.

Of Arkansas' 24 players in the two deep exactly half have announced they will enter the transfer portal or not participate in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Dec. 27. The mass exodus on defense hasn't been nearly as harsh with only five players missing whether it be to them opting out or entering the portal.

Transfer wide receiver Raylen Sharpe is currently the only player to have made a consistented impact onfield during his time at the FCS level and Fresno State. He jumped onto the scene at the FCS level in 2023 with Missouri State being named an All-American with a program-record 73 receptions for 991 yards and seven touchdonws.

His production didn't stop when he signed with Fresno for the 2024 season as he caught 51 passes for 523 yards and three touchdowns. Sharpe looks to rekindle his special season from two seasons ago as a key piece to offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who coached the 5-foot-9, 165 pound receiver at Missouri State.

As a redshirt freshman at UAB, Kam Shanks recorded 62 catches for 656 yards and six touchdowns in 2024. He tacked on another 329 which led the nation, averaged nearly 21 yards per return and had one punt return touchdown.

Shanks earned first team All-AAC honors as a returner and was named third team as a receiver. Like Sharpe, he has a bit of a smaller frame at 5-foot-8, 180 pounds while also proving himself against Group of Five competition.

It's still early to predict Oregon transfer Jac'Qawn McRoy, a former top-100 prospect out of the 2024 class, impact on the offensive line. The 6-foot-8, 375 pound offensive tackle is capable of early playing time next season but for depth purposes, having him backup a veteran transfer at either tackle position would do him well.

Former Texas A&M tight end Jaden Platt and Michigan State defensive end Ken Talley have been seldomly used players during their relatively young college careers. Both are former 4-stars who have yet lived up to their rankings at their other stops.

Most people will look at Arkansas No. 19 ranked portal haul and think it's a fine class filled with young talent that haven't realized their potential just yet and their reasoning is valid. For fans to feel better, Pittman must snag a few impact transfers that make heads turn but that will take a little luck and external factors to fall appropriately.

Georgia's giant defensive tackle transfer Jamaal Jarrett is one of those that's not quite been able to break into the Bulldog's rotation consistently despite his 6-foot-5, 350 pound frame. Alabama wide receiver transfer Kendrick Law is another player who's not shown himself to be big threat in the passing game but has shown plenty of explosiveness on special teams with 22 kick returns for 536 yards the previous two seasons.

Georgia Tech offensive tackle Corey Robinson and UCF guard Caden Kitler are two obvious game changers along the line of scrimmage and are high priorities for the Razorbacks right now. Robinson graded out as one of the best pass blockers in the nation at 92.8 while Kitler was solid in both with a score of 68.1 (run block) and 77.3 (pass protection), according to Pro Football Focus.

The potential signings of Robinson and Kitler would shore up an offensive line unit that lost three starters to the transfer portal. That would at least give fans hope of that offensive line coach Eric Mateos' unit can be fixed in a jiffy.

One other player to watch over the next few days is Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi. The 5-foot-9, 185 pound running back has shown himself to be very productive over the previous two seasons not only as a feature back, but pass catcher out of the backfield and major asset in the kick return game. Over the previous two seasons he has recorded 3,552 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns for the Bobcats.

Mahdi led the nation in all-purpose yards in 2023 with 2,169 and has twice been named to the All-Sun Belt first team and named first Team All-American following the 2023 season. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.

HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks lose another piece on offense to transfer portal

• Portal chaos means Razorbacks forced to take on new roles

• Razorbacks earn commitment of transfer SEC tight end

• What could have been had Arkansas just offered?

• BREAKING: Arkansas rebuilds receiver room with all-conference player

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

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