Mountain West Football: Ten Junior College Transfers Who Could Shape The 2023 Season
Don’t overlook these new arrivals across the Mountain West from the juco ranks.
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Plenty of unfamiliar names could make a big impact.
Tupu Alualu, DL, San Diego State
The Aztecs have plenty of roles to fill along the defensive line, but Alualu looks like he could be a linchpin on the interior. A recruit out of California’s Mt. San Antonio College, he spent the 2021 season thriving in the juco ranks with 29 total tackles and 5.5 sacks, and though he hasn’t yet earned a starting job, expect that he’ll be part of a deep rotation of defensive tackles who should collectively maintain the team’s high standards.
John Bolles, OL, Nevada
On an offensive line where no starting role is safe, Bolles could be in line to claim a job. As part of the championship team at College of San Mateo in 2022, he earned a spot on the All-Bay 6 Conference team and paved the way for Ezra Moleni, who transferred to Sacramento State himself, to average over 100 all-purpose yards per game.
Davon Booth, RB, Utah State
Calvin Tyler Jr. leaves some big shoes for the Aggies to fill, and while they do bring back sophomore Robert Briggs, Booth could be the new arrival who keeps Utah State potent on the ground. He ran for 1,442 yards and eight touchdowns at California’s Cerritos College last year, averaging a healthy 6.5 yards per carry, and had been previously rated as a three-star recruit out of high school.
Caleb Brown, DB, Hawaii
Perhaps one of the more underrated names on this list, Brown spent 2022 at Butler Community College in Kansas after spending two seasons at FCS Kennesaw State, where he saw limited action. That wasn’t the case with the Butler Grizzlies, though, since he finished last season with 39 total tackles, five interceptions, and 14 pass breakups while also contributing on special teams.
Ezra Christensen, DL, Fresno State
One big question facing the Bulldogs in 2023 is how they’ll reinforce their pass rush now that David Perales has moved on to the NFL ranks. After choosing the Bulldogs over other Mountain West programs like San Diego State and San Jose State, Christensen could be a major factor in that regard after a very successful 2022 at San Diego Mesa College, where he had 37 total tackles, including seven sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, in ten games.
Tyrecus Davis, CB, Wyoming
Craig Bohl and defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel have to feel good about their overall depth at cornerback and you have to figure Davis is a significant reason why. Davis spent three seasons at Navarro Community College in Texas and stood out on one of the nation’s best juco teams throughout 2022, making 32 tackles, breaking up eight passes and snagging two interceptions. He also returned kicks and punts for the Bulldogs, providing the Cowboys with a capable do-it-all athlete.
Jacob De Jesus, WR, UNLV
According to Pro Football Focus, three different Rebel receivers spent at least 70% of their snaps in the slot throughout 2022. All three of those players — Jeff Weimer, Nick Williams, and Kalvin Souders — are gone, but De Jesus might be the go-to guy for that role after a strong spring. Listed at 5-foot-7 and 175 pounds, De Jesus spent 2022 at Modesto Junior College in central California, where he helped the team clinch a playoff berth with 64 catches for 914 yards and five touchdowns. With Ricky White and Senika McKie sure to draw plenty of attention themselves, De Jesus could thrive underneath.
Gafa Faga, DL, San Jose State
The Spartans have a big task in replacing both Viliami Fehoko and Cade Hall, but an athlete like Faga could be well-positioned to make up for that collective loss. He spent the 2022 season at the New Mexico Military Institute and played in just five games, but he notched ten tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks in that small sample.
A’Marion McCoy, DB, Boise State
JL Skinner, Tyreque Jones, and Caleb Biggers might be gone, but McCoy is an intriguing candidate who could play himself into a rotational role. One of the Broncos’ few juco imports, he spent two seasons at Laney College and posted a total of 62 tackles, six interceptions, and nine pass breakups in that time.
D.J. Washington, WR, New Mexico
The Lobos will need plenty of contributors to emerge and help turn around last year’s moribund offense, but few candidates are as fascinating as Washington. The 6-foot-5, 219-pound Belle Glade, Florida native thrived in three seasons at Iowa Central Community College, catching 54 balls for 863 yards and ten touchdowns, and might be exactly the kind of deep threat New Mexico has sorely missed in recent years.
