Predicting where all these players in the transfer portal are going to end up is really hard… so I’m gonna keep trying I guess. You can read part one of this series here and part two over there. Part three is coming up but I’d also like for y’all to send suggestions for this series my way. Please feel free to tweet me what players I should predict landing spots for next! Alas, time to predict spots for these three portal phenoms.

Aaron Anderson – WR

2022: Did Not Play (Knee)

My eyes lit up at 4:01 p.m. PST on Dec. 12 of 2022. Why? Okay well it’s obviously because Aaron Anderson entered the transfer portal and I was SHOCKED and INTRIGUED! Most of you probably know that I’m not into recruiting really at all, yet every year I’ll become very interested a few recruits and hold high hopes for their futures. Anderson became one of my guys in the 2022 class. The New Orleans kid and Edna Karr standout was a top 40 recruit and took his talents to Tuscaloosa. I wrote about him back in April and told everyone to invest in him. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury and missed so much time. He got healthy enough to play near the end of the season but couldn’t get on the field which makes sense. After thinking about it some more, this move does make a ton of sense to me as Alabama has so much talented youth in the receiving corps. Anderson never got to make an impression this fall, so why not leave now and go to another big-time program where you can find yourself atop the depth chart early on? It’s only a matter of time before a very good team gets even better by adding Aaron Anderson. He’s a 5-foot-9, 184-pound wideout that is built like Tyreek Hill. He’s got dynamic cutting ability and insane wiggle to go with all the electricity in the world. I think he’s going to be a prolific playmaker the second he steps onto the field. At this moment we’re unsure of who has reached out and offered him, but I’m confident every FBS school has interest.

Prediction: LSU – He’s a New Orleans kid. He played at Edna Karr. He was once committed to LSU. I could be tripping but I feel like this fit is so obvious. Aaron Anderson goes back home and stays in the ultra competitive SEC West. He’d be seeing playing time right away and would form a ludicrous trio at receiver with Kayshon Boutte and Malik Nabers. With expectations of LSU making a move at quarterback in 2023 whether it be Garrett Nussmeier or an addition via the portal, you should expect a more consistent passing attack that makes the receiving corps quite happy, quite often. Aaron Anderson and LSU are the ideal match, and he’d be a fan favorite from the second he commits once again.

Malik Hornsby – QB

2022: 13/27 – 268 Passing Yards – 1 TD/2 INT

The stats don’t tell the whole story here. Malik Hornsby is a stud and is easily one of the top athletes in college football. He’s a track star and he’s been told plenty of times that he could be a dang good wide receiver with a strong chance of playing on Sundays. But his heart belongs to the quarterback position. After struggling to do much when he saw the field in 2022 and disagreeing with his coaching staff on a number of things, Hornsby made a quality business decision and hit the portal. I really think Hornsby has a shot to be an absolute dawg at QB, but the program he pledges to will play a major decision in that belief holding strong or fading away. And Malik said it himself, the “number one (priority) is the playing style of the school, how they plan on using me.” This kid is a gifted athlete with world class speed and a live arm. He needs proper coaching — guys willing to work day in and day out to help craft him into a lethal thrower of the rock. Hornsby has received offers from schools such as: Florida, Missouri, Nebraska, Grambling State, Texas State, and FAU, among others. And I know exactly where his new home should be…

Prediction: Texas State – Now this won’t exactly be a no-brainer to many. It’s going to be quite difficult for people to fully understand why Malik Hornsby might choose this struggling Sun Belt program over legit Power Five programs. I have the simplest answer… G.J. Kinne. The 34-year-old was just named the newest head coach at Texas State and he’s proven to be a stellar coach in just a short period of time. He was a grad assistant at SMU in 2017. Look how quickly he’s climbed this ladder! Alas, the reason for this move is due to Kinne’s explosive offense and attention to detail at the quarterback spot. In just one season at Incarnate Word, he has taken the program to new heights and has Lindsey Scott Jr. playing at an extraordinary level in an offense that is catered to every single one of his strengths. I know for a fact that Hornsby could put up silly numbies in Kinne’s system. He’d have freedom to play his game and just have fun out there, and he’d get to learn from one of the brightest young minds in our sport. To me, this is a no-brainer. 

Devontez Walker – WR

2022: 58 Catches – 921 Receiving Yards – 11 Touchdowns

Much like his former Kent State teammate Dante Cephas, Devontez Walker is one of the most intriguing names in the portal for me. I already predicted where I think Cephas will go, so why not throw a dart for Walker too? He broke out in 2022 with a strong year in the flash fast offense at Kent State. His breakout wasn’t too surprising after we got a glimpse at his talent in the final game of the 2021 season… the Potato Bowl. Walker burned the Wyoming defense for a 73-yard score late in the fourth and took all that momentum into the 2022 season. His most impressive performance came against Georgia when he hauled in seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown. He had his way with the best defense in the country, and I’m sure the Georgia offense would love to add him to the roster. He’s a 6-foot-3 wideout that takes very long strides and wins with majestic speed and such grace. I’m sure you can tell how much I love the way Walker moves on the field. His offers are unknown at the time but he’ll garner significant interest from programs far and wide.

Prediction: North Carolina – North Carolina has that lad Drake Maye at quarterback and he’s losing Josh Downs and Antoine Green, who just so happened to be his top two targets in 2022. I like the idea of Devontez Walker at UNC for several reasons. The first being I think he gets a quick chance to become Maye’s top target, and I love that for both players. Working with Maye will provide Walker with the bonus of being all over the tape when folks are checking Maye out for the 2024 NFL Draft. They see Maye thriving, they will see Devontez too. I also just think he’d fit in very nicely. Maye loves looking downfield and Walker thrives vertically with his skillset. Maye is going to make a serious run at the Heisman next season, and Walker will simply be putting up terrific numbers to help out the cause. I just think this is an easy win-win for all parties involved and really need to see this happen.