DL Omarr Norman-Lott, OL Ezra Dotson-Oyetade enter the transfer portal
With the May 1 deadline of players entering the portal being able to remain immediately eligibility this season, Friday saw two more players depart the team in sophomore defensive lineman Omarr-Norman-Lott, and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Ezra Dotson-Oyetade.
With the imminent transfer portal entry of 3-technique tackle starter Jermayne Lole, his presumed backup this season was going to Norman-Lott, therefore making these likely pair of departures crucial for the Sun Devils' depth at this role. Last season Norman-Lott backed up outgoing senior Shannon Forman at this position and recorded 30 total tackles, four tackles for loss, including two sacks in 11 games played. He posted a career-high eight tackles in a single game in the 2021 season finale, where ASU faced Wisconsin in the Las Vegas Bowl. The sophomore played in just one game during a shortened 2020 season.
Norman-Lott’s departure, as well as the presumed departure of Lole, now opens the door for sophomore walk-on BJ Green the team’s sack leader last year (five sacks), and senior B'Admad Miller, who transferred from Maryland last season, as the likely two-deep at 3-technique.
Norman-Lott was one of eight four-star players to sign with the Sun Devils in the 2020 class. Friday’s news now marks the lineman as the fourth such prospect from that group to enter the portal, joining wide receivers Johnny Wilson (transferred to Florida State) and LV Bunkley-Shelton, as well as running back DeaMonte Trayanum (transferred t play linebacker at Ohio State) and linebacker Jordan Banks (transferred to Northwestern State)
Dotson-Oyetade who was one of the highest-rated prospects in ASU's 2021 class and was ranked as the no. 3 center national in that group didn't see any game action last season. During this past spring practice, he was lined up at backup center, but the arrival of Iowa State graduate transfer offensive lineman Joey Ramos post-spring was seemingly a personnel move that could have adversely affected Dotson-Oyetade’s niche.
The now-former offensive lineman's departure marks the third of the total four-star prospects signed in ASU's 2021 class, as defensive back Tommi Hill (transferred to Nebraska) and wide receiver Lonyatta (Junior) Alexander (transferred to Washington) entered the transfer portal earlier in the year.
With this tandem of departures, there are currently 16 ASU players who have entered the portal since the end of last season.