SEC Football: Each team’s most impactful newcomer heading into 2023 season
LSU Tigers
CB Zy Alexander (Transfer from Southeastern Louisiana)
LSU had to do some heavy lifting in their defensive backfield in the transfer portal this offseason and Alexander was one of the top corners they pulled. It’s a bit surprising to think about LSU being so active at one position in the portal after their run to Atlanta last season and with how well they’ve recruited the last year or two, but here we are. In fact, LSU added five secondary players in the portal, but I feel that the most impactful (and most impactful addition overall) will be FCS transfer Zy Alexander.
The FCS-to-SEC jump is obviously a big one, but Alexander is an extremely talented player and has seemingly impressed so far through camp. At SeLa, Alexander was a 2021 FCS All-American, and ended up with totals of 95 tackles, 9 INT’s, 20 PBU’s, 2 Forced Fumbles, and 1 Fumble Recovery across 30 games with the Lions. Alexander also has quality size at 6’2, 190.
This pick was also a very interesting one because Texas A&M transfer and 2022 Five-Star Denver Harris would have been the pick in a perfect world. However, Harris’ availability is a bit of a question mark at the moment as Harris has spent time away from the team in August, and his status for early in the season is unclear.
I also considered Texas transfer edge rusher Ovie Oghoufo and Oregon State transfer LB Omar Speights who both should either start or see a lot of PT, but ultimately went with Alexander because of the turnover at the CB position.
Ole Miss Rebels
LB Suntarine Perkins (Five-Star recruit out of MS)
Ole Miss once again had a very talented transfer portal haul, which made it very difficult for me to pick a player (especially a freshman), but I ultimately ended up going with the lone five-star out of Ole Miss’ 2023 recruiting class in Suntarine Perkins out of in-state Raleigh High School.
Perkins is arguably the most talented defensive player that Ole Miss has landed under Lane Kiffin. Converting that potential and talent into on-the-field success in the SEC is tough, but Perkins has a real chance to do it. Perkins was a consensus five-star and consensus top 3 linebacker in the class of 2023. Ole Miss was able to beat out a big push from Alabama to land Perkins, as well as an offer from Georgia which shows how talented Perkins is (and how big of a get it was for Ole Miss). I expect Perkins to come in and make an immediate impact on the Rebels defense.
Other names that I heavily contemplated were Ole Miss’ very talented WR transfer duo of Zakhari Franklin (UTSA) and Tre Harris (La Tech), as well as Louisville transfer linebacker Monty Montgomery. The reason I didn’t go with Franklin or Harris is that while I believe they will end up being Ole Miss’ top two targets in the passing game, I believe that their impact with each negate the others’.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
TE Geor’quarius Spivey (Transfer from TCU)
With a change in offensive system for Mississippi State due to the tragic passing of Mike Leach, Mississippi State has had to do a lot of retooling to their roster. With a shift from Air Raid to a more pro-style offense, the tight end position has become a key need. In fact, Mississippi State did not have a single tight end on their roster in 2022. Because of that, the Bulldogs have hit the portal hard in search of TE’s.
One of those players, and my pick for most impactful newcomer is TCU transfer Geor’quarius Spivey. Spivey has had an interesting career. He actually started his career at Mississippi State and was with the Bulldogs from 2018-2020. He then transferred to TCU for the last two seasons, and is now back in Starkville. Spivey has not yet had an incredible statistical season, but is an experienced player who has played a lot of college football. This past season at TCU, Spivey had 11 catches for 136 yards. Again, while that does not blow you away, Spivey is coming into a team where TE was a great position of need. In his first tenure at Mississippi State, Spivey had 14 total catches. Spivey is also expected to make a big impact as a blocker.
The Bulldogs also brought in Arkansas State/Colorado transfer Seydou Traore and Ryland Goede from Georgia. Traore might be the most talented of the group, but his eligibility for 2023 is up in the air after transferring multiple times this offseason (first from Arkansas State to Colorado, then from Colorado to Mississippi State). Those concerns are why Spivey is the pick. Goede has also impressed so far, and is expected to see a lot of action. Also keep an eye on four-star freshman Creed Whittemore to emerge as a key playmaker in Mississippi State’s receiving core.