Do Want (won't get) List:
Bryan Thompson, WR, Utah: One of the highest-rated receiver recruits in recent history for the Utes, Thompson had emerged as a key contributor in Salt Lake City. He caught 18 passes for 461 yards and an eye-popping 25.6 yards per catch in 2019. Thompson finished second on the team with 187 yards in 2020, averaging 20.8 yards per catch. He’s one of the best deep threats in the portal.
Joshua Pakola, DE, Stanford: Pakola didn’t contribute much during his brief Cardinal career, redshirting during the 2019 season and playing in just three games during Stanford’s abbreviated 2020 season. Pakola is, however, a former four-star prospect and was once one of the most sought after recruits on the West Coast. He ranked as the No. 192 overall player in the 2019 class.
Lance Dixon, LB, Penn State: Dixon never did meet his recruiting hype in Happy Valley, peaking at 10 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in nine games during the 2020 season. But Dixon is still a former five-star recruit and an elite athlete at linebacker, which means he’s likely to find another high-level Power Five home. Michigan, which just hired Dixon’s high school head coach, makes a ton of sense.
Jacquez Williams, LB, Wake Forest: Wake Forest continues to lose some of its most productive players to the transfer portal each season. Williams is the latest example. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker has posted 73 tackles in back-to-back seasons, finishing with 12.5 tackles for loss in that stretch. He led Wake Forest in tackles in 2020 while finishing second in tackles for loss and third in sacks.
***Brendan Radley-Hiles, DB, Oklahoma: Radley-Hiles finished his three-year tenure in Norman with 115 tackles, nine tackles for loss and a trio of interceptions. Radley-Hiles started 32 games in that stretch, posting his best career season in 2020 with a 73.6 PFF Grade; he was under 60 each of his first two seasons. Once compared to Tyrann Mathieu, Radley-Hiles ranked as the No. 38 overall player in the 2018 class.***
Kaleb Ford-Dement, DB, Old Dominion: Ford-Dement, like the entire Old Dominion program, did not play during the 2020 season. Before his extended break, Ford-Dement was one of the best cornerbacks in C-USA, earning second-team all-conference honors during his first season with the Monarchs. Ford-Dement finished the 2019 campaign with a program record 13 pass breakups to go along with 26 tackles and two interceptions.
