4 Gifts Tulane Green Wave Should Want for Christmas in Transfer Portal

The Tulane Green Wave should have players at these positions on their Christmas list this year for the transfer portal.

Dec 20, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall against the Florida Gators during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Tulane Green Wave got off to a slow 1-2 start in the 2024 college football season but was able to right the ship for two months after.

They rattled off eight victories in a row, putting themselves in a position to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, things didn’t end on a high note.

After losing to the Memphis Tigers on Thanksgiving night in their regular season finale, they were blown out by the Army West Point Black Knights in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.

With several key players entering the transfer portal, a short-handed Tulane squad was handled easily by the Florida Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl as well.

With 36 players exhausting their eligibility and plenty more leaving, such as starting quarterback Darian Mensah, there is work to do in the transfer portal.

Here are four positions the Green Wave should have on their Christmas wish list this year.

Another Quarterback

The entire depth chart from 2024 entered the portal, as backups Ty Thompson and Kai Horton followed Mensah. Already two options have been added to the mix to offset those losses; T.J. Finley and Donovan Leary.

They will be joined by freshman Kellen Tasby and incoming freshman Jay Beamon. But, neither of them are expected to compete for the starting job, which leaves Jon Sumrall seeking at least one more player with starting experience.

The third newcomer, ideally, will have started games in his collegiate career to give the group some more experience along with the 30 starts Finley has made.

Dynamic Pass Catcher

Tulane did a wonderful job restocking the skill position cupboard in Sumrall’s first offseason on the job. Mario Williams, who played with the USC Trojans previously, led the AAC with 1,031 receiving yards but is graduating.

The same is happening with Dontae Fleming and Yulkeith Brown, meaning 2,099 yards of receiving offense is out the door at the position.

Jimmy Calloway was a former top prospect, but has only 29 receptions for 36 yards and one touchdown in 35 games across five years. More weapons are needed for this offense to remain at a high level.

Starting-Caliber Offensive Linemen

One of the strengths of the Tulane offense in 2024 was their offensive line. They were an experienced group that featuered a lot of tough, hard-nosed players.

Unfortunately, 60 percent of the starters from this past season are moving on. Sumrall needs to find a new starting center, right guard and right tackle for 2025 and beyond.

There is a chance some of the player’s from this squad can elevate into starting positions, but scouring the transfer portal is still a good idea. Unless they can hit a few home runs, this group is going to be much less experienced next campaign.

Second-Level Defender

One of the biggest losses in the transfer portal was edge rusher Matthew Fobbs-White, who is transferring to the Baylor Bears. Leading tackler Tyler Grubbs is also moving on because of graduation.

Replacing those two will be a tall task given how impactful their performance was. Ty Cooper, who committed to the Green Wave from the Mississippi State Bulldogs, will help fill the edge rushing void.

That is a solid pickup, but more help is needed. At times, the defensive performance was shaky during the season, especially down the stretch. They cannot go into the 2025 campaign without some established players to rely on at the second level of the defense.