by With the college football transfer portal window practically closed, it’s now feasible to give a more complete assessment of the recent comings and goings of each roster across the country.
Today, we’ll dive into the biggest portal win and loss for each Sun Belt East program. Let’s break it down.
James Madison
Biggest Loss: QB Jordan McCloud
Losing head coach Curt Cignetti is clearly the biggest loss, but player-wise McCloud is a costly departure. The big-armed senior bursted onto the scene in 2023 and posted career-high marks in passing yards (3,657), total touchdowns (43), completion % (68.2) and passer rating (165.9). McCloud is on to his fourth program since 2019 and will be an Auburn Tiger in 2024.
Biggest Win: RB Ayo Adeyi (North Texas), RB George Pettaway (UNC)
It’s a tossup between Adeyi and fellow running back Pettaway, so might as well include them both. The two tailbacks are three-star, 89 overall rated transfers and are reliable workhorses that instantly boost the Dukes’ offense with newly acquired QB Dylan Morris (Washington) throwing the football. Adeyi put up impressive rushing lines en route to ranking sixth in the FBS in YPC (7.1) and finishing third in the AAC in rushing yards (1,017). Pettaway was a four-star prospect coming out of high school and saw limited action at UNC, but will be a perfect change-of-pace back alongside Adeyi.
Appalachian State
Biggest Loss: RB Nate Noel
Overshadowed by a handful of other terrific running backs in the Sun Belt, Noel was a standout rusher for the Mountaineers while splitting carries all season. The physical, downhill running back finished eighth in the conference with 786 rushing yards and will be an immediate plug-and-play guy for Missouri in 2024.
Biggest Win: S Myles Farmer (Syracuse)
Farmer may not be the most “talented” pickup for App State this offseason, but he is certainly the most experienced. After spending four seasons at Nebraska, Farmer transferred to Syracuse last August. Through 44 career games, the defensive back accrued 130 tackles, eight pass breakups and four interceptions. He will be the catalyst of a Mountaineer secondary that ranked second in the Sun Belt in pass defense in 2023.
Coastal Carolina
Biggest Loss: QB Grayson McCall
Perhaps no player in the entire conference has meant more to their team over the past four years than McCall at Coastal. One of the most productive quarterbacks in Group of Five history, the Chant legend threw for nearly 9,000 yards and 78 touchdowns while earning Sun Belt Player of the Year honors three seasons in-a-row. He will be under center at NC State next season.
Biggest Win: QB Noah Kim (Michigan State)
Coastal didn’t go crazy in the portal, which may be an issue down the road, but at least Tim Beck and company attempted to address the McCall departure. Kim is not a flashy quarterback and has a small sample size after spending just two years as a backup at Michigan State. Still, the former three-star has a fairly high ceiling and could step up against weaker competition under a new scheme.
Old Dominion
Biggest Loss: S Shawn Asbury II
Cignetti and Indiana got a solid pickup in Asbury, an honorable-mention All-Sun Belt in 2023. The veteran safety was nothing short of productive in 2023 behind 93 tackles (9th in Sun Belt), six tackles for loss and an interception. He was the highest-rated transfer for the Monarchs in the portal.
Biggest Win: RB Aaron Young (Rutgers)
Losing running back Kadarius Calloway, who led the Sun Belt with 7.1 YPC this season, to the portal was a tough blow, but head coach Ricky Rahne plugged that hole quick by picking up veteran Aaron Young. The former three-star prospect’s ceiling is high, yet injuries have derailed his college career so far and the emergence of RB Kyle Monangai at Rutgers in 2023 limited Young’s upside once he returned to the field. Call it bad luck if you will, but if Young can avoid the injury bug he can be a reliable bell-cow running back in ODU’s system.
Georgia State
Biggest Loss: RB Marcus Carroll, WR Robert Lewis
Two extremely talented skill position players are packing their bags and heading to SEC programs next season. Carroll, a First-Team All-Sun Belt tailback who finished seventh in the country in rushing yards (1,345), is a three-down, do-it-all rusher and soon-to-be Missouri Tiger. Lewis is one of the most explosive pass catchers in the nation (877 yards, 12.5 YPC) and will be an impactful deep threat for Auburn in 2024.
Biggest Win: CB Jyron Gilmore (Tennessee Tech)
A sneaky good pickup for the Panthers, Gilmore is a versatile cornerback that plays both nickel and man on the outside. One of the top defensive backs in the FCS in 2023, the junior had two interceptions, five pass deflections, and only surrendered two touchdowns in man coverage all season. He’s a Day 1 starter for Georgia State.
Georgia Southern
Biggest Loss: QB Beau Allen
Allen only spent a year at Georgia Southern but was forced to sit out after transferring for a second time. Still, the former four-star prospect was projected to be Georgia Southern’s star quarterback in 2024 before he decided to transfer back to Kentucky for a final season.
Biggest Win: WR LV Bunkley-Shelton (Oklahoma)
A consensus four-star prospect and 2020 U.S. Army All-American Bowl participant, Bunkley-Shelton instantly became one of the most talented players on Georgia Southern’s roster. The RS junior was productive in his first two seasons at Arizona State, catching 44 passes for 518 yards, before transferring to OU and primarily being a backup. He will be a target monster in the Eagles’ offensive scheme.
Marshall
Biggest Loss: DL Elijah Alston
The Thundering Herd lost one of the top defensive linemen in the Sun Belt to the portal, as Alston signed a $119K NIL deal with Miami (FL) last week. His impact for Marshall in 2023 was undeniable, as Alston notched 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks and was highly rated by PFF.
Biggest Win: OL Bryce Ramsey (Southern Miss)
Marshall had a few key additions in the portal, but Ramsey may be the most impactful right away. A former four-star prospect and Ole Miss Rebel, Ramsey is a versatile blocker than can play guard or center and is an immediate upgrade to the 27th most sacked team in the country in 2023.