Arkansas State football lands three transfers over the weekend

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Arkansas State football landed their 15th, 16th and 17th transfer portal additions to the 2023 roster Saturday afternoon: Illinois wide receiver Khmari Thompson, Memphis kickoff specialist Noah Grant and Georgia Southern tight end/long snapper Nathan Tillman.

Thompson, a 6-1 grad transfer, appeared in seven games for Illinois last year in his junior season, getting on the field for 31 total snaps. He saw the most action as a kick returner in 2020, returning 12 kicks for 234 yards. The Missouri native started his college career at Mizzou in 2018. He committed to Arkansas State over Elon, Eastern Kentucky, Alcorn State and Jackson State, among others.

Grant, listed as both a punter and a kicker, has appeared in 20 games as a kickoff specialist in 2021 and 2022. The sophomore had 15 touchbacks on 41 kickoffs for the Tigers in 8 games in 2022. In 2021, he had 35 touchbacks on 69 kickoffs, leaving the opponent’s average starting field position after kickoff at 26.8, fifth in the American according to Pro Football Focus.

Grant will walk on and be in the mix to replace last year’s kickoff specialist Tristan Mattson, who transferred to Central Michigan.

Tillman will also be a walk-on, joining the pack after spending the last two seasons as a long snapper at Georgia Southern. He was redshirted in 2021 and did not see the field in 2022. The Georgia native will join his brother, Dakota, in Jonesboro. Dakota joined Butch Jones’ staff as a Special Teams Analyst in February.

2023 Arkansas State Football Transfer Portal Tracker

Arrivals

• OL Jacob Bayer (Junior, Lamar)
  • The 6-4, 286-pound center started all 22 games over two seasons for the Cardinals, allowing just two sacks over two seasons. Graded as a top-30 center in all of FCS according to Pro Football Focus. Has 2 years of eligibility left.
• DT Micah Bland (Senior, North Alabama/Louisville)
  • Bland started all 11 games for the Lions this season, racking up 54 tackles and 4 TFLs with a career-high 11 tackles at Kennesaw State. He recorded 42 tackles and 2 sacks in 2021.
  • Bland started his career at Louisville, where he played 6 games and 50 snaps in 2020.
  • Has 1 year of eligibility left.
• RB Zak Wallace (Junior, UT Martin)
  • Wallace is a two-time First Team All-OVC selection, rushing for 1,012 yards for the Skyhawks in 2022 (6.0 yards per carry) to go with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2022. The Benton native needed just 13 touches to get a season-high 220 yards against Lindenwood. Had 4 touchdowns and 155 yards against Houston Christian. His 54 first downs, 32 missed tackles forced and 18 runs of 15+ yards ranked top 3 in the OVC.
  • Career at UT Martin (35 total games): 1,960 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, 32 touchdowns.
  • Has 2 years of eligibility left.
• OL Tobias Braun (Sophomore, Ole Miss)
• OL Hamilton Hall (Senior, Ole Miss)
• WR Courtney Jackson (Junior, Syracuse)
• CB Manny Stokes (Senior, Coastal Carolina)
  • Career at Coastal Carolina (34 games): 48 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 FR, 4 pass deflections, 248 kick return yards
  • 2022 (missed last four games, played 9 games): 23 targets against, 17 receptions, 263 yards, 1 TD allowed.
• LB Gavin Potter (Senior, Kansas)
  • Career at Kansas (37 games, 25 starts): 174 tackles, 11 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 TD.
  • Entered the transfer portal in October after playing in four games, logging 73 snaps played.
  • His best season was in 2021: 78 tackles (3rd on the team), 5 TFL in 11 starts (all career-highs)
  • Was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention for Freshman of the Year in 2019.
  • Has 2 seasons of eligibility
• OL Jalen Cunningham (Senior, Ole Miss)
  • Has appeared in 46 games in four seasons at Ole Miss.
  • Primarily played on special teams, but saw action at left and right guard.
• QB J.T. Shrout (Redshirt Junior, Colorado/Tennessee)
  • Played in 17 games in 4 seasons at Colorado and Tennessee.
  • Tossed for over 1200 yards with 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 2022 for the Buffs.
• WR Corey Rucker (Junior, South Carolina)
  • The All-Sun Belt receiver spent the 2022 season at South Carolina, where he had a 52-yard touchdown reception against Charlotte in September. He missed the bulk of the year with a foot injury.
  • Rucker led the Red Wolves in 2021 with 59 catches for 826 yards and 9 touchdowns. The Mississippi native earned All-Sun Belt 2nd Team and Freshman All-American honors.
• DB Donte Thompson (Junior, Incarnate Word)
  • Thompson appeared in all 14 games for the 12-2 Cardinals last season, playing 774 snaps with 17 pass breakups (3rd in FCS) and an interception. Receivers caught 25 passes on 57 targets against Thompson, going for 295 yards and just 1 touchdown. He also added 37 tackles, 2.5 TFL and a forced fumble.
  • He was named First Team All-Southland Conference as a defensive back as the Cardinals finished 12-2, falling in the FCS Semifinals to North Dakota State.
• DB Davon Martin (Junior, Tyler JC/Middle Tennessee)
  • Had 18 FBS offers.
• DL Nate Martey (Sophomore, Princeton)
  • 2022: 25 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, fumble recovery.
• WR Khmari Thompson (Grad transfer, Illinois/Missouri)
• K/P Noah Grant (Sophomore walk-on, Memphis)
• DS/TE Nathan Tillman (Redshirt freshman walk-on, Georgia Southern)

Departures

• CB Kenneth Harris (Sophomore) - Transferring to Oklahoma State
  • 2022 with Red Wolves: 36 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 10 pass breakups, 1 interception
  • Now the 6th player from the 2020 A-State football roster to end up transferring to a Power 5 school/Notre Dame: Terry Hampton (Arkansas), Corey Rucker (South Carolina), Jarrett Horst (Michigan State), Andre Harris (Duke), Kenneth Harris (Oklahoma State), Blake Grupe (Notre Dame).
• TE Seydou Traore (Sophomore) - Back in transfer portal after committing to Colorado
  • 2022 with Red Wolves: Ranked first in the Sun Belt Conference among tight ends for receptions (50) and receiving yards (655), while also ranking second among the same group for touchdown receptions (4). He ranks third among FBS tight ends for receiving yards and yards per catch (13.10). He recorded a career-high 120 receiving yards and a touchdown against Memphis and was responsible for at least 50 receiving yards in six games. Was PFF’s 6th highest-graded TE in 2022.
• P Ryan Hanson (Redshirt Sophomore) - Transferring to James Madison
  • 2022 with Red Wolves: 48 punts, 2,098 yards (43.7 yd average), 19 punts inside 20, long 68 yds
• CB KaRon Coleman (Redshirt Sophomore) - Transferring to Western Illinois
  • 2022 with Red Wolves: 6 tackles, 2 pass breakups in 5 games.
• DL Deris Jackson (Redshirt Freshman) - Transferring to Southern
  • Appeared in 2 games at A-State in 2021, did not play in 2022.
• K Tristan Mattson (Redshirt Sophomore) - Transferring to Central Michigan
  • The kickoff specialist for the Red Wolves had a career-high 27 touchbacks on 63 kickoffs in 2022
• OL Ethan Miner (Redshirt sophomore) - Transferring to North Texas
  • Played in 32 games over last 3 seasons. Started at guard and tackle
• OL Kyle Kelly (Redshirt sophomore) - Transferring to Northern Iowa
  • Appeared in 2 games in 3 seasons at A-State. Played in 2 snaps vs. Grambling in 2022.
• WR Omari Walker (Redshirt freshman) - Transferring to Rhode Island
  • Walker recorded 3 receptions for 28 yards in 7 total games between 2021 and 2022. Had 2 receptions for 11 yards against Ohio State this season.
• WR Marquis Harris (Freshman) - Transferring to Grambling
  • 6-5 wideout did not play in his true freshman season in 2022. Harris was a late addition to the Red Wolves roster in 2022 after flipping his original commitment from Grambling.
• LB Tristan Shorter (Redshirt freshman) - Transferring to Northwest Mississippi Community College
  • Recorded a tackle in 1 game (Old Dominion) in 2022.
• LB Vershaud Richardson (Redshirt sophomore)
  • Appeared in 2 games over last 3 seasons, both in 2020.
• DB Ahmad Robinson (Freshman)
  • Robinson appeared in 5 games during his true freshman campaign in 2022, assisting in 2 tackles at Louisiana. Saw the most playing time in the homecoming win over ULM, playing 41 snaps on defense.
• TE/LB Israel Whitmore (Redshirt freshman)
  • Appeared in 6 games in 2022, recording 1 tackle
• RB Isaiah Azubuike (Redshirt junior)
  • Was not listed on the roster in 2022, had 238 career yards on 59 total carries between 11 games in 2019 and 2020, scoring a touchdown against Memphis. Was redshirted in 2021.
• RB Bobby McMillan (Redshirt freshman)
  • Was redshirted in 2021, did not play in 2022.
• RB Ay’Jon Green (Redshirt sophomore)
  • Hazen native did not play in 2022 after transferring in from Arizona Christian University.

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