In recent years, the transfer portal has become a bigger and bigger factor in college football. With the NCAA allowing student-athletes to transfer once without penalty, utilizing the transfer portal has been a way for college programs to have a sense of free agency by being able to drastically change their rosters in just one year.

Liberty head football coach Hugh Freeze and his staff have utilized the transfer portal and brought in JUCO transfers to help the Flames make the transition to the FBS and now to compete with the top Group of Five programs in the country. This year’s signing class has been no different.

At the December signing period, Liberty brought in a total of six transfers – four from the portal and two JUCO transfers. Since that time, the Flames have not slowed down with transfers and have added an additional five players from the portal for the 2022 season. These transfers have come from the JUCO ranks, FCS, G5 and several P5 schools including Utah, Minnesota, BYU, Auburn, and Kentucky.

How will these moves affect Liberty’s roster in 2022? Let’s take a look at it position by position.

QUARTERBACK

Coach Freeze has brought in his fourth transfer quarterback since coming to Liberty, one each season. The most notable, obviously, has been projected first round NFL Draft pick Malik Willis. Chris Ferguson and Kaidon Salter have also joined the program the past two years, and this year Freeze brought in Charlie Brewer.

Brewer has one season of eligibility remaining. He began his career at Baylor where he started 39 games for the Bears and ranks second on their career list for passing yards and passing touchdowns while helping them to the 2020 Sugar Bowl. He comes to Liberty after spending one season at Utah, and he will have a shot at winning the starting quarterback position, replacing Malik Willis.

RUNNING BACK

Dae Dae Hunter comes to Liberty from Hawaii, and he will slide into the Flames’ rotation at running back as Joshua Mack’s eligibility has come to an end. Hunter rushed for 651 yards and three touchdowns at Hawaii in 2021, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Alongside TJ Green and Shedro Louis, the Flames should not skip a beat at running back this coming season.

WIDE RECEIVER

Outside wide receiver was one of Liberty’s biggest weak spots on offense in 2021. Freeze knew that and made it a priority in recruiting. Enter Caleb Snead. The Lynchburg native comes to liberty after starring at Campbell where he has amassed 2,439 yards and 25 touchdowns. Just in 2021, Snead had over 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. He will immediately help fill a void on the team at outside receiver.

TIGHT END

Freeze wanted to get longer at tight end, and the Flames have brought in two transfers at the position to help ease the loss of Johnny Huntley and Trevor Hobbs. Minnesota’s Austin Henderson and BYU’s Bentley Hanshaw provide that big body at the position and each have several years of eligibility remaining. Henderson is 6’6″ and Hanshaw is 6’5″, and both will fight for playing time immediately behind Jerome Jackson and alongside Michael Bollinger and Brayden Monday.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The most targeted position for transfers this cycle has been on the offensive line where the Flames have already brought in three prospects who will fight for starting spots immediately. Colorado State transfer center Cam Reddy has started the past two seasons for the Rams and he was named honorable mention All-Mountain West in 2020. Reddy will be the favorite to replace five year starter Thomas Sargeant at center while John Kourtis will push him.

Liberty is also welcoming tackles Reggie Young and Naasir Watkins. Young comes from the JUCO ranks where he was one of the top 50 Junior College prospects nationally. Look for him provide depth and push for a starting spot at either tackle. The 6’5″, 305 pound Watkins has one season of eligibility remaining. He was a rotation piece in both 2018 and 2019 at Kentucky before a knee injury sidelined him in 2020 and he did not play in 2021. If he is back to full strength from his injury, Watkins could slide into a starting spot immediately and he will certainly be a part of the rotation on the line.

DEFENSIVE LINE

The Flames got a huge boost to it’s already deep and talented defensive line with the addition of Auburn’s Dre Butler. The former four-star JUCO recruit, Butler played in nine games with 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack in 2020. This past season, he played in four games with six tackles.

Liberty is absolutely loaded on the defensive line now. Butler joins fellow Auburn transfer Jay Hardy who joined the program prior to the 2021 campaign. Both will compete for playing time at defensive tackle alongside Henry Chibueze, Bryce Dixon, Khristian Zachary, Kendy Charles, and Chris Boti. Wow, talk about depth.

 LINEBACKER

JUCO transfer Mike Smith, Jr. was one of the jewels of the early signing period. He decommitted from Kansas just ahead of signing with the Flames after averaging 10 tackles per game at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Flames will need him to fill in immediately at a position that loses Rashaad Harding, Storey Jackson, and Aaron Pierre.

DEFENSIVE BACK

Kobe Singleton has transferred to Liberty from Southern Utah. In 2021 as a freshman, he recorded 22 tackles with three interceptions and six pass break ups while having a pick six in his first collegiate game. He was named an FCS All-American All-Freshman team by HERO sports. He will factor into Liberty’s rotation at corner alongside Chris Megginson and Daijahn Anthony.