HawgBeat - Where former Arkansas football players transferred
HawgBeat provides a full list of where Arkansas scholarship players transferred to.
arkansas.rivals.com
The Arkansas Razorbacks football team saw 25 scholarship players enter the transfer portal since the start of fall camp, and 24 have found a new home since the portal window closed on May 1.
Of those 25, nine were starters for the Hogs this season. Seven other players also transferred away from the Razorbacks, but they were all walk-ons.
Here's a look at where all the scholarship Arkansas players landed, and those who have yet to find a home:
KJ Jefferson, QB - UCF
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 16
~ Transferred to UCF
Career stats: 626-962 passing, 7,911 passing yards, 67 passing TD, 18 INT, 523 carries, 1,876 rushing yards, 21 rushing TD
Sometimes moving on is best for both sides, and that could be said for Jefferson and Arkansas. The bulldozer signal caller put the Hogs back on the map after the Chad Morris era and will be fondly remembered, but it was time for change after offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino was hired over the offseason. He should thrive in Gus Malzahn's offense at Central Florida.
Raheim Sanders, RB - South Carolina
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 6
~ Transferred to South Carolina
Career stats: 398 carries, 2,230 rushing yards, 17 rushing TD
This one was a tough pill to swallow for Razorback fans. After racking up 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022, Sanders could never find the same footing due to injuries and is now at a conference foe. If everything comes together, he may have a big year for the Gamecocks.
Chris Paul Jr., LB - Ole Miss
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 4
~ Transferred to Ole Miss
Career stats: 68 solo tackes, 137 total tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, forced fumble
A fan favorite on the defensive side, "Pooh" Paul took Arkansas by surprise when he entered the transfer portal. Even more surprising was his transfer destination, as he ventured over to rival SEC team Ole Miss. Expect him to be right in the middle of big plays made by the Rebels' defense next season.
Jordan Crook, LB - Arizona State
~ Entered the portal on Nov. 28
~ Transferred to Arizona State
Career stats: 16 solo tackles, 40 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, forced fumble
Crook's departure was a bit of a surprise considering how big of a jump he took as a sophomore and the opportunity he could've had as a Razorback in 2024, but he'll almost definitely be a starter for Arizona State next season.
AJ Green, RB - Oklahoma State
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 4
~ Transferred to Oklahoma State
Career stats: 201 carries, 953 rushing yards, 6 rushing TD, 19 receptions, 184 receiving yards, 2 receiving TD
A staple of Arkansas' running back room the last three seasons, Green moved on to Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the hope for an increase in carries. He unfortunately suffered a lower leg injury that will leave him sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Jaheim Thomas, LB - Wisconsin
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 30
~ Transferred to Wisconsin
Career stats: 72 solo tackles, 185 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks
Much like Paul, Thomas' exit hurt the Hogs' linebacker depth in a big way. He racked up 90 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in the Cardinal and White and will be missed after going to Wisconsin.
Anthony Booker, DT - SMU
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 12
~ Transferred to SMU
Career stats: 38 solo tackles, 66 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumble
Nicknamed "Tank", Booker was a behemoth in the trenches and played as a solid depth piece for the Razorbacks. He'll likely have a more prominent role as a Mustang.
LaDarrius Bishop, DB - UNLV
~ Entered the portal on Jan. 12
~ Transferred to UNLV
Career stats: 34 solo tackles, 59 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss
Bishop always had the edge from a speed perspective, but things never came together for him in Fayetteville. He'll rejoin former Arkansas defensive coordinator at UNLV at a level more suited for his talents.
Joey Su'a, OL - Arizona State
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 13
~ Transferred to Arizona State
Losing an offensive lineman after only one year on campus is always tough, but it was probably best for Su'a and the Razorbacks. He has good size at 6-foot-4, 346-pounds and joins Crook as a Sun Devil.
Malik Chavis, DB - UNLV
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 6
~ Transferred to UNLV
Career Stats: 20 solo tackles, 38 total tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, interception
Accompanying Bishop to Las Vegas, Nevada, is Chavis, another Razorback that could never receive consistent playing time. Odom will look to transform the two SEC transfers into a dangerous secondary in the Mountain West.
Devon Manuel, OL - Florida
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 4
~ Transferred to Florida
Arkansas' offensive line was a weakpoint last season, but Manuel was serviceable at the tackle position as he finished with a 69.4 Pro Football Focus grade in 417 snaps. A highly-coveted transfer prospect, Manuel will look to get his collegiate career back on track at Florida.
Taurean Carter, DT - Colorado
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 4
~ Transferred to Colorado
Career stats: 16 solo tackles, 60 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks
Deion Sanders knows how to work the transfer portal, even if it doesn't always translate in the win-loss record. Still, Carter will excel in a weaker Big 12 at Colorado.
Mani Powell, LB - UNLV
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 4
~ Transferred to UNLV
Career stats: 3 solo tackles, 5 total tackles
Capping off the trio of Arkansas-to-UNLV transfers is Powell, another linebacker prospect that showed flashes but wasn't given enough of an opportunity. He'll have a much clearer path to seeing the field under former Arkansas linebacker coach and now UNLV defensive coordinator Mike Scherer.
Jaylen Lewis, DB - Temple
~ Entered the portal on Dec. 4
~ Transferred to Temple
Career stats: 1 solo tackle, 3 total tackles
Lewis was a seemingly underrated pickup for Arkansas out of Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tennessee, but he only appeared in three games with little production for the Hogs.
Lorando Johnson, DB - Baylor
~ Entered the portal on April 22
~ Transferred to Baylor
Career stats: 20 solo tackles, 29 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, interception, 5 defended passes
Johnson was a roller coaster member of the secondary in his lone season in Fayetteville. Some days he'd make highlight plays and others he'd leave you scratching your head. A physical defensive back with high energy, "Snaxx" will return to his former school in Baylor.
RJ Johnson, DB - Colorado
~ Entered the portal on April 30
~ Transferred to Colorado
No career stats
Not much to say for Johnson, who failed to record any stats for the Hogs.
Dominique Johnson, RB - TCU
~ Entered the portal on April 29
~ Transferred to TCU
Career stats: 136 carries, 785 rushing yards, 8 rushing TD, 9 receptions, 75 receiving yards, receiving TD
It wasn't long ago that Johnson led the team in rushing during the 2021 season with 575 yards. Injuries plagued the big-bodied ball-carrier from cracking the top two of Arkansas' backfield rotation, and he'll look to finish his career with former Arkansas running backs coach Jimmy Smith at TCU.
Jacolby Criswell, QB - North Carolina
~ Entered the portal on April 16
~ Transferred to North Carolina
Career stats: 35-58 passing, 347 passing yards, 4 passing TD, interception, 43 carries, 177 rushing yards, rushing TD
This is one portal destination that doesn't make a ton of sense on paper. Criswell's time as a college quarterback is running out, so why take your chances at the Power 5 level again instead of moving down and likely starting? Criswell will have to battle Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson with the Tar Heels, the same program he started at out of high school.
