Some news and notes on recent portal entries.
Miami DB Marcus Clarke
Clarke, who had a promising 2021 season, surprised many when he entered the portal on Friday. Not as surprising is that he quickly received a ton of interest. Kansas, Florida State, Wisconsin, Oregon, South Carolina and Penn State were a few of the schools that showed immediate serious interest. On Monday morning Clarke hinted that he would make a final decision that night, but then that tweet was deleted. Still expect a decision sooner than later, with the Jayhawks and Seminoles the two favorites at this time.
LSU DB Jordan Toles
Upon entering the portal, Toles was immediately linked to a move closer to his Maryland home. On Tuesday morning that became more of a reality when he tweeted “I’m coming home”. But since he has yet to announce his destination, where will he continue his collegiate career? Maryland was the early thought, but Old Dominion, Morgan State, Howard and James Madison have also been chasing. He’s asked for an edit on social media so an announcement is coming.
Louisville OL Kobe Baynes
After picking up several offers, Baynes ended his process with a commitment to Kansas on Monday. The Jayhawks added a quality group of players during the 2021/2022 cycle and started off the 2022/2023 cycle in the same fashion with the addition of Baynes, who will appeal with the NCAA to play this season.
USC OL/DL Maximus Gibbs
It is somewhat surprising that Gibbs hasn’t picked his future home yet. The listing of schools that are in the hunt remain similar to last week, with Oregon, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Illinois, BC, Penn State, Arkansas State and Utah State all involved.
Penn State DL Ken Talley
Talley has been busy since he entered the portal, but one school has recently begun to stand out. Michigan State has taken a more aggressive approach in recent days and now look like the frontrunner. However, Talley may still play a JUCO season this fall due to academic issues, so this process is not as open-and-shut as others.
Penn State RB Caziah Holmes
Marshall has made the biggest push during the last week, while schools like Western Kentucky, Florida, Old Dominion, UTSA and UNLV remain involved. With the announcement that Rasheen Ali is taking a leave of absence from football, Marshall could make even more sense here.
Arkansas WR Jaquayln Crawford
North Texas, Texas State, James Madison, UNLV and FCS programs like Alabama A&M, Abilene Christian, Jacksonville State and Western Illinois are a few of the schools that have expressed interest since Crawford entered the portal on Saturday.
