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Justin Rogers and Jack Sears were household names in the college football recruiting game before 2020. Each was considering high-level Power Five programs as promising quarterback prospects.
Years later, with each making two collegiate stops already, both are still looking for perhaps their final college stop as they navigate the NCAA transfer portal—where more than half of the entries remain undecided as hundreds of other transfers make college commitments in time for the upcoming season.
CJ Rogers is on the other end. A freshman who left Baylor after just one season as a reserve quarterback, he made plays in the BU spring game and has considerable eligibility remaining. It should help make him a commodity for others moving forward, something already tangibly on his side. A week into his entry into the portal, an initial offer (Texas State) has already come in for Rogers.
While the available QB talent is relatively thin among those available, other positions have more promising prospects still looking to make that next move. Sports Illustrated looks at 10 of the best college football players still in the transfer portal as of the morning of June 15.
OT Jazston Turnetine
The end of the process is near for the South Carolina transfer looking for a fresh start for his final season of college football. On Sunday, he announced finalists of Michigan State and Florida State ahead of a pick expected in the coming days. The massive, 6-foot-7 offensive tackle talent is expected to be a plug-and-play option regardless of where he ends up, though MSU and FSU offer different play styles and responsibilities up front.
RB Ramon Jefferson
The Sam Houston State and FCS All-American transfer looked to be off the board with a pledge to Colorado in January, but he backed off of the decision during the spring. Since, other programs have jumped in on the New York City native and former junior college back who ran for nearly 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. Jefferson told 247Sports he recently visited Kentucky while Tennessee and others have shown new interest. It would be a surprise if he didn't make a splash this fall once he wraps up the end of the recruiting process.
LB Lorenzo McCaskill
The Louisiana transfer is a decorated transfer portal prospect, notching All-Sun Belt honors in 2021 by various outlets after he racked up 84 tackles during the Ragin' Cajuns' 13-win season. After hitting the portal in January, he announced offers from USC, Tennessee, Missouri and many others. Kansas is the latest to court the veteran linebacker, he reported Monday. There isn't a lot of flash with the compact linebacker's game, but McCaskill could offer reliability in the middle of a Power Five defense this fall.
WR Demond Demas
It's never been an issue of talent for the former Texas A&M wide receiver, who saw the field immediately for the Aggies as a freshman. He's big, athletic and has that natural play-making ability when the football is in the air. However, he hasn't seen the field as much with Jimbo Fisher's program since the start of spring football after being arrested on a family violence assault charge that occurred in February. About a month later, Demas announced his intention to find a new collegiate home, where programs will of course wait out due process before moving forward with potentially recruiting the high school All-American.
DL Darel Middleton
While the West Virginia transfer has announced a verbal commitment to Deion Sanders and Jackson State on June 4, he continues to take visits in his re-recruitment, checking out Tennessee State most recently. Florida, Mississippi State and Texas Tech have also been involved with the interior defensive line prospect, who has just one year of eligibility to utilize going forward. Middleton spent his initial college years at Tennessee before playing at West Virginia in 2021, where he only registered stats against Long Island University in September.
IOL Clay Webb
Among the most decorated interior offensive line recruits of the last half-decade, the Alabama native was unable to move up the depth chart on a loaded Georgia roster since. However, with center and guard experience and many programs needing depth at either position, Webb has the chance to be a quality addition ahead of the 2022 season. Initially, SI heard rumblings of Clemson, which was heavily involved in his high school recruitment, as a contender. Other intel suggests coming back to his native Oxford, Ala. area, near Jacksonville State, would make a lot of sense as well.
QB Jack Sears
If there is a surprise left among the best available, it has to be Sears at the game's most important position. A one-time USC signee out of high school, the California native was most recently at Boise State in a crowded QB room. Sears was a top 10 quarterback recruit back in the class of 2017 and he made some starts over the last two seasons. An efficient pro-style passer with experience in multiple systems, he could be a fall camp contender at a college program looking for depth at the position.
DB Ahman Ross
A team captain with considerable experience isn't typically available beyond spring football, but it's the case with the former Florida Atlantic standout. Ross surprisingly hit the portal after spring ball down in south Florida and brings versatile safety and/or nickel experience with him ahead of his final season of eligibility. Ross saw action as a true freshman and has been an impact player for the Owls since, participating in 45 college games to date.
QB Justin Rogers
As decorated a prep passer as there is among those still available, the next stop will be the Louisiana native's third of his collegiate career. Rogers signed with TCU out of high school and spent 2021 at UNLV, where he made plays in spot duty for the Rebels -- including a 300-yard, two-touchdown game against top 20 program San Diego State in November. Rogers flashed a big arm, touch and toughness against an aggressive Aztec defense that night.
DL Derick Hunter
The Texas A&M line transfer has announced offers to play in the SEC, Big Ten and beyond, most recently taking a trip to see Jackson State. Hunter was a defensive line projection out of high school and began his Aggie career on that side of the ball before moving to the offensive line in 2021, where he saw limited SEC action. The portal move likely indicates Hunter wants to work on defense, where he is most comfortable at this time.
