Among all of the Group of Five conferences, I would argue the Sun Belt is the league that brought in the least amount of talent via the transfer portal so far. The conference also saw a ton of talent move on with some transferring to other G5 programs while others went to Power Four schools.
Regardless, there are still some players who transferred into the Sun Belt who will make a name for themselves early on, along with a few guys who stayed within the conference.
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LB Luke Murphy, Coastal Carolina
There is an overhaul within the Chanticleers defense after they lost most of their starters to both the transfer portal and graduation. That means there are spots to be earned, and Murphy should claim one of the starting linebacker jobs. The Eastern Michigan transfer was second on the Eagles last season with 94 total tackles and added an interception.
DL Xavier Holmes, James Madison
Holmes was tabbed second-team All-Coastal Athletic Association last year following his standout season with Maine. He finished with 72 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one interception. He started each game the past two seasons and will be an immediate disruptor for the Dukes.
QB Walker Howard, Louisiana
After spending three seasons in the SEC, Walker decided to go back home to Lafayette, where he’ll have the opportunity to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns offense and potentially live up to his pre-college hype where he was ranked among the top QBs in the country prior to committing to LSU. He spent his freshman campaign with the Tigers before spending the last two seasons with Ole Miss. He never played meaningful snaps, but his dual-threat ability should help make Louisiana a conference title contender once again.
DB Lucas Struck, Old Dominion
This junior college product was part of an Iowa Western team that lost in the NJCAA Division I national title game last season and was one of the biggest contributors on its defense. It will be a big step up in competition for Struck, but I think the redshirt sophomore will play a key role in this Monarchs defense. He finished last season with 62 total tackles and five pass breakups.
DB Jayvon Henderson, South Alabama
The Jaguars didn’t bring in a ton of players through the portal, but defensive back was a position of need. Henderson has experience playing both cornerback and safety. He was named to the Phil Steele All-Freshman team following his 2023 campaign where he started at corner for ETSU but transitioned to safety last season.
QB Braylon Braxton, Southern Miss
Braxton may be the biggest transfer addition in the league, which is unfortunate for Marshall that he transferred within conference. The redshirt senior was part of the mass exodus that left when head coach Charles Huff took the job at USM. Braxton was 8-0 as a starter last season and passed for 1,624 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 610 yards and four scores.
CB Josh Moten, Southern Miss
Like Braxton, Moten transferred from Marshall and should be one of the top defensive backs in the league this season. He was an All-Sun Belt honorable mention as a junior last season and finished with five interceptions, five pass breakups, and 38 total tackles.
EDGE Kenard Snyder, Texas State
Snyder returns to the Sun Belt following his one-year stint at Iowa State. There, he played in 10 games where he had eight tackles and two sacks. He played for ULM from 2021-23 and had back-to-back seasons where he posted 60 tackles and double-digit tackles for loss. He earned all-conference honors in 2023 and should return as another solid defender in the league.
CB Kaleno Levine, Troy
There is an opportunity here for Levine to earn a starting cornerback spot and help a defense that struggled against the pass last season and snagged just six interceptions. The Trojans are returning some starters on defense, including two safeties, so if Levine can fill a void, the Troy defense can improve. The senior had a breakout season for Missouri State last year where he tallied 50 tackles and six pass breakups.
RB Zach Palmer-Smith, ULM
The Warhawks lost a standout running back to the portal in Ahmad Hardy, but Palmer-Smith can be a solid replacement. Palmer-Smith finished sixth in the FCS with 1,392 rushing yards last season and added 13 rushing TDs. The Richmond transfer was named second-team All-CAA and rushed for 100-plus yards in six games.
