When the transfer portal window opened in early December 2023 until its closure earlier this month, hordes of players across the college football world decided to relocate from one school to another.
Though the departures so far certainly are not as vast in number or as significant in terms of on-field losses as last year, Arizona State saw its share of portal entries as 13 scholarship players have entered the portal from the start of the 2023 season to the present day.
In some cases, losing players to the transfer portal can be devastating to a team’s development, while in others, players who are unhappy with playing time or their overall role with the team can seek a fresh start elsewhere and open a scholarship opportunity for another player.
Though this list almost certainly will not represent all the transfers ASU will lose prior to the start of the 2024 season as another portal window will come in the spring, in this edition of Sun Devil Science, we break down how Arizona State figures to be impacted by the transfer departures that have occurred so far.
Each player is given an impact ranking ranging from 1 (little to no significant impact on ASU for 2024 caused by the player’s departure) to 3 (significant impact on ASU for 2024). The impact ranking factors in both the individual player’s expected ability to contribute as well as how ASU’s depth chart at the position figures to be able to replace the departed performer in 2024.
DB Jordan Clark
New Team: Notre Dame
Eligibility (2024): RS-SR
Summary: One of the longest-tenured Sun Devils on the roster, Clark came to Arizona State in 2019, and across his five seasons in Tempe, he appeared in 39 games with 139 total tackles, including 6.5 for loss with 20 pass breakups and three interceptions. Clark also emerged as one of the premier team leaders during his tenure at ASU.
Shortly after the end of the 2023 season, Clark entered the transfer portal and very quickly chose Notre Dame as the playing home for his final year of eligibility.
Impact: 2.5 – A locker room leader with a wealth of collegiate experience, Clark’s absence leaves a noticeable hole in the team and its culture, but on the field, ASU appears generally well-equipped to replace the departed veteran, making the net result of his departure less damaging than it otherwise could have been.
Across the safety spots and the nickel defensive back position, ASU returns capable players such as Shamari Simmons and Macen Williams while a list of first-year competitors for ASU such as incoming transfers Myles Rowser, Kamari Wilson, Cole Martin, and perhaps true freshman Tony-Louis Nkuba along with Xavion Alford and Montana Warren, two athletes who were on the Sun Devil roster in 2023 but did not see the field, create a general position group that should be deep and talented enough to mitigate the on-field losses that would otherwise have been experienced due to Clark’s departure.
In 2023, Clark totaled 50 tackles, including 1.5 for loss with nine pass breakups – single-season collegiate career highs in tackles and PBUs for Clark.
QB Jacob Conover
New Team: Unknown
Eligibility (2024): RS-JR
Summary: One of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the history of high school football in the state of Arizona, Conover transferred to ASU from BYU shortly after Kenny Dillingham’s arrival in late 2022. The former high three-star prospect from Chandler High School appeared in three games in 2023, completing just 11-of-38 passes (28.95%) for 130 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
Impact: 1 – Simply put, Conover struggled mightily in the action he saw for ASU in 2023, which itself only came after three players ahead of him on the depth chart were injured. Objectively, it would have been difficult for him to have consistently been any higher than QB4 on the depth chart in 2024, barring another rash of injuries at the position.
As of this publication, Conover has not selected his next collegiate home but seems best suited for a Group of Five or FCS program moving forward.
TE Jalin Conyers
New Team: Texas Tech
Eligibility (2024): RS-SR
Summary: After transferring to ASU from Oklahoma after the 2020 season, Conyers burst upon the scene in the late half of the 2022 campaign and entered 2023 with realistic expectations to be an All-America caliber performer and an early entry NFL Draft pick.
To say the least, things did not go as planned, as Conyers encountered a variety of matters that impacted his play on the field in 2023. He caught 30 passes for 362 yards – by no means terrible numbers but a notable drop-off from his 38 receptions for 422 yards in 2022 – and he did not register a touchdown reception on the year. To his credit, he accepted very new roles throughout the 2023 season for ASU that saw him earn extensive reps at quarterback.
As the transfer portal opened, Conyers opted to seek a third college home to spend his final year of eligibility and ultimately chose Texas Tech.
Impact: 3 – Yes, much more was expected than what was delivered by Conyers in 2023 in terms of production at tight end, but he still has the potential to be a collegiate standout and a highly viable NFL prospect. Though his 2023 productivity was about half of what Sun Devil fans expected, he certainly still should be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Also, it remains to be seen how ASU’s tight end position group will fare in 2024 with Bryce Pierre, a high-upside athlete but a player with relatively limited experience compared to Conyers, atop the depth chart with mainly incoming transfers behind him.
DB Josiah Cox
New Team: New Mexico State
Eligibility (2024): RS-FR
Summary: Cox came to ASU as a safety prospect from San Diego and chose the Sun Devils over Power Conference offers from Arizona, Indiana, and Oregon State. He is not credited with any game appearances in 2023 for the Sun Devils.
Cox transferred to New Mexico State in hopes that the change of scenery could result in more opportunities.
Impact: 1 – Due to the fact that Cox did not see the field as a true freshman in 2023 and was not discussed as a highly viable candidate for significant playing time in 2024, his impact can not be deemed significant until he proves otherwise on the field at the college level.
LB James Djonkam
New Team: Eastern Michigan
Eligibility (2024): SR
Summary: Djonkam came to Arizona State prior to the 2022 season from the junior college level, and in total, for the Sun Devils, he appeared in all 24 games of the 2022-23 seasons, collecting 35 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and one blocked kick.
The Virginia native chose Eastern Michigan as the destination for his final season of playing eligibility.
Impact: 1.5 – Though he was a valuable special teams player and depth competitor at linebacker, he was never a highly viable candidate for high-level playing time, which is likely one of the primary motivating factors behind his decision to transfer. Added to that, ASU gained three FBS transfers at linebacker in the winter portal window – two of which were their respective team’s leading tackler in 2023 – so the depth and quality of ASU’s linebackers figures to improve quite a bit in 2024 compared to last year.
OL Isaia Glass
New Team: Oklahoma State
Eligibility (2024): RS-JR
Summary: A Sun Devil legacy, Glass came to ASU from Queen Creek High School in 2021. He appeared in six games as a reserve during his true freshman campaign and then started all 12 games at offensive tackle as a sophomore in 2022. He was poised to be a full-time starter again in 2023 but, at an early point of the season, essentially opted out of the rest of the year to enter the transfer portal, ultimately choosing Oklahoma State for his final two seasons of eligibility.
Impact: 2 – Glass had double-digit starts at ASU at left tackle, one of the most integral positions on the entire field, but the data supports the view that he struggled quite a bit in his role for the Sun Devils. That said, ASU’s offensive line is still in need of improvement, so his absence leaves a bit of a mark on the program but isn’t one that is considered a devastating departure.
DL B.J. Green
New Team: Washington
Eligibility (2024): SR
Summary: From a walk-on to an all-conference honors recipient and the team’s most dominant defender, Green forged quite a success story in the three years he spent at Arizona State. Green appeared in 36 games across the 2021-23 seasons and totaled 60 tackles, including 21.0 for loss with 13.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He had by far his best statistical season in 2023 with single-season career-highs in tackles (39), TFLs (11.5) and sacks (6.0).
After entering the transfer portal last year before returning to Arizona State, lightning did not strike twice as he opted to transfer to national runner-up Washington.
Impact: 3 – The only player on the roster to earn first or second-team all-conference accolades and ASU’s leader in sacks each of the past three seasons, Green is easily the most significant winter transfer portal departure for Arizona State. Green earned Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors in 2023 after recording 39 tackles, including 11.5 for loss with 6.0 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble.
RB Javen Jacobs
New Team: New Mexico
Eligibility (2024): RS-SO
Summary: Jacobs came to Arizona State as an encouraging case of a local product from nearby Scottsdale Saguaro High School and a lifelong Sun Devil fan looking to carve out an all-purpose role for the Arizona State offense. Though he earned a role on the field by appearing in 15 games across the 2022-23 seasons, the overall opportunities were relatively limited as he had just three total carries and 15 combined punt and kick returns. Jacobs played in four games in 2023 and notched seven total touches, allowing him to preserve a year of eligibility by redshirting last fall.
Jacobs opted to transfer to New Mexico, a move that theoretically should result in greater opportunities for playing time.
Impact: 1 – It would have been great to see a local player like Jacobs rise up the ranks at ASU, but he was generally on the outside looking in when it comes to the depth chart, both on offense and special teams. ASU returns virtually its entire depth chart at running back, several key pieces at wide receiver, and special teams. It has also added an all-purpose threat in Raleek Brown. Ultimately, even if Jacobs had opted to stay, playing time likely would have been even more scarce in 2024 than it was in 2023.
WR Andre Johnson
New Team: Miami (Ohio)
Eligibility (2024): RS-SR
Summary: One of just three members from ASU’s 2019 signing class to have been on the 2023 roster along with Jordan Clark and Anthonie Cooper, Johnson showed flashes of promise but was not a regular impact performer for the Sun Devils. In total, he appeared in 37 career games for Arizona State and caught 32 passes for 387 yards with two touchdowns.
For his final year of eligibility, Johnson has chosen to attend Miami (Ohio) in the Mid-American Conference.
Impact: 1.5 – After posting a single-season collegiate career-best with 15 catches in 2022, Johnson’s role diminished this past season as he had just four receptions for 36 yards. It is unlikely that he would have carved out a much greater role in 2024.
QB Drew Pyne
New Team: Unknown
Eligibility (2024): RS-JR
Summary: The starting quarterback for Notre Dame in 2022, when Pyne announced his transfer to ASU, it was largely believed he would be a strong candidate to become starting quarterback – a notion that remained until he suffered a significant injury in fall camp.
Though Pyne was able to return to the field for some game action in 2023, between a flood of turnovers and continued injury issues, he was unable to make any sort of traction or impact at Arizona State.
In an atypical yet wise decision for life after football, Pyne announced his intention to return to Notre Dame in strictly an academic capacity for the spring so that he could complete his degree requirements at that institution with plans to transfer yet again to play for a different university in the fall of 2024. It is not expected that he will rejoin the Fighting Irish football program for the spring or beyond.
Impact: 1.5 – It seems safe to say that the jury is still out on Pyne as he followed a solid 2022 campaign at Notre Dame with an unmitigated disaster of a brief tenure at Arizona State. He certainly should still land at a reputable FBS program to continue his career, but his departure from Arizona State figures to create little to no impact on ASU’s 2024 season.
DB Shawn Russ
New Team: Bethune-Cookman
Eligibility (2024): RS-FR
Summary: For several months as a recruit, Russ was a member of the Rivals 250 before being downgraded to a high three-star prospect in the final 2023 rankings. The Florida native had offers from reputable schools such as Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee, and several others before choosing the Sun Devils.
Despite his recruiting pedigree, Russ was not able to scale the depth chart in year one and, in the late stages of the 2023 regular season, announced his intentions to relocate and ultimately chose FCS level HBCU program Bethune-Cookman.
Impact: 1.5 – Russ gets a bit of an edge in terms of this ranking over a recruiting classmate of his, such as Josiah Cox, as Russ was one of the top defensive signees for ASU in the 2023 class. However, since he did not see the field as a true freshman, it would be a stretch to place a great deal of gravity on his departure until he sees the field of play at the college level.
LB Will Shaffer
New Team: Utah State
Eligibility (2024): RS-JR
Summary: A local product from nearby Scottsdale Saguaro High School, Shaffer joined the program in 2020 and became a steady special teams performer while he also worked his way up the depth chart at linebacker to earn some time as a starter for ASU. He announced his intentions to transfer from the Sun Devil football program in late September 2023 after appearing in four games of the 2023 season, allowing him to use a redshirt season. In mid-December, Shaffer announced his decision to transfer to Utah State.
Overall at ASU, Shaffer appeared in 32 games and registered 21 total tackles, including 1.5 for loss with one pass deflection, one quarterback hurry, and one blocked kick.
Impact: 2 – Shaffer has the ability to contribute on special teams and compete for a two-deep spot or even a starting role, but the portal additions ASU has made at linebacker, in addition to its returning players at the position group, figure to offset the impact created by his departure.
DL Ashley Williams
New Team: Louisiana
Eligibility (2024): RS-FR
Summary: Like Shawn Russ, Williams spent most of his high school senior season in the Rivals 250 rankings before dipping to a high three-start designation as a member of the 2023 class. Formerly an Auburn commit before signing with Arizona State, Williams also had offers from the likes of Florida State, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, Washington, and others.
Williams did not see game action as a true freshman, and in a move that is believed to be largely influenced by homesickness, the native of Zachary, La., entered the transfer portal and opted to return to his home state and attend Louisiana.
Impact: 1.5 – Also similar to Shawn Russ, Williams’ credentials as a high school recruit give a slight bump to the potential impact of his departure, but since Williams did not see the field for the Devils in 2023, the true impact cannot be considered highly significant at this immediate juncture.
Additional Portal Entries
WR Alonzo Brown, WR Shawn Charles, and LB Dylan DeVito, all non-scholarship players for ASU, have reportedly entered the transfer portal as well. Charles appeared in seven games for the Sun Devils in ASU, but neither Brown nor DeVito is credited with any game appearances in 2023.
DB Isaiah Johnson, who was dismissed from the team in early August 2023, also technically remains in the portal and has not found a new playing home yet, nor did he play college football this past season.
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