Cincinnati Bearcats football announces recent transfer portal additions
A bit over a month since they announced a high school signing class of 21 incoming freshmen, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football squad has added 10 more transfer portal players. This is in addition to the seven transfers that joined the fold in late December.
That gives coach Scott Satterfield 27 new scholarship players (10 high school early enrollees plus 17 transfers) on campus for spring practice which will begin sometime in early March. UC's annual spring game is expected to take place April 13.
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Among the transfers are all-conference players, a 1,000-yard receiver, a national leader in interceptions and some team captains.
“I’m thrilled to welcome this group to the University of Cincinnati and to our football program,” Satterfield said. “They are all talented players who also bring big-game experience and leadership to our team. They are ready to get to work. We got better this offseason, and I’m looking forward to the competition at every position during winter workouts and spring practice.”
10 recent transfers
Defensive lineman Kameron Wilson
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Wilson transferred to UC from Louisville, where he played in 23 games over four seasons as a reserve defensive lineman. In 2023, he finished with 14 tackles over 12 games, including 2.5 TFLs and two sacks. Wilson had a sack against Kentucky and a half-TFL versus Florida State in the 2023 ACC Championship Game.
Linebacker Jared Bartlett
The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Bartlett enters this fall with 50 games played and 26 starts at West Virginia, having recorded 135 tackles, 21 TFLs and 14 sacks. In 2023, Bartlett led WVU with 4.5 sacks and added 6.0 TFLs and 50 tackles.
The former Collins (Ga.) High School star is the brother of former Pittsburgh Steeler Stephon Tuitt.
Defensive back Logan Wilson
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Wilson was a two-year starter at safety and a team captain at North Texas where he totaled 112 tackles, three interceptions and 11 passes defended over 28 games from 2022 to 2023.
He collected All-Conference USA honorable mention honors in 2022. He transferred to North Texas from Louisiana-Monroe and also redshirted at Kansas State in 2019.
Defensive end Darian Varner
The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Varner transferred to the Bearcats after one season at Wisconsin where he played in 12 games and had 1.5 TFLs.
He previously starred at Temple, collecting All-AAC First Team accolades as a sophomore in 2022 after tallying 7.5 sacks and 12.5 TFLs for the Owls. He has 19.5 TFLs and 10.5 sacks in his career.
Running back Chance Williams
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Williams was one of the nation’s best Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) running backs in 2023. The Baton Rouge, La., native rushed for 878 yards and six touchdowns on 148 carries for Grambling State en route to Second Team All-SWAC honors. He added 15 receptions for 135 yards and touchdown, as well, and had three 100-yard performances, including 106 yards on seven carries at LSU, 174 yards and a score against Texas Southern and 119 yards and two touchdowns versus Bethune-Cookman.
Defensive back Mehki Miller
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Miller played three seasons for the Miami RedHawks before two standout seasons as a safety at New Mexico State in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he finished with 60 tackles and two interceptions, including a 57-yard pick-six at Western Kentucky.
Defensive back Joshua Minkins
The 6-foot-2, 196-pound Minkins was a four-year contributor at Louisville, finishing with 55 tackles, three pass breakups and one interception while starting all 13 games at safety in 2022. He led Louisville with seven tackles in a win over Georgia Tech to open the 2023 season, but suffered a hamstring injury that hampered him early in the season. Still, he totaled 21 tackles over 11 games, making three starts.
He wrapped up his Cardinals’ career with 99 tackles, five passes defended and two tackles for loss over 41 games, logging 17 starts along the way. Minkins briefly committed to West Virginia, then de-committed to rejoin Satterfield whom he played under at Louisville.
Defensive back Derrick Canteen
The 5-foot-11, 194-pound Canteen collected All-Sun Belt honors twice and Freshman All-America honors at Georgia Southern before tallying 43 tackles at Virginia Tech in 2023.
The Evans, Georgia native was tied for the FBS lead with a school-record six interceptions in 2020. He also had 48 tackles and 10 pass breakups en route to 2020 First Team All-Sun Belt and Freshman All-America accolades.
Tight end Joe Royer
A 6-5, 255-pound Cincinnati native, Royer appeared in 14 games and made four catches as a tight end for Ohio State from 2021 to 2023. He had two receptions against Georgia in the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinals.
Royer was a consensus four-star prospect and among the Top 10 recruits in Ohio coming out of Elder High School in the 2020 signing class. He caught 70 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns in his prep career and grabbed First-Team All-Ohio honors as a senior in 2019.
Wide Receiver Tyrin Smith
The 5-foot-7, 170-pound Smith led UTEP in receptions (71), receiving yards (1,039) and touchdown catches (seven) in 2022, collecting honorable mention Conference USA accolades. His 86.6 yards per game average ranked second in the league and his 71 receptions ranked fourth. He had four 100-yard games in 2022, including a 183-yard performance at New Mexico, 127 yards versus UNT, 106 yards at Charlotte and a 10-catch, 117-yard effort versus MTSU.
Injuries kept him to four games in 2023, making 19 grabs for 191 yards and a score. For his career, he totaled 123 receptions for 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns over 29 games at UTEP.
UC's 7 transfers from December
Ormanie Arnold
A 5-foot-10, 175-pound cornerback formerly of Idaho. He started all 13 games for Idaho last season and recorded 33 tackles and two interceptions. He also totaled five pass breakups and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown.
Mikah Coleman
A 6-foot-5, 253-pound defensive end formerly of Eastern Michigan. The native of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Coleman had a breakout season in 2023 where he led Eastern Michigan in sacks (4.5) and tackles-for-loss (6.5), both career highs. The defensive end earned four starts and played in all 12 games, recording a career-high in total tackles with 38.
Tony Johnson
A 5-foot-11, 180-pound receiver formerly of Florida Atlantic. Johnson had a standout season at FAU last season, hauling in 37 passes for 411 yards and four touchdowns. He led the Owls in receiving three times last year and recorded his first career 100-yard game against USF (131 yards).
Jayden Perry
A 6-foot-4, 225-pound long snapper formerly of Indiana State. He was perfect on all snap attempts during his career. Perry began his career at Coastal Carolina in 2019 before transferring to ISU in 2022
Evan Pryor
A 5-foot-11, 198-pound running back formerly of Ohio State. Pryor appeared in four games last season at Ohio State, rushing for 49 yards on 19 carriers. He had his best season in 2021 when he tallied 98 yards on 21 carries and one touchdown.
Brendan Sorsby
A 6-foot-3, 230-pound quarterback formerly of Indiana. The Denton, Texas, native passed for 1,587 yards and 15 touchdowns with only five interceptions as a redshirt freshman at Indiana this fall. He appeared in 10 games with seven starts, including a five-touchdown game at Illinois and a three-touchdown passing effort at Penn State in his first career road start.
"We like the fact that he's a big player," Satterfield said. "He's not easily swayed in the pocket. He's going to make those throws that you need to make down the field. He also shows ability to get out of trouble and run the football. He's a powerful runner that can get first downs and touchdowns."
Kye Stokes
A 6-foot-1, 195-pound safety formerly of Ohio State. The Seffner, Florida native joined his former Ohio State teammate Pryor in heading down from Columbus to Cincinnati. Stokes played in 11 games during his time as a Buckeye. During the 2022 season, he racked up 12 tackles and forced a fumble in eight games.
Of the new players, none get cleared without the blessing of the Bearcat leaders that have stayed like Dontay Corleone, Corey Kiner, Gavin Gerhardt, Luke Kandra and Mason Fletcher.
"They sign off," Satterfield confirmed.
10 early enrollees from high school
QB Samaj Jones, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaWR Kale Woodburn, Warner Robins, GeorgiaWR Dakarai Anderson, Perry, GeorgiaTE Devyn Zahursky, Berea, OhioTE Gavin Grover, Lewis Center, OhioOL Jake Wheelock, Dayton, OhioLB Simeon Coleman, Seat Pleasant, MarylandDB Jiquan Sanks, Columbus, GeorgiaDB Zaravion "Gravy" Johnson, Clinton, South CarolinaDB Willie Goodwyn, Montgomery, Alabama
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New transfer portal additions to know for Cincinnati Bearcats football
