Ranking the best transfer portal players in SEC football in Week 4
Transfer portal adds came up huge in winning and losing efforts across SEC football in Week 4.
Players acquired by SEC teams this offseason made huge, game-changing plays for better and worse on Saturday. For every 100-yard receiving game or double-digit tackling performance, there were some brutal miscues, including an overtime fumble that lost a game for Missouri.
As always, here is our ranking of the teams and players who made the most noise from the transfer portal this week in the SEC.
BETTER THAN THAT:Ole Miss football should've been better than it was vs. Tulsa
TOPPMEYER:What can be made of that Auburn vs. Missouri game?
SEC transfer portal production: Offense
Team | Passing Yards | Rushing Yards | Receiving Yards | Total TDs |
Alabama | 0 (0) | 21 (172) | 137 (342) | 1 (5) |
Arkansas | 0 (0) | -5 (4) | 75 (444) | 0 (2) |
Auburn | 127 (372) | 46 (212) | 74 (100) | 1 (1) |
Florida | 0 (0) | 18 (258) | 103 (240) | 2 (4) |
Georgia | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Kentucky | 0 (0) | 0 (27) | 147 (349) | 2 (3) |
LSU | 279 (835) | 131 (430) | 41 (93) | 2 (6) |
Mississisppi State | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 20 (43) | 0 (1) |
Missouri | 0 (34) | 139 (397) | 7 (96) | 1 (5) |
Ole Miss | 154 (697) | 164 (660) | 95 (498) | 2 (14) |
South Carolina | 187 (908) | 62 (48) | 102 (433) | 3 (4) |
Tennessee | 0 (0) | 0 (-18) | 102 (211) | 1 (2) |
Texas A&M | 151 (314) | 39 (73) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Vanderbilt | 0 (0) | 0 (12) | 0 (27) | 0 (1) |
As per usual, Ole Miss holds a vast lead in the season totals for rushing yards and touchdowns and a narrow lead over Arkansas and South Carolina in receiving yards. LSU had another big offensive week behind quarterback Jayden Daniels and his slew of weapons while teams like Kentucky, Florida and South Carolina had outstanding individual performances from skill players.
SEC transfer portal production: Defense
Team | Tackles | TFLs | Sacks | FFs | INTs |
Alabama | 0 (2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Arkansas | 17 (94) | 1.5 (14.5) | 1.5 (12.5) | 1 (5) | 0 (2) |
Auburn | 9 (27) | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Florida | 0 (5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (1) |
Georgia | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Kentucky | 5 (15) | 1 (2) | 0 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (1) |
LSU | 21 (74) | 3.5 (5.5) | 2 (3) | 0 (1) | 0 (0) |
Mississippi State | 5 (21) | 0 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Missouri | 27 (76) | 7 (13.5) | 1 (3.5) | 0 (1) | 0 (2) |
Ole Miss | 27 (89) | 0.5 (12.5) | 0 (6) | 0 (0) | 0 (2) |
South Carolina | 6 (21) | 0 (0.5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Tennessee | 0 (13) | 0 (1) | 0 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Texas A&M | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Vanderbilt | 9 (37) | 1 (4) | 0 (1.5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Arkansas and Ole Miss hold pat atop the tackles leaderboard, but Missouri and LSU are making things interesting. Missouri's defense didn't do enough to secure a win over Auburn, but the Tigers did have 27 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a sack from its transfer adds. LSU, meanwhile, had 21 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and two sacks from its transfers.
Ranking the top 5 SEC transfers for Week 4
5. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart
Rebels coach Lane Kiffin officially named Dart his starter after Saturday's win over Tulsa. Dart, a USC transfer, threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 116 more yards in the dual-threat performance.
4. South Carolina RB Christian Beal-Smith
A graduate transfer from Wake Forest, Beal-Smith made his presence felt in South Carolina's blowout win over Charlotte. The senior carried nine times for 55 yards and two touchdowns and caught a pass for six yards.
3. LSU DB Greg Brooks Jr.
This slot could've gone to any number of LSU transfer defenders or running back Noah Cain. But here we'll give a nod to the former Arkansas safety who made four tackles with one sack and one pass breakup in a decisive win over New Mexico.
2. Missouri LB Ty'Ron Hopper
Hopper is a fixture on this list after transferring to Missouri from Florida, and for good reason. Hopper's 10 tackles, three TFLs, one sack and two quarterback hurries against Auburn means he now ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in sacks, TFLs and interceptions and ranks No. 15 in tackles
1. Kentucky WR Tayvion Robinson
Robinson's big-play skills were on display in Kentucky's win over Northern Illinois. The former Virginia Tech receiver caught seven passes for 147 yards, including touchdowns from 69 and 40 yards out. Robinson ranks eighth in the SEC in catches and second in receiving yards per game.
Honorable mentions: Ole Miss LB Troy Brown (10 tackles, 0.5 TFLs), Arkansas DL Landon Jackson (3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble), Florida WR Ricky Pearsall (5 catches, 103 yards, TD), Tennessee WR Bru McCoy (5 catches, 102 yards, TD), LSU RB Noah Cain (11 carries, 94 yards, 2 TDs), LSU LB West Weeks (4 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack)
Contact Nick Suss at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ranking best transfer portal players in SEC football in Week 4
