Latest news with #MaraadWatson
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The 10 biggest storylines of the transfer portal on Tuesday
The transfer portal opened on Wednesday with a flurry of activity. Here are the biggest transfer announcements from day seven of the 2025 spring transfer window. RELATED: Texas lands former Syracuse DT Maraad Watson Advertisement MORE TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer search | Transfer Team Ranking | Football Player Ranking 1. DT MARAAD WATSON TO TEXAS Texas is doing a great job this transfer cycle of addressing their top needs with some of the best possible players. Adding Maraad Watson on Tuesday gives the Longhorns five defensive tackles in this transfer class, including three of the top seven defensive tackles in the transfer portal rankings. The former Syracuse standout was one of the best freshman defensive linemen in the nation last season. Watson was credited with 10 quarterback pressures, one sack and three batted passes according to Pro Football Focus Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS FANS AT 2. LB AMARE CAMPBELL FROM UNC BACK INTO THE PORTAL Campbell is now in the transfer portal for the second time since the end of the 2024 season. The standout linebacker entered and then withdrew his name in December to see what the spring would be like with Bill Belichick and North Carolina's new coaching staff. Campbell is set to be a heavily pursued transfer prospect after putting up strong statistics last season - 23 quarterback pressures, eight sacks, two batted passes, one forced fumble and 76 tackles. 3. LB TA'MERE ROBINSON FROM PSU TO USC USC has only taken two transfers this spring and both of them are defensive players. Safety Kennedy Urlacher committed over the weekend and today the Trojans picked up former Penn State linebacker Ta'Mere Robinson. The redshirt freshman played 100 snaps last season according to Pro Football Focus. It was the most action Robinson had seen in college after recovering from a major knee injury at the end of his high school career. 4. QB LUKE ALTMYER WILL NOT TEST THE TRANSFER MARKET Normally the 'player isn't transferring' story doesn't move the needle but we've already seen one entrenched starting quarterback (Nico Iamaleava) leave a surefire top-25 team so Luke Altmyer announcing he is staying at Illinois is a pretty big deal. Rumors of the Illinois quarterback hitting the portal and possibly heading for Tennessee were getting awfully loud. The timing of Altmyer's announcement is also interesting since Joey Aguilar announced his transfer from UCLA to Tennessee on Monday. Altmyer, who previously played at Ole Miss, has spent the past two seasons at Illinois, starting 22 games and throwing for 4,600 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions while rushing for 499 yards and seven more touchdowns. 5. QB MADDEN IAMALEAVA OFFICIALLY ENTERS PORTAL The news may have broken yesterday but Madden Iamaleava's transfer from Arkansas to UCLA isn't official just yet. The brother of Nico Iamaleava appeared in the transfer portal on Tuesday, which is a necessary step on his way to UCLA. Iamaleava signed with Arkansas in December and went through spring practice with the Razorbacks but he'll head back to Los Angeles as soon as he can. 6. WR TREBOR PENA SET TO VISIT MIAMI, USC, AND UCLA Former Syracuse star receiver Trebor Pena was just at Penn State for a visit but has a busy week ahead of him. Miami, UCLA, and USC are expecting to host him this week and each seems to be a favorable situation for Pena. The Hurricanes would like to recreate the connection Cam Ward and Xavier Restrepo had now that Carson Beck is in Coral Gables. UCLA needs to add weapons for Nico Iamaleava. USC is hoping to get a chance to put their best foot forward but there are still some details to iron out before Pena makes his way over to campus. 7. PURDUE LANDS FCS ALL-AMERICAN OL Purdue head coach Barry Odom continues his roster makeover on Tuesday by signing Eastern Kentucky transfer Tyrell Green. The FCS Freshman All-American played in every game last season with 10 starts and didn't allow a sack in 635 snaps. Green is expected to play a fairly significant role on Purdue's offensive line this season. 8. OL JAYLEN EARLY FROM FSU TO MIZZOU Missouri hosted former Florida State offensive lineman Jaylen Early on Monday and the Tigers landed his commitment on Tuesday. Early gives the Missouri coaching staff a versatile chess piece who should be able to fill almost any hole that opens on the offensive line. At Florida State last season, Early started six games and is expected to compete for a starting role this season at Missouri. 9. VIRGINIA TECH LOSES LAST RETURNING STARTER ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE The losses on Virginia Tech's offensive line continue to mount this offseason as Bob Schick is the latest to hit the transfer portal. Schick is a two year starter for the Hokies and should have a strong market in the transfer portal. With Schick now leaving Virginia Tech, the Hokies won't have any returning starters when the 2025 season begins. 10. LOUISVILLE SIGNS THEIR FIFTH RECEIVER OUT OF THE PORTAL Louisville has put together a strong class of receivers this transfer cycle and Hurry is the latest to jump onboard. The San Jose State standout was the third leading receiver for the Spartans with 28 catches for 478 yards and two touchdowns. Hurry, who has two years of eligibility remaining, should be a welcome addition for new starting quarterback Miller Moss.
USA Today
23-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Longhorns land highly-recruited DL transfer
Longhorns land highly-recruited DL transfer Longhorns make major addition in transfer portal The Texas Longhorns' defense has gotten a major boost for the 2025 season. On Tuesday, former Syracuse defensive lineman Maraad Watson committed to the Longhorns. After a stellar freshman season in which Watson earned All-America honors, he will look to build on his success with a new program. During the 2024 campaign, Watson recorded 31 tackles, including two for a loss. On a Syracuse defense that struggled against the run, Watson was the exception. He earned a grade of 77.4 from PFF across 200 rush defense snaps. That is one of the many reasons the Irvington High School product was hard to keep out of the lineup. Over the last few weeks, the Longhorns have been busy improving their depth. They now have 10 transfer commitments in 2025. Watson will join a defense that includes Travis Shaw, Cole Brevard, Hero Kanu, and Lavon Johnson. That group should make the Longhorns a hard team to face in a competitive SEC conference. In Watson, the Longhorns are getting a player who still has some room to grow. He has three years of eligibility remaining, giving the Longhorns plenty of time to help Watson master his position. If he can reach his potential, then the Longhorns' defense will have another star to rely on. As the Longhorns pursued Watson, they faced plenty of completion. The former Syracuse star drew interest from Ohio State, Georgia, and Tennessee. However, during his visit to Auston on Tuesday, the Longhorns made Watson an offer he couldn't deny. He was a three-star prospect coming out of high school. However, his stock was on the rise when he entered the portal. With the start of the 2025 campaign just a few months away, the Longhorns defensive line is again shaping up to be a strength as Texas looks to end its title drought.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ohio State Football Gets Bad News on Tuesday
The Ohio State Buckeyes got major news on an exciting target in the transfer portal on Tuesday, and it was unfortunately not what they wanted to hear. Ohio State had been one of several teams reported as being "heavily in the mix" for Syracuse defensive lineman Maraad Watson, who entered the transfer portal after a Freshman All-American season in 2024. Advertisement Watson recorded 31 tackles and one sack last season. Per Pro Football Focus, he registered 10 pressures and had 13 run stops that represented a failure for the opposing offense. But, rather than heading to Ohio State, he will now look to build on that promising season with the Texas Longhorns. Ohio State Buckeye head coach Ryan Day looks away from the field of play after a dropped pass in the 2nd half during the spring game at Ohio Stadium on April 12, Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Indeed, On3's Hayes Fawcett reported Watson has committed to transfer to the Longhorns, picking them over the Buckeyes, the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers. Watson going with Texas over the Buckeyes might be viewed as something of a surprise considering Ohio State's success in developing defensive line talent under legendary position coach Larry Johnson. But the Longhorns last year had two defensive linemen taken in the top 40 of the NFL Draft in the form of Byron Murphy II and T'Vondre Sweat. Advertisement Alfred Collins, Barryn Sorrell, and Vernon Broughton are all likely to be drafted this week. The Buckeyes got the better of Texas en route to national championship glory last season but, instead of having Watson on their side in the rematch to open the 2025 season, they'll have to try to ensure his decision does not have a negative impact on their bid to go all the way again. Related: Ohio State Star Visits With NFL Team in Sign He May Succeed Future Hall of Famer
USA Today
19-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee football is 'heavily in the mix' for Syracuse transfer
Tennessee football is 'heavily in the mix' for Syracuse transfer The NCAA transfer portal will close April 25 after opening Wednesday. Tennessee is looking to add to its 2025 football roster following spring practices. The Vols are in the mix for former Syracuse defensive lineman Maraad Watson. He entered the transfer portal on Friday. "Four schools are heavily in the mix for Syracuse standout transfer DL Maraad Watson, a source tells On3," Hayes Fawcett of On3 said. "Texas, Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee are the schools to watch for the freshman All-American. Totaled 31 tackles and one sack last season." The 6-foot-3, 313-pound transfer appeared in 13 games for the Orange as a freshman in 2024. He totaled 31 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, one sack and one pass deflection. Watson started 11 games at defensive tackle. He is from Irvington High School in Irvington, New Jersey. Tennessee will kick off its 2025 football season against Syracuse on Aug. 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Follow us at @VolsWire on X and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of University of Tennessee athletics.
