Transfer Portal: Who Should WKU Go After On Offense?

The transfer portal period is one of the weirdest, confusing, and outright unpredictable periods in college football. With players entering the portal from the division three level all the way up to the FBS, there are a lot of offers to float out and a lot of talent to reign in before the start of the 2024 season.

The Hilltoppers have had success with transfer portal players, namely at the quarterback position, between Bailey Zappe and Austin Reed. The program will likely look to continue that trend and find a way to surround the next man up with playmakers.

Western will also look to replace some players exiting the program. At quarterback, the team is losing star Austin Reed to the NFL. In the backfield, running back Markese Stepp and Davion Ervin-Poindexter are departing seniors. In the receiving corps, the Tops are losing Malachi Corley (NFL) and Craig Burt Jr (departing senior), as well as Jimmy Holiday, Ze’Vian Capers, and Blue Smith to the transfer portal.

The early window has closed, and with players not being able to enter again until the spring, there’s a lot of replacements that need to happen now.

In this article, the perspective will be shifted to look offensively. Who should those players be?

Diego Pavia, New Mexico State:

Pavia is currently projected to either land at Western Kentucky or Washington State. He’s a proven winner in the C-USA and the conference’s offensive player of the year in 2023. Pavia would be a major win for WKU. In 2023, Pavia led the Aggies to a 10-5 record and a bout in the C-USA Championship. He threw for 2,973 yards, 26 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while rushing for 923 yards and seven touchdowns.

ALTERNATES:

Jordan McCloud, QB, JMU: Another player that would amp up the momentum of the offseason. McCloud just led James Madison to an 11-2 record while being awarded the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

Emmett Morehead, Boston College: Morehead, a redshirt sophomore, entered the transfer portal after being at Boston College from 2021 to 2023. As an Eagle, he completed 125 of his 219 pass attempts for 1,376 yards, nine touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Clay Millen, Colorado State: Millen went on a tear in 2022, being named a Freshman All-American after completing a school-record 72% of his passes for 1,910 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He saw action in just one game in 2023.

OTHERS: Reese Mooney (Liberty), Clifton McDowell (Montana)

Frank Peasant, Middle Tennessee State

Take him from the rival! The five-football-eleven, 211 pound senior carried the ball 81 times for 306 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, proving to be a good option as a rotational back in the C-USA.

ALTERNATES:

Ike Daniels, Syracuse: Another direction that would strongly benefit the Tops is adding young, scrappy transfer ball carriers out of junior colleges and the portal. Daniels fits that bill, coming out of Syracuse as a redshirt freshman. He brings the upside to become a starter down the line for the Hilltoppers.

Ethan Wright, Cincinnati: A stout, strong bodied rotational back for the Bearcats, Wright has carried the ball 44 times for 215 yards and three scores, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Wright is also a strong special teams player, and would be an all-round boost for the WKU roster.

Darvon Hubbard, Temple: Hubbard, before joining Temple in 2022, started his collegiate career in 2020 at Texas A&M. In 2023, Hubbard accumulated 412 yards and three scores on the ground, adding 249 yards in the air for the Owls.

Isaiah Alston, Army

A receiver from Army? This sounds unusual, but the six-foot-four receiver has an impressive frame, build, and athleticism. In 2023, Alston hauled in nine receptions for 266 yards and two touchdowns. He would provide another highly-capable, big framed target alongside Dalvin Smith. With so many big openings in the Hilltoppers receiving corps, Brady would be an instant impact and home-run transfer for offensive coordinator Drew Hollingshead and his offensive unit in year two of his stay.

ALTERNATES:

Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Bowling Green: Ibrahim is used to playing in Bowling Green, so that’s the pitch. All joking aside, Ibrahim would be a dynamic pickup. In 2023, he hauled in 20 catches for 220 yards and two scores. Prior to Bowling Green, he spent four years at Alabama A&M, recording 163 catches for 2,488 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. He recorded two 1,000-plus yard seasons in 2019 and 2021, being named a Hero Sports Freshman All-American in 2019 and a BOXTOROW All-American in 2022.

Shazz Preston, Alabama: Preston would be an intriguing addition to the Hilltopper receiving room. Preston, a redshirt freshman, was the 44th ranked prospect in the Rivals 100 in the 2022 cycle. He didn’t see any action on the field in two seasons in Tuscaloosa, and could make his way to Bowling Green to show what got him into the SEC in the first place.

Keshawn Brown, Duquesne: In 2023, Brown hauled in 37 receptions for 667 yards and seven touchdowns. As a kick returner, he returned 19 kicks for 412 yards. Brown was recognized as a Second Team All-NEC honoree by the coaches and media, as well as Phil Steele. Brown would key pick-up for the Hilltoppers.

Mason Gilbert, TE, Lafayette:

Gilbert is a six-foot-eight, 255 pound tight end. Not enough? How about this: Gilbert is a six-foot-eight, 255 pound All-Patriot League tight end that amassed 20 catches for 229 yards and two scores in 2023. Reigning from Lafayette, Gilbert put up back-to-back-to-back all conference selection seasons. After feeding tight end River Helms all season, the former Leopard would get set up with a highly productive season on The Hill.

Aidan Twombly, VMI: The six-foot-four, 225 pound senior caught 38 passes for 558 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. The former Keydet was named first team All-SoCon Offense by coaches and media, Phil Steele, and FCS Football Central. In his career, Twombly has 85 receptions for 995 yards and five touchdowns.

ALTERNATE:

Casey Kelly, TE, Oregon: Kelly is in the portal for the second time in his career, starting his collegiate football career at Ole Miss from 2020 to 2022 before transferring to Oregon, where he spent the 2023 season. Kelly’s most productive season came in 2021 as a Rebel, where he hauled in 17 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. The six-foot-three, 240 pound junior has pulled in 33 catches for 325 yards and five scores in his career. He is the younger brother of current CFL quarterback Chad Kelly.

OTHERS: Nic Sani (Dartmouth)