This season, the SEC will welcome a good number of new players through the transfer portal.
The Big 12’s Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are among the new teams joining the conference.
The portal has been advantageously utilized by teams such as Texas A&M Aggies, Ole Miss Rebels, and Arkansas Razorbacks. In terms of transfers from the 2024 class, Ole Miss and Texas A&M are in the lead. Texas A&M has 28 transfers, compared to Ole Miss’s 24.
Walter Nolen is the transfer that On3 Sports’ Jesse Simonton predicted will have the most impact on the SEC this season. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Nolen was a former five-star defensive lineman and a member of the 2022 class. Nolen’s first playing days were from 2022–2023 at Texas A&M.
“The Rebels won a school-record 11 games in 2023, but Pete Goulding’s defense was shredded (especially on the ground where they ranked 9th in the SEC in run defense) against any offense with a pulse (LSU, Alabama, Georgia and even Texas A&M).” Simonton stated.
Nolen, Walter
Oct. 28, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA: In the second quarter of a Texas A&M Aggies game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field, defensive lineman Walter Nolen (0) moves up to the scrimmage line.
© USA TODAY Sports, Dustin Safranek
Simonton even suggested that Nolen might be Ole Miss’ “X-factor” in order for them to make it to the College Football Playoffs this year.
“…Ole Miss shelled out a pretty penny to beat out Oregon for Nolen’s likely final season in college — and he could be the X-factor in the Rebels making a run to the College Football Playoff.” Simonton stated.
On August 31, the Rebels play the Furman Paladins to start the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.
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