Spotlight on Transfer Portal: Cyrus Allen, a wide receiver for Louisiana Tech, has ties to Miami and produces
There is still opportunity to improve the talent, even though two wide receivers, Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George, are having career years this year. Cyrus Allen of Louisiana Tech is one pass catcher that is anticipated to access the transfer portal and could be someone to keep an eye on.
Watch a talk about the No. 8 Miami Hurricanes after their defeat by No. 12 Kentucky. This Saturday at 12:00 p.m. (CW), they take on Notre Dame.
Justin Heller, a former hurricane, is a guest on the show.
Yes, it’s that season once more. Programs all around the nation are keeping track of which players are using the transfer portal, who else is using it to transfer from another school, and who they might want to add to their roster for the upcoming campaign.
Even though the portal doesn’t formally open until Monday, fifteen NC State players have already submitted their names. MJ Morris, Terrell Timmons, CJ Clark, and a few other key players from the Pack’s 2023 campaign are among them.
Through the portal, we’ve pinpointed nine position areas where the Wolfpack can strengthen, along with some potential transfer targets and ways that gaining experience will help the Pack win in 2024.
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To begin with, let’s address the obvious: NC State requires a QB1 by 2024. The Pack must fill a massive void at the core of their offense as a result of MJ Morris entering the portal. With just one three-yard pass against VMI this past season, redshirt Ethan Rhodes is the only returning quarterback with any collegiate snaps in his career.
Cedrick Bailey may have a lot of credentials from Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Hollywood, Florida) to bring to Raleigh, but the red and white must find an experienced player to allow Bailey to grow into the future. However, with Miami attempting to flip the long-term Wolfpack commit, that is not a given.
Luckily for the Wolfpack, there are plenty of quarterbacks searching for new places to call home. Names like Riley Leonard and Tyler Van Dyke alone in the ACC provide a wealth of experienced quarterback play.
Grayson McCall, a veteran of four successful years at Coastal Carolina, brings another level of experience to the table from his previous experience in the Carolinas. Other well-known figures at NC State include former Wolfpack quarterback Ben Finley, who came from Cal, and DJ Uiagalelei, who came from Oregon State and was a former Clemson Tiger.
There’s also a lot of talent among the newcomers. Along with other west coast options like Cam Ward and Dante Moore from UCLA and Washington State, respectively, Will Howard from Kansas State and Will Rogers from Mississippi State have generated a lot of interest since they entered the transfer portal.
There are plenty of targets for NC State to pursue. And those are only the names that have been submitted thus far ahead of the portal’s official launch.
The storyline that centered around the Wolfpack offense was Kevin Concepcion’s ascent to prominence as one of the top young playmakers in college football. Looking for players to complement their star wideout, NC State must, as KC is committed to the Pack in 2024 on a large NIL deal.
As more players enter the wide receiver room, the need to improve it becomes more pressing in preparation for the 2023 team’s arrival. NC State loses a lot of length on the outside with the departure of Terrell Timmons and Anthony Smith, but the Pack gains a sizable depth piece in Porter Rooks.
There isn’t a clear cut solution for where the Pack should look to bolster its wide receiver group once more. Christian Moss of Virginia Tech is a 6-foot-3 player with plenty of length and ACC familiarity. It’s really anybody’s guess, but NC State might also put their name in the hat for one of the more well-known names in the portal, such as Cortez Braham from West Virginia or Ashton Cozart from Oregon. Fortunately, the Pack has committed three-star wideout Jimmar Boston, Christian Zachary, and four-star recruit Terrell Anderson among its 2024 class.
Right now, NC State has an extremely small tight end room for 2024. Trent Pennix recently competed in his final year of eligibility. Cedd Seabrough and Chris Toudle both logged into the transfer portal. Juice Vereen probably fits the profile of a wide receiver better because he lacks the bulk to be relied upon as the starting tight end.
Like wide receiver, Dae’Quan Wright of Virginia Tech is one of the most visible possible targets in the portal. In the penultimate game of the 2023 season, 6-foot-4 Wright scored 42 yards on four receptions against the Pack and is a clear matchup problem overall. Like with wideout, there are a lot of options, so two more ACC tight ends, Sage Ennis from Clemson and Kamari Morales from UNC, might be on the radar.
At offensive line, you can never have too much depth. In 2023, the Wolfpack’s frequently unsteady forward play demonstrated as much. Even though State eventually found success in the trenches, this offseason, it will be crucial to add more talent to the O-line. The moment Lyndon Cooper logs into the transfer portal, that significance increases.
Clemson’s Mitchell Mayes could give the Pack an instant improvement in that area. In the end, Mayes might make it to Raleigh as NC State was very interested in him in the class of 2020. Mason Bowers from Coastal Carolina, Christian Forbes from Wake Forest, and Jestus Johnson from Virginia are three more possible additions.
C.J. Clark was one of the most significant losses to the transfer portal. The multi-year starter was a cornerstone of the defensive line for the Pack. NC State will now have to attempt to provide Brandon Cleveland with a co-conspirator in the middle of the D-line.
There is an interesting potential fix there with DeAndre Jules from Pitt. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Jules is large enough to seriously clog running lanes. In order to maintain the Pack’s ground defense at the highest level, he could collaborate with Cleveland and the incoming freshmen Justin Terrell, Joshua Alexander-Felton, and Chase Bond.
Although Payton Wilson, the all-time great of the program, cannot really be replaced, NC State needs to bolster its linebacker depth chart. In addition to Torren Wright and Daejuan Thompson, the Pack’s redshirt freshmen, Wilson and Jaylon Scott are also ineligible.
Similar to quarterback, the Pack’s young talent at linebacker would benefit greatly from additional veteran presence at linebacker. While Caden Fordham and Devon Betty performed admirably in supporting roles in 2023, having a veteran player in the starting lineup for an additional year could aid in the development of incoming freshmen Joshua Ofor, Zane Williams, and Cannon Lewis.
Aydin Henningham from Pitt, Derek Boykins from Charlotte, and Miami’s Corey Flagg are a few names to keep an eye on as potential targets.
Last season, Robert “Poogie” Kennedy stood out as one of the Pack’s best steals through the transfer portal, playing a vital nickel position. Darius Edmundson, a possible successor, is in the portal, so NC State will have to start searching for the next Kennedy in 2024.
It is difficult to determine the possibilities for that person. The Wolfpack is searching for a quality nickel who can cover quick ACC slot receivers with agility and who can physically stop the run game when necessary. Warren and a few other men who might fit that description are
The term “defensive back” was chosen to intentionally highlight the need for the Pack to improve its cornerback depth and figure out its primary safeties for 2024. Both of the Wolfpack’s defensive backs—Jakeen Harris and Nate Evans—showcase those needs on the transfer portal.
Although Ronnie Royal III and Brody Barnhardt, two highly-regarded safeties from NC State, are expected to arrive on campus in 2024, the loss of Harris and the possibility that Shyheim Battle and/or Aydan White will sign with the NFL make it necessary to bring a starter-caliber safety to Raleigh.
A few players the Pack might choose to target are Wake Forest’s Brendon Harris, Virginia’s Devin Clark, and USF’s Will Jones.
At NC State, Brayden Narveson successfully filled the shoes of veteran Wolfpack kicker Chris Dunn, making 16 of his 20 attempts at field goals. Now that Narveson is headed to the NFL draft, the Pack needs to improve its kicking in 2024.
In the 2023 preseason, Kanoah Vinesett created some excitement regarding the Wolfpack’s future at kicker; however, NC State must at the very least secure a spot on the team. There are a few good options available through the portal outside of the ACC.
Charlie Ham of Duke and Ryan Coe of UNC, for instance, already work in the Triangle as professionals. Outside of North Carolina, the Pack may consider Louisiana Tech’s Chris Freeman, a former Conference USA kicker.
Defensive tackle might be the most crucial position for Miami to target this transfer season, barring quarterback.
Along the portal’s internal defensive line, there are two known offers. The first went to Marley Cook of Middle Tennessee State and four-star recruit Joey Slackman of Penn, who told InsideTheU that he was not considering the Hurricanes after weighing his options.
After receiving a stunning commitment on Wednesday night from five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott of Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius, Miami now has a class ranked in the top five. Should everything go according to plan at the end of the cycle, the Hurricanes may sign back-to-back top ten recruiting classes for the first time in the history of 247Sports.
The Miami Hurricanes could improve even further in the top five class if Mario Cristobal and his staff can pull off some of their ambitious plans for the upcoming weeks leading up to the Early Signing Period.
How can the Hurricanes finish in the top three this cycle? It’s not impossible, given the state of the program and what is still theoretically achievable.
Here is a look at the composition of the nation’s No. 4 class over the previous five recruiting cycles. Basically, Miami would have to beat this total.
These are the most recent bowl predictions for conference championship week, based on team site sources and reporting. On Saturday night, the final bowl predictions will be made public.
